Climatology

Question 1

What is incoming solar radiation

Answer 1

Insolation

Question 2

Name and briefly explain the two factors affecting the amount of insolation Earth receives

Answer 2

Latitude- The area around the equator receives more insolation because a) the distance the radiation travels is shorter, b) The angle the rays hit the surface is more direct and c) There is a smaller area to cover. As you move further North or South the angle becomes more oblique, the distance is longer and the area that must be heated is larger.

Seasons- The earth’s tilt on the axis and its revolution around the sun causes the seasons. It is hotter in summer and cooler in winter. The tilt of the axis means that one of the earth receives insolation for a longer period of time (more heating) and the other will have nighttime. The revolution around the sun the earth will have summer, fall. spring and winter. When a hemisphere has summer it receives more insolation.

Question 3

How is the atmosphere heated

Answer 3

The insolation earth receives heats up the surface. when the surface has been heated, the earth then heats the atmosphere.

Question 4

Two ways energy can be transferred

Answer 4

Ocean currents and Winds

Question 5

Why does energy need to be transferred

Answer 5

Since the earth is unevenly heated parts of the world are very hot and others are very cold. To balance the heat energy on earth, warm temps must be moved to cooler places and cool temps must be moved to warm places.

Question 6

Where do warm currents come from and how do we identify them?

Answer 6

Warm ocean currents come from the equator and move towards the tropical zones. All warm currents run on the eastern coastlines.

Question 7

What is wind

Answer 7

The wind is moving air

Question 8

What do winds do

Hint: Energy balance

Answer 8

the wind moves warm air to cooler regions and warms it up. It can also move from the poles to a warm area and cool it do.

Question 9

what is atmospheric pressure

Answer 9

The weight of the atmosphere on the surface of the earth

Question 10

what causes air movement

Answer 10

The difference in atmospheric pressure,

Question 11

What is the relationship between atmospheric pressure and temperature

Answer 11

High temperatures result in low pressures as the air expands and rises. Air is drawn to low pressures so the area of converging air. Low temperatures result in high pressures as the air contracts and sinks. Air moves away from high pressures creating diverging air.

Question 12

Name the low-pressure belts

Answer 12

Equatorial low-pressure belts, Subpolar low-pressure belts

Question 13

What is the ITCZ

Answer 13

Intertropical Convergence Zone

Question 14

Briefly explain how the cells work.

Answer 14

At the ITCZ the air expands and rises. When air reaches a temperature that is the same as the surroundings, the air will diverge. The air will begin to sink. when the air reaches the surface it will diverge and converge at low pressure.

Question 15

Name the 3 air cells

Answer 15

The Hadley cell (0 to 30n/s), Ferrel cell(30 to 60n/s), Polar cell(60 to 90n/s)

Question 16

Comment on the low and high-pressure rainfall

Answer 16

The low-pressure areas receive a lot of rainfall as the air rises here and condenses. In high-pressure areas, there is little to no rainfall as the air is subsiding

Question 17

what is pressure gradient

Answer 17

The amount of change is atmospheric pressure.

Question 18

What does PGF stand for

Answer 18

Pressure Gradient Force- forces air to move from high to low along the pressure gradient

Question 19

What is subsiding air and its effects

Answer 19

This is the air that is descending. The cold air that converged in the upper atmosphere subsides. the air sinking warms up at the DALR. As it warms up, its ability to hold water vapour increases. It can’t condense as the ar is not saturated. Subsiding air causes warmer, drier conditions

Question 20

Explain adiabatic warming

Answer 20

As air subsides, it becomes compressed and heat is released. The process where air warms as pressure increases is adiabatic warming

Question 21

what is the opposite of adiabatic warming

Answer 21

Adiabatic cooling is the process of air cooling as pressure decreases.

Question 22

What forms at the polar fronts

Answer 22

At the polar fronts, mid-latitude cyclones form. Cold fronts cause cyclonic/frontal rain in WC

Question 23

How does the ocean influence the land temps

Answer 23

During the day and summer, the sea breeze will cool the land. Since the sea retains heat, the sea breeze will keep the land warm during winter and at night. This causes small seasonal temperature range and diurnal temperature range.

Question 24

ocean currents influence on land temp

Answer 24

Air blowing over the ocean cause currents, and air above warm water becomes warm and prevailing winds blow this overland.

Question 25

Ocean influence on land rainfall

Answer 25

Air over the ocean is saturated and when it blows over the land, it carries moisture. Warm currents have a high potential of rain while cold currents have less water vapour and bring drier conditions

Question 26

Define desertification and drought

Answer 26

A drought is a long period with little or no rain.

Desertification is the process where fertile areas become increasing arider

Question 27

What is the Sahel

Answer 27

This is a narrow strip of land that is at high risk of desertification.

Question 28

Name and explain the 5 types of droughts

Answer 28

meteorological- Rainfall is below average for a long period of time
Hydrological- Little rain causes rivers, dams, reservoirs to decrease
Agricultural- Little rain and lack of soil moisture cause crop yields to decrease
Socioeconomic- Supply for crops, and water is lesser than the demand
Ecological- Natural vegetation duffers due to lack rain

Question 29

Lists 4 causes of drought

Answer 29

1. Irregularities in rain patterns
2. Increased evaporation
3. High Temperatures
4. Climate change and global warming

Question 30

List and explain causes of desertification

Answer 30

Climate change- Over an extended amount of time, lack of rain and high temps contribute to desertification
Human activity - Things like overgrazing strip the soil of vegetation. Deforestation is also a contributor. The overuse of natural resources due to growing growth also contributes to desertification.

Question 31

Effects of drought and desertification on people

Answer 31

1. Reduced crops and smaller harvests can lead to a shortage of food, famine, and malnutrition
2. People die from malnutrition and heat stress
3. People may lose their jobs if they work in the agricultural sector
4. More people will move from rural areas to urban areas.

Question 32

Effects of drought and desertification on environment

Answer 32

1. Reduced water, increased evapotranspiration, and high temps which results in few plants
2. Damages natural habitats and reduces diversity in ecosystems
3. Dry vegetation, high temperatures, and low humidity can increase chance of veld fires
4. Decline in river levels can results in dying fish.

Question 33

How are authorities managing drought

Answer 33

1. Monitoring vegetation cover. Satellites are able to show vegetation cover. The gov will then be able to tell if there is a decline in vegetation coverage.
2. Building back up water facilities allows gov to be prepared for when drought occurs
3. Water restrictions can be imposed in urban areas

Question 34

how are authorities managing desertification

Answer 34

1. United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification(UCCD). Govs are to create a strategy to fight land degradation and allocate funds to fight desertification
2. Africa is developing and implementing National Action Plans
3. 1 Afforestation programs
4. 2 Proper soil management to reduce risk of soil erosion
5. 3 Correction of land ownership to encourage sustainable management of resources