Exam 1

Question 1
10 / 20 pts
Describe the geological evidence for “Snowball Earth” events. When did these events take place? What might have triggered the first of the “Snowball Earth” events? If the earth was frozen over with a high albedo, how did it get out of the trap and melt the ice?
 
Question 2
15 / 15 pts
Describe the three Croll-Milankovitch cycles. What is the period of each?

 
Question 3
20 / 20 pts
Explain how (A) the angle of incidence, (B) the number of days of sunlight at each latitude due to the seasons, and (C) albedo, all affect the total amount of solar radiation absorbed at the poles vs. at the equator. What does this net energy imbalance mean for oceanic and atmospheric circulation?

 
Question 4
20 / 20 pts
Question    What is the albedo feedback loop? Describe how the earth gets from an ice-free body to a ice-covered body and back again.

 
Question 5
0 / 15 pts
Describe the Coriolis effect, using the example of a merry-go-round. Which way do things move in the Northern Hemisphere? In the Southern Hemisphere? Parallel to the equator?

 
Question 6
20 / 20 pts
Describe the shape and location of the following: Hadley, Ferrel, and Polar cells (describe the motion of the air currents in each cell); persistent high and low pressure belts; doldrums and horse latitudes; trade winds and westerlies. Explain why rain forests are found in the equatorial belt, and deserts are found primarily between 10 and 40° north and south latitude.

UnansweredQuestion 7
0 / 5 pts
SHORT ANSWER IDENTIFICATION. 2-3 sentences/phrases each
 
SAFFIR-SIMPSON SCALE

 
Question 8
5 / 5 pts
SOLSTICE VS. EQUINOX

Question 9
5 / 5 pts
GREENHOUSE VS. ICEHOUSE WORLD (carbon dioxide low/high? sea level low/high? temperature low/high? for each)

 
Question 10
5 / 5 pts
GOLDILOCKS ZONE

Question 11
5 / 5 pts
BLACK BODY RADIATION

 
UnansweredQuestion 12
0 / 5 pts
“WARMING PAUSED SINCE 1998”

 
UnansweredQuestion 13
0 / 5 pts
HURRICANE VS. CYCLONE VS. TYPHOON

 
Question 14
3 / 5 pts
TORNADO ALLEY (where it is, what air masses cause it)

Exam 1 Answer

Question 1

Describe the geological evidence for “Snowball Earth” events. When did these events take place? What might have triggered the first of the “Snowball Earth” events? If the earth was frozen over with a high albedo, how did it get out of the trap and melt the ice?

The geological evidence for Snowball Earth includes the gigantic boulders in Central Park in Manhattan, the ancient glacial deposits in Canada fom 2.4 billion years ago, Precambrian lava flows of the Namibia, and paleomagnetic evidence.