Surface mixed zone
Top layer, least dense, warmest
Deep zone
No sunlight, high density, very cold water
Transition Zone
Includes the thermocline and pycnocline
Coriolis effect
Earth rotation causes surface currents to curve
Rip Current
Flows from beach out towards ocean
Gyre
Huge circular moving surface currents
Sea floor spreading
Process occuring at a mid ocean ridge
Midocean ridge
Newly formed mountains at divergent boundaries where seafloor spreading occurs, found near the center of most ocean basins.
Which of Earth's oceans is the largest?
Pacific Ocean
What factors affect ocean water density?
Temperature and salinity
Describe the movement of water in a wave in the open ocean.
Circular motion
What is the primary body in space that influences tides?
The moon
What is the energy source for ocean surface currents and waves?
Wind
Troposphere
Bottom layer, weather occurs here, the Earth is the source of heat, temperature decreases with altitude.
Ozone layer
Absorbs the Sun's UV rays makes life possible on Earth but can be very harmful near Earth's surface 3 oxygen atoms
Summer Solstice
Summer solstice June 21, sun rays at 23.5 N
Equinox
Occur midway between solstices, March and September, Day and night both last 12 hours at all points on Earth, sun striking the equator.
Conduction
Requires direct contact and a medium
Convection
Transfer of heat by circulation and a medium that must be able to flow
Radiation
Energy moves in all directions from its source and does not require a medium.
Evaporation
Liquid to gas, absorbs heat, water boiling
Sublimation
Solid to gas, absorbs heat, dry heat disappearing
Condensation
Gas to liquid, releases heat, forming of dew
Deposition
Gas to solid, release heat, frost forming
Saturated air
Air that can not hold anymore water
Dew point
Temperature to which air must be cooled to reach saturation, cooling lower than this results in condensation
Cumulus clouds
Fluffy and round
Cirrus clouds
High, thin, white
Stratus clouds
A layer, sheets that cover much of the sky.
Cumulonimbus cloud
Clouds associated with thunder and lightning
What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What effect does high altitude have on climate?
Temperatures at higher altitudes are higher than the temperatures at low altitudes.
Describe differences in the heating of land and water.
Land heats faster and cools faster while water heats slower and cools slower.
How do clouds affect night time temperatures?
Heat from the Earth is reflected back raising the temperatures
Barometer
Device used to measure air pressure
What causes wind?
Unequal heating of Earth's surface
In what directions does the Jet Stream move in the US?
West to east
Cyclone
Centers of low pressure, rotate counterclockwise in the N. hemisphere, indicate stormy weather
Anticyclone
Centers of high pressure, rotate clockwise in the N. hemisphere, indicate nice weather.
Front
The boundary where two air masses meet
Warm front
Warm air moves into an area of cooler air, light rain for an extended period of time
Cold front
Cold air moves into an area of warmer air, causes heavy rain and wind for a short period and then a drop in temperature.
Stationary front
Two air masses meet but move side to side or parallel to the front line
Occluded front
A cold front overtakes a warm front
Greenhouse gases
Levels of greenhouse gases cause the temperature to rise and fall
What is the energy source for the wind?
The sun
What type of pressure is found at the center of a tornado?
Very low
When is tornado season in the central US?
April to June
What is the relationship between fossil fuels and the greenhouse effect?
Burning fossil fuels causes more greenhouse gases to be released causing the temperature to rise
What are some natural causes of climate change?
Volcanoes, plate tectonics, Ocean circulation, Extreme events, Solar activity, Milankovitch Cycles, Greenhouse gases
During the 20th century, what change occurred in Earth's surface temperature?
The temperature has risen
Dependent variable
Changes as a result of the independent variable
Independent variable
The changeable factor
Control
A standard for comparison, remains unchanged through all testing
Hypothesis
An untested idea or explanation, prediction
Nebula
Rotating cloud of dust and gas in space
Rotation
Spinning on an axis - day and night
Revolution
Motion along a path around a point in space - year
Precession
Earth's axis slowly points in different directions over 26,000 years
Asteroid
Small rocky bodies in space larger than 10 meters
Comet
Pieces of rocky and metallic material held together by frozen gases
Meteor
Meteoroid that burns up in Earth's atmosphere
Meteorite
Meteoroid that reaches Earth's surface
Solar eclipse
The Moon blocks the light of the Sun
Lunar eclipse
The moon passes into the Earth's shadow
Dwarf planet
Meet 1st 2 rules, but are not the dominant gravitational body in their orbit.
Nebular theory
The sun and planets formed from a nebula
Law of Universal Gravitation
Determined how planets stay in their orbit, Gravitational force decreases with distance, the greater the mass of an object the greater its gravitational pull.
Milky Way
Spiral galaxy