How is heat moved from the tropics to the poles? Be specific. How is most heat energy transported? What will be an ideal response?


ANS:Answer
should include:
? Heat is carried from the tropics to the poles by means of ocean and atmospheric currents.
? Ocean currents carry heat from the tropics to the poles. At the tropics, incoming energy
levels are much higher than the outgoing energy levels. The energy then moves
poleward where the outgoing energy is exceeds the incoming.
? Nearly half of 550 trillion calories transported by the Gulf Stream reach the high
latitudes.
? Atmospheric currents are able to transport much higher levels of heat than ocean
currents. This is due to the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere. The water vapor
from evaporation in the tropics is moved by winds to the poles. The water vapor has
more heat energy because the high latent heat of vaporization of water. An additional
540 calories per gram of heat energy is needed for liquid water to become vapor so this
additional energy is carried throughout the atmosphere.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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