Albedo - A measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects., Atmosphere - The layers of gases that surround the Earth. The important gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen, oxygen and carbon dioxide., Greenhouse effect - The retention of heat in the atmosphere caused by the build-up of greenhouse gases., Latitude - Imaginary lines around the Earth running parallel to the equator. These are measured in degrees north or south of the equator, Solar radiation - Energy from the sun - consisting of visible light, heat or infra-red radiation, ultra-violet and other forms of radiation., Insolation - Solar radiation received or absorbed in the Earth's atmosphere or at its surface., Three cell model - A simplified model to explain the redistribution of energy from areas of surplus to areas of deficit, Hadley Cell - Warm air rises at the equator and travels to around 30º North where it cools and sinks to the surface, before returning to the tropics, Thermally direct - In the cell warm air is rising and cool air is sinking, Thermally indirect - In the cell cool air rises and warm air sinks, Ferrel Cell - In this cell the direction of air movement is controlled by the other two cells, Polar Cell - Cold air sinks at the North Pole, before flowing south at the surface. Here it is warmed by contact with land/ocean around 60º North, where it rises., Coriolis Effect - In the Northern hemisphere it deflects movement to the right and in the Southern Hemisphere it deflects movement to the left., Surface Oceanic circulation - The currents set up circular loops or gyres. found in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres , Thermohaline circulation - When deeper water currents are driven by temperature, salinity (salt content) and density change., Air masses - Large volumes of air with relatively uniform characteristics., Tropical Maritime - Hot and wet, originates in the Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Guinea, Tropical Continental - Hot and dry. Originates in the Sahara Desert, ITCZ - Zone of convergence at the thermal equator where winds meet, Thermal Equator - Area of most intense heating from the sun,

Atmosphere

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