Science 10 Review

Unit D – Energy Flow in Global Systems – Weather and Climate

1.  What is the source of all energy on Earth ? What kind of energy is it ?

The SUN

Solar Energy

2.  Explain, with examples, the difference between weather and climate ?

Weather: Conditions that occur in a particular place at a particular time. Short-term. Example: Today it is cold and rainy.

Climate: Average weather in a region over a long period of time. Example: Average summer temperature in Alberta is 14-20˚C.

3.  What are the three non-living parts of the biosphere? Give a definition of each.

Atmosphere: A layer of gases that surrounds the Earth

Lithosphere: All the solid portions of the Earth, composed of minerals, rocks and elements.

Hydrosphere: All of the water found on Earth, can be found in solid or liquid form.

4.  Create a pie chart and a table showing the percentage of gases found in the atmosphere.

5.  What is atmospheric dust ?

Small solid particles suspended in the Earth’s atmosphere.

6.  Describe the four layers of the Atmosphere. Be sure to include the altitude they are found at and any identifying features.

Troposphere: (0-10km above the Earth) Contains about 80% of the atmospheric gases. It is the only layer that supports life. The temperature range in 15˚C to -60˚C decreasing with increasing altitude. Contains most of the oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapour and atmospheric dust in the atmosphere and is the layer where weather occurs.

Stratosphere: (10-50km) found above the troposphere. Temperature range is -60˚C warming up to 0˚C at the top. It contains most of the ozone gas in the atmosphere.

Mesosphere: (50-80km) found above the Stratosphere. Temperature range decreased with increasing altitude from 0˚C to - 100˚C at the top.

Thermosphere: (80-300km) found above the mesosphere and is the last layer of the atmosphere. The temperature range increases with increasing altitude from -100˚C up to 1500˚C. There is very little gas in this layer.

7.  Give an example of how the three parts of the biosphere interact with each other.

It is important to understand that the three components of the atmosphere continuously interact with each other, for example water exists not only in the hydrosphere as fresh and salt water systems. It also is found in the atmosphere as water vapour and in the lithosphere in the soil and minerals.

8.  How does climate affect humans ? Give at least two example of responses from humans to extreme climate conditions.

Clothing

Air conditioning in hot climates

Heating (furnaces etc.) for homes and shelters in cold climates

9.  What is an adaptation ? Give at least two adaptions of species other than humans to extreme climate.

Deciduous trees in Alberta shed their leaves in the winter and go dormant.

Trumpeter swans migrate during different seasons

Grizzly bears store fat and hibernate over the winter

Iguanas are cold-blooded

10.  What is Climate change ? What is anecdotal evidence and what is scientific evidence? Give two examples of climate change of each type of evidence.

Climate Change: is the change that occurs in the climate of a region over time.

Anecdotal Evidence: reports from people about particular weather events. Not scientific or tested.

Scientific Evidence: un-biased evidence collected by scientists and checked by scientists. Often involves data collection by specialized instruments.

11.  Complete Questions # 12, 14 pg 355

#12

a)  Scientific b) Anecdotal c) Anecdotal d) Scientific

#14

12.  What type of energy is most incoming solar energy converted to when it comes to Earth?

Most incoming solar energy is converted to thermal energy, which is the energy possessed by molecules in their kinetic energy .

13.  Explain why all regions on Earth do not receive the same amount of Solar energy, be sure to use the terms insolation, angle of inclination and angle of incidence in your explanation.

Insolation is the amount of solar energy received by a region of the Earth’s surface. This is influenced by many factors including the angle of inclination of the Earth and the angle of incidence of incoming radiation. Angle of inclination refers to the degree by which the Earth is tilted on its north/south axis. The angle is 23.5˚. As the Earth rotates around the sun, the angle of inclination causes the seasons, which are more prevalent at the poles then the equator because during sometimes of year the pole is tilted away from the sun (winter) and sometimes titled towards the sun (summer). The shape of the Earth is also a factor that affects the amount of sunlight that a region gets during the year. The angle of incidence is the angle at which light strikes a surface. The Earth is round and as you move farther from the equator, the angle increases and incoming solar energy is spread out over a greater surface area, so the poles receive less total solar energy than the equator. This all affects the weather, climate and hrs of daylight in a region.

14.  What is a solstice? What is an equinox?

A solstice is when the poles are tilted away or towards the sun. An equinox is when the number of daylight hours equals the numbers of dark hours.

15.  How does cloud cover, atmospheric dust and the albedo effect affect the amount of energy absorbed or reflected by the Earth?

Cloud cover and atmospheric dust affects the amount of energy that reaches the Earth’s surface because they both reflect and absorb some of the energy. The Albedo effect causes dark surfaces to absorb energy and light surfaces to reflect.

16.  What is the greenhouse effect ? Is the natural greenhouse effect good or bad for the Earth?

The natural greenhouse effect is the absorption of thermal energy by the atmosphere. Without the natural greenhouse effect life would be very difficult on Earth as the average temperature would be about 33˚C colder than it is now.

17.  What gases are considered greenhouse gases? Why ?

Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect are considered greenhouse gases. Water vapour is the main greenhouse gas, but carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are also greenhouses gases.

18.  What is net radiation budget ? What is the total incoming energy that is reflected ? What is the total that is absorbed initially ?

Is the difference between the amount of incoming and outgoing radiation. Of the 100% of incoming radiation, 30% is immediately reflected by the clouds, atmosphere and Earth’s surface. The remaining 70% is absorbed.

19.  Describe the difference between conduction and convection.

Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy by direct contact, while convection is the transfer of thermal energy through the movement of particles. Conduction occurs between solids, while convection occurs between fluids like liquids and gases.

20.  What is the Coriolis effect ?

The deflection of any object from a straight line path by the rotation of the Earth.

21.  What are jet streams ?

Is a band of fast moving air in the stratosphere.

22.  What does each variable in the formula Q = mcΔt stand for ?

Q = Thermal Energy c = specific heat capacity

m = mass Δt = temperature change

23.  Calculate the following

  1. How much thermal energy is released to decrease the temperature of 30.0g of water by 22˚C ?

Q=mc Δt

Q=30.0g4.19Jg•˚C22˚C

Q = 2765.4J = (2s.d) = 2.77KJ or 2.77x103J

  1. What is the specific heat capacity of a substance that absorbs 500J of energy to change 1.00kg by 50˚C ?

Q=mc Δt

c=QmΔt

c=500J(1000g)(50˚C)

C = 0.01 J/g•˚C

  1. What is the temperature change of 82.5g of iron that when it releases 8.4 KJ of energy ? The SHC of iron is 0.449J/g˚C.

Q=mc Δt

Δt=Qmc

c=8400J(82.5g)(0.449J/g•˚C)

Δt = 226.7˚C = (2s.d) = 2.3x102˚C

24.  What does each variable in the formula Hfus = Q/n stand for. How is Hvap different ?

Hfus = the thermal energy absorbed when 1 mol a substance changes from solid to liquid or liquid to solid without a change in temperature

Q = thermal energy

n = moles

Hvap = the thermal energy absorbed when 1 mol a substance changes from liquid to gas or gas to liquid without a change in temperature

25.  Calculate the following

  1. How much energy is required to melt 5.00 moles of ice at 0.0˚C

Q=nHfus

Q=(5.00mol)(6.01KJmol)

Q = 30.1KJ

  1. What is the amount of thermal energy required to change 250g of liquid water to water vapour ? The molar mass of water is 18.02g/mol and the heat of vaporization is 40.65KJ/mol.

Change grams to moles moles=250g x 1 mol18.02g=13.87 moles

Q=nHvap

Q=(13.87mol)(40.65KJmol)

Q = 564KJ

26.  What is the difference between an open and a closed system ?

Open system exchanges matter and energy with its surrounding while a closed system does not.

27.  Describe the six biomes found on Earth. What is the climate, plants and animals found in each one?

Tundra

Taiga

Deciduous Forest

Grassland

Desert

Rain forest

28.  Complete question #36 pg 409

29.  Complete questions 1,2,7,8,9,12,15,16 pg 431