climate Flashcards
describe tropical climate
tropical climate has a high annual temperature of 27. there is a small range of temperature of 2-3. there is high annual precipitation of more than 2000mm. There is even precipitation throughout the year. examples : Singapore,brazil
describe monsoon climate
has high annual temperature of 25 all year round. small annual temp rang eof 3-4. high annual precipitation of 1500mm. DISTINCT wet and dry seasons. examples : india, vietnam
describe marine west coast climate
four distinct seasons of summer, spring, auutum, winter. high annual temp range of 10-15. annual precipitation of 75-200n. even precipitation falls throughout the year. example : france, UK
describe latitude
t the equator, the solar angle is higher (close to 90°), and solar radiation is more direct. Therefore, the solar radiation is concentrated over a smaller surface area, causing higher temperatures.
On the other hand, as we move to higher latitudes, the solar angle is lower. This causes solar radiation to be diffused
over a larger surface area, resulting in lower temperatures.
For example, Beijing, China, which is located 40°N of the equator, has a
of 12°C, while Singapore, located 1°N of the equator has a mean annual temperature of 29°C.
describe altitude
At higher altitudes, air is less dense as can be seen in Figure 12, which means air pressure is lower. This is because gravity pulls most of the air molecules towards the ground surface. This is why many mountaineers climbing Mount Everest bring oxygen tanks along with them to help them overcome the lack of oxygen at higher altitudes.
When air pressure is lower, there are fewer air molecules. This results in air having a lower ability to absorb and radiate heat. Hence, in general, mountainous areas experience lower temperatures than areas near sea level where air pressure is higher and there are more air molecules.Genting Highlands is approximately 1700m above sea level, it explains why temperatures there tend to be lower (about 21°C) than the surrounding areas (about 32°C) which are lower in altitude.
describe nature of surface
Dark surfaces such as soil, mud, forests absorb most of the solar radiation and radiate more heat.
On the other hand, light-coloured surfaces, such as snow, ice or clouds, tend to reflect high proportions of solar radiation, instead of absorbing. Hence, they radiate less heat.
The type of material makes a difference as well. A clear example would be how tarmac roads tend to absorb and radiate more heat (and feel hotter to the touch) as compared to surfaces with natural vegetation.
describe distance frm sea
The sea heats up and cools down more slowly than land.
During winter, the sea remains warmer than land as the sea loses heat slowly. Hence, the warmer air above the sea warms the coastal areas during winters, resulting in warmer winters.
On the other hand, during summer, the sea remains cooler than land as it gains heat slower. Hence, the cooler air above the sea cools the coastal areas during summers, resulting in cooler summers. This is the maritime effect.
Inland areas, being away from the sea does not experience this moderating influence of the sea. Hence, they experience cooler winters and summer.
describe the water cycle
plants give our water vapour ubti the air. large bodies of water gain heat frm the sun and evaporatesinto water vapour. water vapour in the air cools down and condenses onto tiny water droplest.s when the water droplets are hevay and large enough, theyfallonto the ground as precipitation.when precipiation fallson th eground surface, the waterseeps into rocks and soil. when the rainwater exceeds the infiltrate rate,excess water will flow towards large bodies of water. under the earth’s surface, water will flowhorizontally above permeable rocks.
describe a factor that affects the rate of infiltrate
The rates of infiltration and groundwater flow are faster in soil which has larger pores (such as sandy soil) than in soil which has smaller pores (such as clayey soil).
The larger pores allow more water to infiltrate, and the water moves much more quickly
In built-up areas, where ground surfaces are covered in concrete roads which have tiny pores, the rate of infiltration is lower.
On the other hand, in vegetated areas, the roots of vegetation loosen the soil, creating larger pores, thereby increasing the rate of infiltration
descrube a factor that affects the speed of surface runoff.
he speed of surface runoff is higher on smoother ground surfaces such as on roads and pavements in built-up areas, due to fewer obstructions and lesser friction.
On the other hand, in vegetated areas, the stems and roots of grasses and plants can reduce the speed of surface runoff by increasing the surface roughness.
describe another factor that affects rate of infiltarte
The speed of surface runoff is higher on steeper slopes than on gentler slopes, as the force of gravity acting on the water is higher.
what is the formula of relative humidity?
actual amount of water vapour DIVIDED by max am. of water vapour TIMES 100%
how are clouds formed?
AT DEW PT TEMP, Condensation occurs with the help of tiny particles floating around in the air, such as dust, salt crystals from sea spray, bacteria or even ash from volcanoes. Those particles - called
- provide surfaces where water vapour can change into liquid droplets or solid ice crystals. These water droplets and ice crystals then form clouds, as seen in Figure 9 below.
how is rain formed?
Water droplets in the clouds will collide coalesce
, they become bigger and heavier. As shown in Figure 10, once the droplets are large enough (over 0.5mm) they will fall to the Earth as raindrops, sometimes breaking apart as they do so. Raindrops may start as snow or ice crystals but melt when they fall into warmer air.
how is convectional rain formed?
