Deck 2: The Earths Global Energy Balance

Question 1

Which of following constant gases accounts for the largest proportion of the air that surrounds us?

A)oxygen
B)nitrogen
C)carbon dioxide
D)argon
E)water vapour

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Oxygen accounts for approximately ________ % of the air that surrounds us.

A)3)5
B)7)0
C)10.5
D)21.0
E)50.0

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Which of the following has the shortest wavelength?

A)ultra-violet (UV radiation)
B)visible light
C)x-rays
D)infrared radiation
E)gamma radiation

Answer 3

E

Question 4

Approximately what proportion of the total solar radiation entering the Earth's atmosphere is directly absorbed by the Earth's surface?

A)27%
B)31%
C)49%
D)69%
E)100%

Question 5

Insolation is __________.

A)incoming solar radiation
B)outgoing solar radiation
C)outgoing terrestrial radiation
D)the name given to the blanket-like effect the earth's atmosphere has on global warming
E)the warming effect of clouds

Question 6

Which of the following surfaces would likely have the highest albedo?

A)an area covered by pine forest
B)an asphalt parking lot
C)an area covered by snow
D)an area covered by wet sand
E)an area covered by dry sand

Question 7

At what wavelength does the Sun emit most energy?

A)ultraviolet
B)visible
C)infrared
D)near infrared
E)gamma radiation

Question 8

The average albedo of the planet Earth is around:

A)20%
B)30%
C)50%
D)70%
E)80%

Question 9

What is the solar constant?

A)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the Earth's surface
B)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received outside the Earth's atmosphere
C)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received emitted at the Sun's surface
D)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the equator
E)The amount of solar radiation per unit area received at the pole

Question 10

What is the range of wavelengths of visible light?

A)1)2 to 3.0 micrometers
B)0)7 to 1.2 micrometers
C)0)4 to 0.7 micrometers
D)8 to 12 micrometers
E)3 to 6 micrometers

Question 11

What is the magnitude of the solar constant?

A)550 watts per square meter
B)745 watts per square meter
C)1035 watts per square meter
D)1225 watts per square meter
E)1370 watts per square meter

Question 12

When water evaporates from a surface:

A)energy is liberated and the surface is warmed
B)energy is absorbed and the surface is cooled
C)there is no change in energy
D)the type of surface determines whether heat is lost or gained by the surface
E)only latent heat is involved in the process

Question 13

The amount of radiation left over when all incoming and outgoing flows have been tallied is called __________.

A)net radiation
B)final insolation
C)greenhouse radiation
D)total radiation
E)counter-radiation

Question 14

Approximately what proportion of all incoming solar radiation is absorbed by molecules,dust and clouds in the atmosphere?

A)12%
B)17%
C)20%
D)25%
E)32%

Question 15

Which of the following is the correct order from greatest volume to least volume of gases in the troposphere?

A)Oxygen,carbon dioxide,nitrogen,neon
B)Nitrogen,argon,oxygen,neon
C)Nitrogen,oxygen,argon,neon
D)Oxygen,nitrogen,argon,carbon dioxide
E)Neon,argon,oxygen,nitrogen

Question 16

Which of the following is a consequence of the Sun's relatively higher temperature compared to that of the Earth?

A)The Earth is heated more by solar longwave radiation than by solar shortwave radiation
B)The Earth emits shortwave rather than longwave radiation
C)The Earth emits longwave rather than shortwave radiation
D)The Earth receives more scattered energy than direct radiant energy
E)The Earth receives more direct radiant energy than scattered energy

Question 17

The emission of long-wave radiation by the atmosphere towards the Earth's surface is termed:

A)ground heat flow
B)latent heat
C)direct radiation
D)counter-radiation
E)net radiation

Question 18

Which of the following statements best describes latent heat transfer?

A)the absorption of energy from a surface during the process of evaporation
B)the release of energy during the process of condensation
C)the release of heat from a source of evaporation to the atmosphere
D)the transfer of energy from one source of condensation to another
E)the increase in humidity following the release of latent heat

Question 19

Which of the following has the longest wavelength?

A)ultra-violet (UV radiation)
B)visible light
C)x-rays
D)infrared radiation
E)gamma radiation

Question 20

Which of the following are the most absorptive gases of longwave infrared radiation?

A)oxygen and argon
B)carbon dioxide and methane
C)nitrogen and ozone
D)oxygen and nitrogen
E)argon and nitrogen

Question 21

The lower solar angles characteristic of high latitude locations leads to lower levels of insolation because:

A)the solar radiation has further to travel and so looses its strength
B)the solar radiation is spread over a larger unit area
C)the solar radiation is spread over a smaller unit area
D)the solar radiation must travel through more volume of atmosphere and so more radiation is reflected back to space
E)the high latitude regions receive solar radiation from the cooler part of the Sun

Question 22

Which of the following locations would receive most incoming solar radiation at noon during the spring equinox?

A)The North Pole
B)The Tropic of Cancer
C)The Equator
D)The Tropic of Capricorn
E)The South Pole

Question 23

Which of the following is a correct statement:

A)Insolation levels are constant on land surfaces
B)Insolation levels are constant on water surfaces
C)Insolation levels increase with higher sun angle
D)Insolation levels are not related to latitude in any way.
E)Insolation levels are affected by night time low temperatures.

Question 24

What is a blackbody?

A)An identical model of the way the Sun emits radiant energy
B)An identical model of the way that all objects emit radiant energy
C)A theoretical model of the emission of radiant energy
D)A theoretical model that describes only the Stefan-Boltzmann Law
E)A model that describes the development of longwave energy

Question 25

The ozone layer absorbs which of the following wavelengths of radiation?

A)ultraviolet
B)visible
C)infrared
D)near infrared
E)gamma radiation

Question 26

Hot objects radiate less energy than cool objects.

Question 27

Surface temperatures are warmer over a low albedo surface compared to those above a high albedo surface.

Question 28

All bodies in space:

A)emit light
B)orbit the sun
C)emit electromagnetic radiation
D)have similar orbits
E)attract each other

Question 29

Sensible heat loss exceeds latent heat loss in the global longwave energy budget.

Question 30

Ozone forms from the free atoms of which gas?

A)nitrogen
B)argon
C)carbon dioxide
D)oxygen
E)water vapor

Question 31

Ozone is concentrated in the stratosphere at an altitude of around:

A)5 kms
B)10 kms
C)15 kms
D)20 kms
E)25 kms

Question 32

Latent heat transfer occurs when two objects of unlike temperature come into contact with each other.

Question 33

Radiation can be scattered in multiple directions,and leads to diffuse radiation and diffuse reflection.

Question 34

If the Earth was not tilted on its axis there would be no seasons whatsoever.

Question 35

Which of the following statements is incorrect?

A)Where net radiation is positive,incoming solar radiation exceeds outgoing longwave radiation
B)An energy surplus where net radiation is negative,leads to energy moving poleward as latent and sensible heat
C)Low latitudes (equator-ward than 40 degrees)generally have an energy surplus
D)High latitudes (pole ward of 40 degrees)generally have an energy deficit
E)For the entire Earth and atmosphere as a unit,net radiation is zero on an annual basis

Question 36

The term "Albedo" refers to:

A)the amount of EMR absorbed by a body.
B)the ability to insulate an object
C)the varying degree of seasonal changes in EMR
D)the ability to add to the greenhouse effect
E)the amount of EMR reflected by a body.

Question 37

Water vapor usually makes up less than 1% of the Earth's atmosphere.

Question 38

Carbon dioxide comprises _____________ % of the Earth's lower atmosphere.

A)0)35%
B)0)035%
C)3%
D)5%
E)10%

Question 39

An increase in frequency of Electromagnetic Radiation results in a:

A)shorter wavelength
B)longer wavelength
C)lower energy levels
D)time shift with respect to energy levels
E)significant increase in absorption levels

Question 40

Imbalances in net radiation between low and high latitudes results in:

A)poleward heat transfer
B)latent heat transfer
C)sensible heat transfer
D)counter radiation
E)the greenhouse effect

Question 41

Write an account of the different forms of radiation from short to long wavelengths.

Question 42

Using some examples of satellite images of your location,compare and contrast what the different sensors reveal in the different images.

Question 43

Describe the passage of a unit of energy from the Sun and its balancing return of radiation emitted by the Earth.

Question 44

The acronym EMR stands for "Electromagnetic Revolution".

Question 45

An increase in wavelength of EMR results in an increase in frequency.

Question 46

If your latitude is between the Tropic of Cancer and The Tropic of Capricorn you will experience the sun being directly overhead twice a year.

Question 47

Describe the nature of the radiation budget for location for today.How do you envisage it will change over the next month

Question 48

Estimate the albedos for common objects you see outside.For example,the road,the sidewalk,areas of grass,muddy puddles,etc.Estimate how they might change in six months.

Question 49

Compare and contrast any two examples of remote sensing technologies,such as thermal infrared sensing and radar.

Question 50

Ozone in the Troposphere is produced by Oxygen absorption of Ultraviolet (UV)radiation from the sun.

Question 51

Review the ways in which the Earth's energy budget may be altered by changes in the solar system,atmosphere or land surface.What do you think would be the effect upon the climate.(You can check some of your answers using the Interactivity on the CD).

Question 52

Explain how latitude effects the amount of Insolation received at a location.

Question 53

The presence of clouds can greatly decrease the amount of incoming solar radiation reflected back to space.

Question 54

It is envisaged that the ozone layer will be restored by the middle of the twenty-first century.How would you describe the ozone crisis to those people who will never experience it?

Question 55

Describe the radiation budget for your location for the year.

Question 56

At night there is no incoming solar radiation,yet the surface continues to emit outgoing radiation.

Question 57

Using the analogy of your classroom,how many people would represent the volumes for different gases of the atmosphere.For example,how many people would represent the volume of oxygen?

Question 58

The albedo of water is generally high for near vertical rays of sunlight on calm water.

Question 59

Water vapor can exceed 4% of the total gases in the Earth's atmosphere.