Climate Flashcards
What is mean annual temperature?
The average of maximum and minimum temperatures for every day in a year over a period of many years.
If there is an increase in latitude, there is a ……… in temperature.
Decrease
Places near the equator are hotter/colder than places nearer the poles.
Hotter
Why is energy recieved from the Sun greater near the equator than near the poles?
The Sun’s rays are more concentrated at the equator and pass through less of the atmosphere. (Vertical rays rather than oblique rays.)
What are the three reasons why the temperature decreases towards the poles?
- Angle of of the Sun’s rays.
- Area heated up.
- Amount of atmosphere the rays pass through.
When looking at the angle of Sun’s rays, which angle would be warmer and which would be colder?
Warmer: perpendicular angle of Sun’s rays.
Colder: oblique angle of Sun’s rays.
When looking at the area of the Sun’s rays, which surface area of the Sun’s rays would be warmer and which would be colder?
Warmer: smaller surface area, so rays are concentrated.
Colder: larger area, so rays are spread out (scattered).
When looking at the amount of atmosphere between the Sun and the earth, which amount of atmosphere for the Sun’s rays to pass through is warmer, and which is colder?
Warmer: less atmosphere to pass through, so less energy lost through scattering, absorption, reflection etc.
Colder: more atmosphere to pass through, so more energy lost through scattering, absorption, reflection etc.
What’s precipitation?
Any form of water falling from the atmosphere, including rain, snow, hail, sleet, dew, frost etc.
Why is precipitation usually in the form of rain near the equator?
Latitudes near the equator are warmer.
What form does precipitation in the poles take?
Snow-low temperatures.
What does the sea do in relation to temperature?
The sea moderates temperature.
Places far from the sea have more ………… …………. than places at or near the sea.
Extreme temperatures.
What is temperature range?
The difference between the highest and lowest temperature. (H-L)
What are the four reasons for sea surfaces being colder then land surfaces in the summer?
- Water is transparent so rays penetrate deeper (bigger area to heat) while only the top surface of land was arms up.
- Water moves and distributes heat (waves and currents)
- Evaporation from water surface (uses energy) so cools the water.
- Water reflects much of the Sun’s energy. (Albedo)
When are oceans heated more slowly than land?
During the day and in summer.
Why is the ocean warmer than the land that cools more rapidly in the winter and at night?
The oceans retain more heat than the land.
Do temperatures over the ocean or land remain more constant?
Ocean
The further inland one is from the sea, the smaller/greater the temperature differences between seasons.
Greater
What is altitude?
Height above sea level.
True or false:
The atmosphere is heated directly by the Sun.
False.
The atmosphere is heated by the earth’s surface. (Not directly by the Sun.)
Explain Heating Of The Atmosphere in four steps.
- Short wave radiation called insolation warms the earth.
- The earth warms up and re-radiates long wave radiation.
- Long wave radiation called terrestrial radiation warms the atmosphere.
- Water vapour and carbon dioxide absorb the terrestrial radiation.
The greater the altitude the ………. the temperature.
Lower
What does water vapour, dust and CO2 in the atmosphere prevent?
The heat in the atmosphere from escaping rapidly.
