ERTH 2415 Chapter Notes - Chapter 10: Cenozoic
14 Mar 2012
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The sun heats different places on the earth different amounts. The equator gets 2. 4 times as much energy as the poles. Because different places getting more energy than others, winds and ocean currents bring from energy-rich areas to energy-poor places. Some places of the earth have an energy excess while others have a deficit. Those areas with an energy excess are between 32 degrees north and 34 degrees south of the equator. Cold air moves toward the equator, and hot air towards the cold poles. If a place begins to be cold, doing so helps it get even colder: new snow and ice reflects even more sunlight than before, making it even colder. Water can absorb more heat per kilogram than nearly anything else except ammonia. Additionally, solar radiation penetrates water (shines through it), and deep bodies of water absorb this energy and carry it away. The amount of water vapor in the air is called humidity.
