Geography - Unit 1

Question 1

Weather

Answer 1

The weather is the day to day conditions of the atmosphere. Is the state of the atmosphere around us. Weather can be very localised and can change from hour to hour, and from day to day.

Question 2

5 elements of weather

Answer 2

temperature, precipitation, wind, cloud cover and humidity

Question 3

Climate

Answer 3

Is the average weather in a place. It tells you what the weather is usually like by measuring the weather of a long period (usually 30 years) and calculating an average.

Question 4

Examples of weather

Answer 4

Fog
Hurricane
Cloud
Lightning
Snow

Question 5

Examples of climate

Answer 5

Mediterranean
Mountain
Arid
Desert
Polar

Question 6

Who studies the weather

Answer 6

A meteorologist

Question 7

Sunshine recorder

Answer 7

This instrument measure the hours of sunlight over a 24 hour period.
The lens magnifies direct rays from the sun burning recording card behind the lens. Cloud cover results in no burning of the card.
The total length of burnt marks reveals the total amount of sunlight at a given location.

Question 8

Rain gauge

Answer 8

Rainfall is measured with a rain gauge.
This is a wide cup about 20cm wide and 50cm high that collects direct precipitation (rain, snow or hail).
It must be placed in an open space away from trees and buildings to allow direct precipitation to be captured and avoid indirect extra precipitation (runoff from roofs or plants).
It should not be placed on concrete to avoid indirect rainfall from splashing.
The point is pushed in the ground to prevent the gauge falling over. It is left over a 24 hour period. Precipitation is measured in mm using the scale on the side.

Question 9

Wind Vane

Answer 9

A wind vane measures wind direction using compass points as units of direction. Once north is known, a wind vane can be fixed on top of a tall building, or by hand in an open space.
When the wind blows it catches the arrow which swings so that it points in the direction from which the wind has blown from.
The most frequently occurring wind in an areas is known as the prevailing wind.

Question 10

Thermometer

Answer 10

Temperature of the air can be measured using a thermometer
As the air warms the liquid-in-glass in the bulb expands and rises up a capillary tube.
Temperature is measured from a scale in either oCelsius or oFahrenheit.
Thermometers are not left in direct sunlight as the heat of sun may warm up the glass or plastic giving a false reading of the air temperature.

Question 11

Anemometer

Answer 11

An anemometer measures the speed in which air moves over the ground.
The cups of the anemometer are attached to the top of a rotating shaft, they catch the movement of air and rotate.
The speed at which the rotating shaft spins is measured and displayed as km/hr.
Should be held in an open area or fixed well above the ground where there are no obstructions which would shelter it from the wind and affect the accuracy of the measurement.

Question 12

Convection

Answer 12

Hot air less dense and lighter so rises.
Cold air more dense and heavy.

Question 13

Convectional rain

Answer 13

Stage 1.The sun heats the ground and warm air rises (evaporation).
Stage 2As the air rises it cools and water vapour condenses to form clouds.
Stage 3.When the condensation point is reached large cumulonimbus clouds are formed.
Stage 4. Heavy rain storms occur. These usually include thunder and lightening due to the electrical charge created by unstable conditions.

Question 14

relief meaning in geography

Answer 14

The highest and lowest points on the land

Question 15

Relief rain

Answer 15

Stage 1 Warm wet air is forced to rise over high land
Stage 2 As the air rises it cools and condenses. Clouds form and precipitation occurs
Stage 3 The drier air descends and warms
Stage 4 Any moisture in the air evaporates

Question 16

Air mass

Answer 16

An air mass is a volume of air defined by its temperature and water vapor content

Question 17

A front in geography

Answer 17

The junction between two different air masses is called a front.

A front is associated with a change in the weather.

Question 18

Warm front and cold front

Answer 18

A warm front means that warm air is coming.
At a warm front, warm air is rising over cold air.
This usually produces clouds and rain
A cold front means that cold air is coming.
At a cold front, cold air pushes under the warm air.
This produces strong winds and heavy rain.

Question 19

Frontal rainfall

Answer 19

An area of warm air meets and area of cold air
The warm air is forced over the cold air
Where the air meets the warm air is cooled and water vapour condenses
Clouds form precipitation occurs

Question 20

What is low pressure?

Answer 20

Less air = low pressure, warm air rises and forms large clouds, area with more pressure (more air = high pressure) spreads to area with low pressure

Question 21

What weather is associated with low pressure?

Answer 21

Rain, clouds and wind

Question 22

What is a tropical storm?

Answer 22

Tropical storm (hurricane, cyclone, typhoon) -An area of low pressure with winds moving in a spiral around the calm central point called the eye of the storm.

Question 23

Where do tropical storms usually appear?

Answer 23

They are found between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn

Question 24

What temperature does the sea need to be before a tropical storm can form?

Answer 24

27 degrees celcius

Question 25

What is a storm surge?

Answer 25

a rising of the sea as a result of wind and atmospheric pressure changes associated with a storm.

Question 26

How do they record the strength of a hurricane?

Answer 26

A hurricane’s strength is measured from 1 to 5 depending on the wind strength

Question 27

In which direction do tropical storms move?

Answer 27

They travel in a north-westerly direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
They travel from the equator in a south westerly direction in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 28

When can we find tropical storms?

Answer 28

They form in the Southern Hemisphere between January and March.
They form in the Northern Hemisphere between June and December

Question 29

How do tropical storms form?

Answer 29

A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface (270C)
This evaporated air cools as it rises and condenses to form towering thunderstorm clouds.
As the air condenses it releases heat which draws up more and more water from the ocean.
Several smaller thunderstorms join together to form a giant spinning storm.
When winds reach an average of 120km/hr the storm officially becomes a tropical storm
Colder, drier air sinks into the centre (eye ) of the storm creating a calm central area
On reaching land the storm’s energy supply is cut off, and weakens the storm

Question 30

What are primary effefcts?

Answer 30

What happens during or immediately after the event

Question 31

What are secondary effects?

Answer 31

Effects that come on a bit later, usually as a result of the primary impacts.

Question 32

Primary effects of typhoon haiyan

Answer 32

6300 killed
destroyed 30000 fishing boats
strong winds damaged buildings, powerlines and crops
Over 60, 0000 people displaced and 40, 000 homes damaged or flattened – 90% of Tacloban city destroyed.
6 million people lost their source of income.

Question 33

Secondary effects of typhoon haiyan

Answer 33

Shortages of water, food and shelter affected many people, leading to outbreaks of disease.
Many jobs lost, hospitals were damaged, shops and schools were destroyed, affecting people’s livelihoods and education.
Ferry services and airline flights disrupted for weeks, slowing down aid efforts.

Question 34

The impact of a disaster depends on?

Answer 34

The vulnerability of people living in a disaster area.

The resilience of the people affected by a disaster.

The number of poor people in a country, as poorer people are usually affected worse by a disaster than richer people.

Whether governments, people and other organisations are prepared for a disaster.