Guru charan kumar IB ESS 2013

SYSTEMS & MODELS WORKSHEET

The figure below shows a model of the climatic system.

[Source: O’Hare and Sweeney, The Atmospheric System, (1986), Oliver and Boyd, page 189]

(a) Define the term model.

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(b) Identify two internal interactions in the figure above which affect the climate.

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(c) List four gases which are part of the atmosphere.

CLIMATE

Radiation outputs from

Earth-atmosphere

Solar inputs to

Earth-atmosphere

Atmospheric

circulation andcomposition

Humanactivity

Earth-atmosphere system

Land andterrestrialfeatures

Atmosphere

Ocean

Oceaniccirculation

Ice

External inputs and outputs of the climatic system

Internal interactions of the climatic system

Guru charan kumar IB ESS 2013 ......................................................................................................................................

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(d) State how solar inputs and Earth outputs differ in their radiation wavelengths.

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(e) Outline the ways in which human activity can have an impact on climate.

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(f) Evaluate the strengths and limitations of the model in the figure above for describing

the atmospheric system.

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(Total 13 marks)