Seasons and Solar Energy

Printed Page 87(cont.)Menu

CHAPTER 2 Exploring with Google Earth

To complete these problems, first read the chapter. When you are finished, go to LaunchPad and open the Exploring with Google Earth file for this chapter. Click on the “Workbook Problems” folder to “fly” to each of the problems listed below and answer the questions. Be sure to keep your “Borders and Labels” layer activated. Refer to Appendix 4 if you need help using Google Earth.

PROBLEM 2.1 Activate both overlays in the Problem 2.1 folder. You can toggle between them by selecting or deselecting one or both of them. The overlays in this problem show planetary albedo for June and December 2012. Lighter yellow and white indicate a higher albedo surface. Dark blues indicate a low-albedo surface.

Question 2.17

1. Which of the two overlays shows Earth’s June albedo? (Hint: Note how the polar albedo changes between the overlays.)

Overlay A

Overlay B

Question 2.18

2. What information reveals this?

Albedo increases at all locations in Overlay A.

Albedo increases at all locations in Overlay B.

Albedo decreases at the North Pole in Overlay B.

Albedo increases at the North Pole in Overlay B.

Question 2.19

3. In both overlays, there is a narrow band of high albedo near the equator. What is causing this reflective band?

Pollution

Cloudiness

Warm ocean currents

Snowy mountains

Question 2.20

4. In what country is this placemark found?

Morocco

Algeria

Tunisia

Mali

Question 2.21

5. Activate Overlay B (deactivate overlay A). Then deactivate the overlay, zoom in, and examine Earth’s surface. Why is there a high albedo at this location?

Snow cover

Persistent cloudiness

Urban areas

Extensive sand

PROBLEM 2.2 Deactivate any overlays that may already be activated. Then activate both overlays in the Problem 2.2 folder. You can toggle between them by selecting or deselecting one or both of them. The overlays in this problem show land surface temperatures for June and December 2012. A color key is provided at the top of the screen.

Question 2.22

1. Activate Overlay A (deactivate Overlay B). What is the approximate temperature for the location shown by the placemark?

Less than −25°C

−25°C to 10°C

10°C to 45°C

Greater than 45°C

Question 2.23

2. Now activate Overlay B (deactivate Overlay A). What is the approximate temperature for the location shown by the placemark?

Less than −25°C

−25°C to 10°C

10°C to 45°C

Greater than 45°C

Question 2.24

3. Which of these two overlays shows temperatures for June?

Overlay A

Overlay B

Question 2.25

4. Why is this placemark’s location so different from the surrounding areas in either overlay?

It is in a deep valley.

It is on high mountains.

It is at a high latitude.

It is near the ocean.

PROBLEM 2.3 Keep both overlays from Problem 2.2 activated. Toggle between them by selecting or deselecting one or both of them. These overlays show land surface temperatures for June and December 2012. A color key is provided at the top of the screen.

Question 2.26

1. Toggle between both overlays to get a sense of how temperature changes between them. What is the temperature range for this location?

−25°C to 10°C

10°C to 45°C

−25°C to 45°C

There is no significant temperature range.

Question 2.27

2. Which of the following factors best explains this temperature range?

Continentality

Latitude

Elevation

Continentality and elevation

Question 2.28

3. In what country is this placemark found?

Cameroon

Gabon

Nigeria

Equatorial Guinea

PROBLEM 2.4 Keep both overlays from Problem 2.2 activated. Toggle between them by selecting or deselecting one or both of them. These overlays show land surface temperatures for June and December 2012. A color key is provided at the top of the screen.

Question 2.29

1. Toggle between both overlays to get a sense of how temperature changes between them. What is the temperature range for this location?

−25°C to 10°C

10°C to 45°C

−25°C to 45°C

There is no significant temperature range.

PROBLEM 2.5 Deactivate all previous overlays and activate the overlay in the Problem 2.5 folder. This overlay shows the surface temperature for Buffalo, New York, for August 3, 2002. Whites and yellows show warm surfaces, and blues and purples show relatively cool surfaces.

Question 2.30

1. Is the city of Buffalo warmer or cooler than the surrounding region?

Warmer

Cooler

Question 2.31

2. What factors contribute to this temperature pattern?

Albedo

Scattering

Convection

Greenhouse effect

Question 2.32

3. Based on your reading, what is the name of this phenomenon?

Urban heat island

Specific heat

Rayleigh scattering

Insolation

PROBLEM 2.6 Deactivate all previous overlays and activate both overlays in the Problem 2.6 folder. Toggle between them by selecting or deselecting the top Night Lights overlay. The other overlay shows human populations in number of persons per square kilometer. Reds show high populations.

This placemark lands in Haiti. Activate the Night Lights overlay and notice how dark Haiti is. The island of Puerto Rico is visible 350 mi to the east. Note that Puerto Rico (a U.S. territory) is illuminated in night lights.

Question 2.33

1. Activate the population overlay and compare the populations of the two countries. Which statement best summarizes the populations of both islands?

Haiti has fewer people than Puerto Rico.

Haiti has more people than Puerto Rico.

Both Haiti and Puerto Rico have about the same populations.

Question 2.34

2. Based on the Night Lights overlay, which of the two countries uses more energy?

Haiti

Puerto Rico

Both use about the same amount of energy.