A Answer the following questions in brief :
1.What is insolation ?
2 Why does only a small proportion of the total insolation reach the surface of the earth?
3. Temperature decreases from Equator to Poles'. Give reason.
4. Explain the role of altitude in determining the temperature of a place.
5. Why do the vertical rays of the sun provide more heat than the slanting rays ?
6 What is maritime influence ?
7
What is the reason for a higher range of temperature in the interior of a continent ?
8.Which has a higher range of temperature Chennai or Shimla ? Give reasons for it.
9. Name the major temperature zones of the earth. Also describe their latitudinal extent.
10. Why are south facing slopes in the Himalayan region warmer than the north facing slopes ?
11. What is heat budget ?
12 What is greenhouse effect?
Answers
Answer:
1) Insolation is the amount of solar radiation that is received by a planet. Some of this energy is absorbed or reflected by the atmosphere, if there is one, and some reaches the surface.
2) The amount of insolation received on the earth's surface is far less than that is radiated from the sun because of the small size of the earth and its distance from the sun. Moreover water vapour, dust particles, ozone and other gases present in the atmosphere absorb a small amount of insolation.
3) Due to curvature of the earth, the amount of total energy received varies according to latitude. As a result, air temperature decreases from the equator towards the poles.
4) As you increase in elevation, there is less air above you thus the pressure decreases. As the pressure decreases, air molecules spread out further (i.e. air expands) and the temperature decreases. If the humidity is at 100 percent (because it's snowing), the temperature decreases more slowly with height.
5) Vertical rays of sunlight are more effective in producing light and heat than are slanting rays. Because they directly fall from the sun on the Earth. Because the vertical rays fall directly on the earth whereas in slanting rays only a part of the light reaches the earth.
6) The effect of an ocean's airflow on the climate of the surrounding areas, also known as the maritime effect, is generally milder temperatures and a decreased variation in temperatures. ... Precipitation is more common in areas with a maritime climate, as moisture levels are higher near the ocean.
7) The range of temperature is high in the interior of the continent because places located in the interior of the continent are far away from the moderating influence of the sea.
8) Shimla has higher range of temperature since it's distance from the Sea is more so it will experience extreme type of climate. But since Chennai is near to the Sea it experiences moderate climate.
9) Extending from the southern edge of the Arctic Circle to the Tropic of Cancer in the northern hemisphere, and the northern edge of the Antarctic Circle to the Tropic of Capricorn in the southern hemisphere, *the temperate climate zone falls between 23.5 degrees and 66.5 degrees north and south latitudes.
10.)The south facing slopes in the Himalayan region are warmer than the north facing slopes due to the areas affected by cold or hot winds there is a difference in temperature of the windward and Leeward slopes.
11) A heat budget is the perfect balance between incoming heat absorbed by earth and outgoing heat escaping it in the form of radiation. If the balance is disturbed, then earth would get progressively warmer or cooler with each passing year.
12) The greenhouse effect is a natural process that warms the Earth's surface. When the Sun's energy reaches the Earth's atmosphere, some of it is reflected back to space and the rest is absorbed and re-radiated by greenhouse gases. ... The absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface of the Earth.
Explanation: