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Env Sci Midterm Study

Terms in this set (11)

Lecture 1:
What are the major spheres in the earth system?
Lithosphere:
The solid surface layer of the Earth (plates)

Hydrosphere:
The water reservoirs, including liquid, gas (and the solid) phases

Biosphere:
All living things

Atmosphere:
Thin gaseous veil around Earth

Cryosphere:
The frozen component of the water reservoirs
What reservoirs and what types of energy and mass are exchanged on Earth?
3 types of systems:
-Open = exchange energy AND matter
-Closed = exchange energy, but not matter
-Isolated = no interactions with surr. environment
Given an example, explain how a positive feedback loop destabilizes a system and a negative feedback loop stabilizes it.
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How do the wavelengths of infrared, visible, and ultraviolet light compare to each other? What are the defining properties of each?
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Lecture 2:
Compare the radiation emitted from the Sun to the radiation re-emitted by the Earth for the following characteristics: wavelength of lambda_max, frequency of lambda_max, name of section of the EM spectrum that it peaks in, how energetic it is.
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What is albedo? Describe how the albedo changes between summer and winter over the Sierra Nevada Mountains. (Hint: it snows in the winter!!)
albedo: measure of reflectivity of a surface
What part of the EM spectrum do GHGs interact with? Describe that interaction. (i.e., how do they absorb energy?)
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How much of the Sun's energy is (a) absorbed by the atmosphere, (b) absorbed by the Earth's surface, (c) reflected back to space
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Explain the difference between reflecting radiation and absorbing and then re-emitting radiation.
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Explain the Greenhouse effect on Earth. Why is it important?
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Describe 3 interesting things about what Planck's function represents.
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