Chapter 14 Flashcards
what is climate
the long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region
what does climate depend on
temperature and precipitation
what effects climate
latitude, altitude, rain shadows, and bodies of water
why does latitude affect climate (ex: how would climate be different if you were near the equator, explain)
because the area near the equator receives more solar energy than areas closer to the poles. Therefore, regions near the equator have warmer climates, and climates become older as you move toward the poles.
how does altitude affect climate
as you increase altitude, the average temperature decreases
how do mountains affect climate
by being a barrier to preventing winds and rains
what is a rain shadow
an area of low rainfall because it is on the downwind slope of a mounatin
why does bodies of water affect climate
because bodies of water have different characteristics than the land that is near them
what is an example f bodies of water having different characteristics than the land that is near them
on a sunny day, the sand is much warmer than the water
are climates more stable along coasts or inland
coast
why is climate more stable along coasts than inland
because there is less of a temperature swing between the highs and lows
what is specific heat
the amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temp of 3kg of material to 1c
what is specific heat measured in
Joules
how many times greater is the specific heat of water than sand
6 times, it takes 6 times more energy to raise the temp of water to the same temp as sand
who invented a system for classifying the world’s climate
Wladimir Koppen
what factors does Koppen’s system use for classifying climate
temperature, precipitation, and native vegataion
how many different climate types are there in Koppen’s climate system
5
Where do polar climates affect
thundras, ice cap, highland
what is the weather like in a polar climate year-round
cold year
how much precipitation does a polar climate get
little precipitation
where do dry climates affect
arid and semiarid areas
what are summers and winters like in a dry climate
hot summers, cooler winters
how much precipitation do dry climates get
very low precipitation
where does tropical climate affect
tropical went (look in book if right) and tropical wet/dry