PHYS-2400 Chapter Notes - Chapter 2: Arctic Circle, Chromosphere, Upwelling
Document Summary
Energy the ability to do work. The standard unit of energy in the international system that is used in scientific applications is the joule (j). Power the rate at which energy is released, transferred, or received. Watt: a unit of power, 1 joule per second. Electromagnetic radiation is energy emitted by the sun that provides energy for atmospheric movement, plant growth, and water evaporation. There are two kinds of energy: kinetic. The first law of thermodynamics: energy is a conserved property that is neither created nor destroyed, but may change form and travel from place to place. The second law of thermodynamics: heat is always transferred from regions of high temperature to regions of low temperature. The movement of heat through a substance without an appreciable movement of molecules. This is most effective in solid materials: convection. The transfer of heat by the mixing of a fluid: radiation. The only energy transfer mechanism that doesn"t require a transfer medium.
