Climate Regions Flashcards
What is weather?
Dad-to-day conditions in the atmosphere in a smaller area
What is the difference between climate and weather?
Climate is the standard conditions in a large area (eg: hemispheres or countries )
Weather is daily conditions of a small area (eg: province or city)
What is relief?
Shape of the land
What are the most important parts of weather and climate?
Temperature
Rainfall
What is temperature?
Describes how hot or cold a place gets
List the 5 factors that influence temperature and rainfall
Ocean currents Mountain relief Distance from the equator Distance from the sea Height above sea level
How does the distance from the equator affect temperature and rainfall?
Places closer to the equator are warmer because of the shape of the earth. The further away you are situated from equator the colder the area. More heat is received near the equator.
Places directly on the equator will get less heat than place near equator because the water evaporates too fast.
How does the distance from the sea affect temperature and rainfall?
Places closer to the sea are warmer in the winters because the sea captures that heat. Inland places will receive extreme winters and extreme summers
Places closer to the sea get more rain.
How does height above sea level affect temperature and rainfall?
Temperature decreases with altitude. The higher you go the colder it gets.
How does ocean currents affect temperature and rainfall?
Heated ocean water spreads through ocean currents so places get near oceans can get heat from ocean currents
Warm currents increase temperature and rain
Cold currents decrease temperature and rain
How does mountain relief affect temperature and rainfall?
It influences the amount of sunlight certain areas will receive. Slopes that face the equator will receive more heat and increase rainfall.
What is solar radiation?
Heat from the sun
What is climate?
Usual conditions in the atmosphere over a long term covering a large area
What are south Africa’s physical regions?
Plateau
Escarpment
Costal plain
Lowlands
What does element mean?
Main part
What is humidity ?
How much moisture is in the air
What is precipitation?
Types of water in a region (eg: rain, hail, snow, frost)
Name the different types of climates
Tropical Equatorial Sub-tropical Polar Desert Semi-desert Temporate Mediterranean Continental High mountain Tundra
What does erratic mean?
Not regular
What are droughts ?
Long periods with no rain
What are the differences in heating of the land and sea?
LAND Heats up fast Only top layer gets heated Doesn't contain heat for long Land is opaque (can't see through it) Dull and absorbs heat Reaches high temperatures
SEA Heats up slowly Heats up to great depths Contains heat for a long time Sea is transparent Shiny and reflects heat Distributes heat Sea temperatures are not as high as land
