Nats101 Sect 41, 42  Introduction to Global Change

Midterm Study Guide

 

Exam Time/Date-

Noon, Wednesday March 10

 

Exam composition-

To Be Determined (this will be updated)

 

Material-

All lecture material through March 8

All associated readings (textbooks and other readings), which include readings through March 1st in syllabus, maybe some from March 3 (Actual lectures have fallen behind about 3 periods compared to the plan in the syllabus)

 

What to study-

In addition to the readings and your own lecture notes…….

the sample quizzes and actual quizzes plus the “class notes” summary of each lecture provided by Prof. Leavitt should be helpful.

Material related to in-class writing exercise lessons may also appear on Midterm Exam.

 

Terminology-

Atomic number                       core-mantle-crust                                Wien’s law

Mass number                           troposphere-stratosphere                     terrestrial radiation

Proton                                     cyanobacteria                                      solar radiation

Electron                                   BIF- banded iron formations              weather

Neutron                                   ITCZ                                                   climate

Isotopes                                   convection                                           latent heat

Fusion                                     radiation                                              specific heat

Fission                         conduction                                          TDS

Big Bang                                 Hadley Cell                                         cohesion

Red shift                                 Coriolis Effect                                    adhesion

Entropy                                   albedo                                                 IPCC

Covalent bonds                       Younger Dryas                                    upwelling

Atmosphere                             Hydrosphere                                       Cryosphere

Biosphere                                teleconnection                         “hockey stick” curve

Permafrost                               methane hydrate                                 Northwest Passage

Salt water intrusion                 Gulf Stream                                        ENSO

Polar Cell                                Ferrell Cell                                          ground water

Relative humidity                   runoff                                                  Doppler Effect

Medieval Warm Period           Little Ice Age                                      sink/source

Mole                                        gyres                                                    ozone layer

Tree rings                                menhaden                                            fire scar

 

Concepts-

Conversion of units

Scientific notation

Periodic Table and the origin of elements

Laws of thermodynamics

Newton’s laws

Solar Nebula Hypothesis

Differentiation of the Earth into its layers

Plate tectonics/plate boundaries

Uneven distribution of resources/raw materials around the world (fossil fuel; metals)

Current composition of the Earth’s atmosphere

Evolution of the composition of the Earth’s atmosphere from early Earth to now

Temperature on Fahrenheit, Celsius and Kelvin scales

General circulation in the Earth’s atmosphere (convection cells, rising/sinking air, winds, etc)

“Rules of electromagnetic radiation”

Earth’s radiation budget

“Greenhouse effect” vs. “enhance greenhouse effect”

Properties of water

Thermohaline circulation- past and future climate

Mechanisms for increasing salinity of sea water

Surface ocean circulation

Food chains/webs and biomass and energy

El Niño/La Niña and food chains, weather, teleconnections

Positive and negative feedbacks with respect to global climate change

Consequences of Arctic warming

Consequences of sea-level rise

World-wide global warming over the past 120 years and uneven nature of that warming

IPCC predictions for this century in regard to warming, sea level, ice sheets, El Niño,

            thermohaline circulation, precipitation, drought

Sources of energy/power for society deriving directly or indirectly from the sun 

Choice of latitudes to sail east or west in the Pacific and Atlantic

Location of deserts and areas of greatest storminess

Cause of seasons

Tipping point

The hydrologic cycle- reservoirs and fluxes

 

Figures from Mackenzie text that were emphasized in the lectures (either in the exact form they appear in the text, or a similar figure from another source)-

F1.9, F2.1, F2.2, F2.4, F3.1, Box 3-1, F3.2, F3.3, F3.8, F3.9, F4.1, F4.4, F4.6, F4.7, F4.11, F4.12, F4.13, F4.14, F4.15, F4.16, F4.18, F4.19, F5.4, F5.5, F5.6, F5.7, F5.8, F7.1, F7.3, F7.4, F7.5, F8.20

Table 3.1, Table 4.1, Table 4.2, Table 5.3

 

From Mann-Kump book, the following pages/images are particularly relevant to lectures-

p. 10-15, p. 22-25, p. 33-37, p. 47, 50, 58-61, 64, 88-93, 98-103, 124-125, 128, 138-139