Term |
Definition |
Solar energy (or solar radiation) |
Energy from the sun |
The atmosphere obtains heat from the ___ ___ that reaches the earth. |
solar energy |
Radiation |
The transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves |
Electromagnetic waves |
Waves that include radio waves and waves of light |
Albedo |
The decimal equivalent of solar radiation reflected by an object is that object's this |
Insolation |
The solar energy that does reach the surface of the earth (INcoming SOLar radiATION) |
Watt |
Measures the amount of energy that something gains, loses, or uses in a second |
___ ___ reduces the amount of insolation as much as 85%, because ___ are especially reflective. |
cloudy weather, clouds |
___ ___ ___ affects insolation. |
Amount of daytime |
The amount of insolation is also affected by the ___ ___ ___ ___ ____. |
angles of the sun's rays |
___ ____ ___ ___ ___ also affects the amount of insolation. |
Earth's distance from the sun |
Perihelion |
Earth's closest point to the sun |
Aphelion |
Earth's farthest point from the sun |
Perihelion occurs during the ___ ___'s summer. |
Southern Hemisphere |
Energy budget |
The amount of energy available to heat the earth's land, water, and air |
Greenhouse effect |
The process of trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere |
Greenhouse gases |
The atmospheric gases that help to trap heat |
The most important and abundant greenhouse gas is ___ ___. |
water vapor |
The warmest part of the day occurs ___ ___ ___. |
well after noon (approximately 3:00 over land 5:00 over sea) |
Insolation warms water ___ ___ ___ than it warms land. |
much more slowly |
Water ___ ___ longer than land does. |
holds heat |
Conduction |
The transfer of heat by direct contact between two objects |
Convection |
Heat transfer by moving currents of hot air (or other fluids) |
Most of the earth's weather occurs in the ___ as the result of ___ ___. |
troposphere, convection currents |
Vertical movements of air |
Updrafts or downdrafts |
Winds |
Horizontal movements of air |
Adiabatic |
Refers to processes in which heat is not transferred |
Adiabatic heating |
In which the temperature of a gas rises as the gas is compressed with no heat loss |
Adiabatic cooling |
The process in which, if no heat is added, the temperature of a gas drops as it expands |
When a body of air rises, ___ ___ ___. |
its temperature drops |