Discuss the importance of latent heat in the atmosphere

What will be an ideal response?


Answer: Water is a very important substance and plays a central role in Earth's energy budget, through a process called latent heat exchange. This process transfers tremendous amounts of energy from Earth's surface to the atmosphere, from low latitudes to high ones, and it is also the mechanism most influential in causing precipitation. When we convert water from one state to another (example: from ice to vapor), we transfer large amounts of energy. Latent energy plays a critical role in the movement of energy in the earth atmosphere system.

We can distinguish between two types of heat. These are sensible and latent heat. Sensible heat is detectable by our sense of touch. It is heat we can feel, from warm water or a hot pan, and can be measured with a thermometer. The atmosphere, oceans, rocks, and soil all have sensible heat. On the other hand, latent heat, is heat "in storage" in water and water vapor. Latent heat describes the heat that controls the state of water. Melting ice must absorb heat energy from its surroundings in order for the melting to occur. This is why ice melting in your hand feels so cold; t is absorbing heat from your hand.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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Which of the following does not describe a nuclear fission reaction?

A) The number of nucleons in the products is different from the number of nucleons in the starting material. B) The mass of the products is less than the mass of the reactants. C) The energy released is proportional to the mass difference in the system. D) All of the above describe a fusion reaction. E) None of the above describe a fusion reaction.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

An artesian well is one that

A) contains water B) emits water without pumping C) is dry most of the year D) is in a confined aquifer

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

Which of the following pathways converge to the common catabolic pathway?

A) only the pathways for the catabolism of carbohydrates and of lipids B) only the pathways for the catabolism of carbohydrates and of proteins C) only the pathways for the catabolism of lipids and of proteins D) the pathways for the catabolism of carbohydrates, lipids and proteins

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

The Haber-Bosch process creates nitrogen fertilizers by ________

A) allowing vegetative detritus to break down under anaerobic conditions B) extracting nitrogen oxides from the gases produced when fossil fuels are burned C) converting nitrogen gas to ammonia D) extracting reactive nitrogen from soils

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences