ESS361H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 2: Partial Pressure, Heat Flux, Vapor Pressure
Document Summary
Types of thermal energy transfer processes: there are several ways of transferring heat energy in a system: conduction: molecule to molecule transfer of heat or rapidly moving molecules. Found involved in: surface energy budgets, temp diff b/w land and water bodies, and b/w darker and lighter surfaces, the heating of surfaces and overlaying air and soil temps: convection: energy transferred by movement. E. g. boiling of water in a hot water pot. Found involved in: atmospheric and oceanic circulation, air mass movements and weather systems, internal motions deep within earth that produce a magnetic field. Types of convection: sensible heat, latent heat: sensible heat. Occurs as a result of rising and mixing of air masses. Occurs at both surface of earth & at high altitudes. Strong convection redistributes heat and moisture in tropical atmosphere. Heating of equatorial oceans creates gradients in latitudinal heat distribution (driver of atmo. circulation) Surface winds (ocean currents) direct warmer water poleward.
