22 Questions
What happens to air temperature as you increase in altitude within the troposphere?
It decreases
Why does warm air rise and cold air sink?
Because warm air is less dense than cold air
What happens to air at an altitude of around 60 km?
It is pushed towards the poles
What type of weather is associated with low pressure areas?
Windy and rainy
What direction does air flow between areas of different pressure?
From high to low pressure
What happens to air as it rises and cools?
It becomes cooler and denser
What type of weather is associated with high pressure areas?
Dry and clear
What is the result of warm air rising and cool air sinking?
The creation of high and low pressure areas
What is the primary factor responsible for the formation of low and high-pressure cells on Earth?
Rising and sinking air
What is the name of the pressure cell located closest to the Equator?
Hadley cell
What is the primary driver of atmospheric circulation on Earth?
Rising and sinking air
What is the name of the pressure cell located at the highest latitude?
Polar cell
What is the result of the rising and sinking air on Earth's surface?
Creation of both high and low-pressure zones
What is the main reason for the existence of seasons on Earth?
The tilt of the Earth's axis
What is the location of the Ferrel cell on Earth?
Between 30° and 60° latitude
What would happen to temperatures if the Earth's axis were straight up and down?
They would remain fairly constant
What is the significance of the Tropic of Capricorn and the Tropic of Cancer?
They are the points where the sun is directly overhead on solstices
Why does the equator receive more direct and intense heat than the poles?
Because the poles are tilted away from the sun
What is the relationship between air pressure and weight above it?
Air pressure is equal to the weight above
What happens to the hemisphere that is tilted towards the sun?
It receives more direct and intense heat
What is the significance of the equinoxes?
The sun is directly overhead the equator at noon on these days
What is responsible for the difference in surface area that sun rays need to pass through at the poles versus the equator?
The shape of the Earth
Study Notes
Temperature and Pressure
- Air temperature decreases with increasing altitude within the troposphere.
- Air pressure decreases with increasing altitude.
- Warm air rises, cold air sinks due to density differences.
- Warm air can only rise to ± 60 km before being pushed towards the poles by more air entering the low-pressure zone.
Global Climate Patterns
- Air flows from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas.
- Rising warm air creates low-pressure areas with rainy, windy weather.
- Sinking cooler air creates high-pressure areas with dry, clear weather.
Solar Radiation and Seasons
- The surface area the sun's rays need to pass through is greater at the poles than at the equator.
- Two solstices occur: Tropic of Capricorn (Dec 21/22) and Tropic of Cancer (Jun 21/22).
- Two equinoxes occur: Equator at noon (Mar 21/22 and Sep 22/23).
- The tilt of the Earth's axis causes different hemispheres to receive more direct and intense heat, resulting in seasons.
Wind Patterns and Pressure Zones
- Wind flows from high-pressure areas to low-pressure areas.
- Rising and sinking air creates low-pressure and high-pressure cells/belts northwards and southwards of the equator.
- Three major pressure cells: Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar, located at 0°, 30°, and 60° latitude respectively.
- These cells are replicated on either side of the equator in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Learn about the relationship between air temperature, air pressure, and altitude in the troposphere. Understand how the Earth's surface affects the air around it.
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