Weather General 10

• Components of the Biosphere


  • Lithosphere
  • Hydrosphere
  • Atmosphere
• Biosphere


  All the living organisms in the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere
• Lithosphere


  The solid portion of Earth, Earth's Crust
• Types of Crust


  • Oceanic Crust
  • Continental Crust
• Hydrosphere


  All the water on Earth, including ground water, water vapor, ice caps, oceans, rivers, lakes
• 97% of Earth's water is salt water. Only 3% is fresh water, most of which is tied up in polar ice caps
• Atmosphere


  Made up of 4 layers separated by temperature gradients
• Troposphere


  First layer of the atmosphere, contains 80% of atmospheric gases, all of Earth's weather is in this layer, temperature decreases as elevation increases
• Stratosphere


  Second layer of the atmosphere, contains the Ozone Layer, about 20% of the atmospheric gases, temperature increases as elevation increases
• Mesosphere


  Third layer of the atmosphere, meteors burn up when they enter this layer, temperature decreases as altitude increases
• Thermosphere


  Fourth and final layer of the atmosphere, temperatures can reach up to 1500oC near the top, ISS orbits in this layer, The Aura is produced in this layer
• Climate is the long-term average temperatures and precipitation for a particular region, minimum of 10 years
• Weather is the short-term temperature and precipitation for a particular region
• Types of Evidence

  • Anecdotal Evidence
  • Scientific Evidence
• Anecdotal Evidence is based on observations, while Scientific Evidence is measured using an instrument
• Climate Change is a period of 50 years or more where Earth's average temperature has increased or decreased. Earth is currently in a period of warming
• Insolation


  The amount of energy received by a region on Earth's surface
• Factors affecting the amount of insolation a region on Earth receives

  • Angle of Inclination
  • Angle of Incidence
  • Atmospheric Dust
  • Albedo Effect
• Angle of Inclination


  • The Earth is tilted 23.5 on its axis
  • Causes the poles to be tilted toward the sun at particular points in Earth's orbit
  • Results in Summer solstice with 24hr of daylight and Winter solstice with 24 hr of darkness
  • Equinox happens in the Spring and Fall with equal amounts of daylight and darkness
• Angle of Incidence


  • Angle between incoming solar radiation and a line perpendicular to the surface of the Earth
  • At the equator, the angle of incidence is 90 degrees, while at the Poles, it is 0 degrees
• Effect of Latitude


  • Higher latitude leads to more variation in daylight and less direct sunlight received
  • Equator has consistent hours of daylight and receives direct sunlight all year round
• Atmospheric Dust


  • Large amounts expelled from volcanoes can prevent incoming solar radiation from reaching the Earth's surface
  • Has been known to trigger past Ice Ages
• Albedo Effect


  • Measured as a percentage of reflected radiation back to space for a particular region
  • Earth's average albedo is 30% or 0.30
  • Ice has a very high albedo, reflecting a lot of solar radiation back to space
• Natural Greenhouse Effect


  1. Greenhouse gases absorb outgoing radiation and re-emit them back to the surface, helping the planet stay warm

  2. Gases involved: CO2, CH4, H2O
• Net Radiation Budget


  Calculated as Incoming Radiation minus Outgoing Radiation
• The Water Cycle


  1. Evaporation

  2. Condensation

  3. Precipitation

  4. Transpiration
• Phase Changes in the Water Cycle

  1. Evaporation: Liquid -> Gas (Gain)

  2. Condensation: Gas -> Liquid (Loss)

  3. Precipitation: Gas -> Liquid or Gas -> Solid (Loss)

  4. Transpiration: Liquid -> Gas (Gain)
• Specific Heat Capacity (c)

  The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 g of the substance by 1oC
• Water has a very high specific heat capacity
• Specific heat capacities for substances can be found on your data sheet
• The high specific heat capacity of water allows it to absorb and release large amounts of energy, creating a very moderate temperature
• Thermal Energy


  Q is the amount of thermal energy absorbed or released when the temperature of a specific mass of substance changes by a certain number of degrees Celsius
• Q = mcΔt where Q = thermal energy (J), m = mass (g), c = specific heat capacity (J/goC), ΔT = change in temperature (oC). Q is positive if energy is absorbed and negative if energy is released
• Thermal Energy (heat) Always travels from a hot object to a colder object
• Thermal Energy Transfer


  • Radiation
  • Conduction
  • Convection
• Radiation


  Heat transfer through wave emission. There is no direct contact between energy source and receiver
• Conduction


  Heat transfer by direct contact. The heat source has to be touching the receiver
• Convection


  Heat transfer by moving particles. Occurs in liquids and gases
• The lithosphere (Earth's Crust) rides on the moving convection cells in the mantle causing the plates to spread apart and collide together
• Heat is transferred from the equator to the poles by convection currents in the ocean and atmosphere