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Geography > Grade 11 Term 2 🌍 (the atmosphere) > Flashcards

Grade 11 Term 2 🌍 (the atmosphere) Flashcards

1
Q

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A

Weather: up to a week
Climate: over 30 years

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2
Q

What climate does Stellenbosch experience?

A

Mediterranean climate

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3
Q

What air movements are associated with HP and LP ?

A

HP: subsidence
LP: convergence

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4
Q

What are the 3 main divisions of climate regions?

A

Tropical climate region
Semi-desert climate regions
Humid mid-latitude

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5
Q

What are the divisions of the tropical climate region?

A

Equatorial climate region (tropical humid)

Savanna climate region (tropical wet and dry)

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6
Q

What are the divisions of semi-desert and dryland climate regions?

A

Semi-desert climate region

Desert climate region

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7
Q

What are the divisions of humid mid-latitude

A

Mediterranean climate region
Highveld climate region
Humid subtropical climate region

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8
Q

Describe the climate in an equatorial climate region

A

Constant high temperatures. (Annual temperature range is less than the daily variation)
High amount of cloud cover
Rainfall heavy all year. Mostly convectional (thunder and lightning in afternoons)

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9
Q

Describe the climate in a savanna climate region

A

High temperatures.
Heavy summer rainfall (mostly convectional)
Dry winter (less sunlight)

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10
Q

Describe the climate in a semi-desert climate region

A

Very hot summers (max temp over 32 C)
Cold, dry winters
Low, unreliable summer rainfall
High evapotranspiration levels

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11
Q

Describe the climate in a desert climate region

A

Extremely high temperatures in summer. Warm winters.
Low rainfall
Low humidity

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12
Q

Describe the climate in a Mediterranean climate region

A

Warm to hot summers
Mild to cool winters
Dry summers, wet winters (mainly cyclonic rain)
Generally low humidity

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13
Q

Describe the climate in a highveld climate region

A

Dry, sunny winters. Rapid heat loss. Temperature inversions occur at night.
Summer- convectional rainfall with thunderstorms are common, followed by rapid clearing

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14
Q

Describe the climate in a humid subtropical climate region

A

Hot summers
Cooler winters
High summer rainfall
(Cooler than savanna)

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15
Q

Give an example of a city in an equatorial climate region

A

Barumbu, Zaire

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16
Q

Give an example of a city in a savanna climate region

A

Accra, Republic of Ghana

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17
Q

Give an example of a city in a semi-desert climate region

A

Gao, Mali

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18
Q

Give an example of a city in a desert climate region

A

Swakopmund, Namibia

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19
Q

Give an example of a city in a Mediterranean climate region

A

Algiers, Algeria

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20
Q

Give an example of a city in a highveld climate region

A

Johannesburg, South Africa

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21
Q

Give an example of a city in a humid subtropical climate region

A

Durban👣

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22
Q

Know ocean currents

A

🌺

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23
Q

How does latitude affect climate?

A

Places close to the equator are hotter because the sun’s rays are more direct and concentrated. More convection rainfall due to hot air rising, cooling and condensing.

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24
Q

What is temperature inversion?

A

Layer of cold air near the ground with warmer air above

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25
Why do temperatures decrease with altitude?
There is less air to absorb heat radiated by the earth
26
Give an example of a part of Africa on the high-lying plateau that has lower temperatures because it's at a higher altitude.
The Ethiopian highlands
27
Give examples of parts of Africa that lie on the subtropical high pressure belts
The Sahara and Kalahari deserts
28
Why is the Sahara desert the largest desert in the world?
On the Tropic of Cancer Permanent high pressure system Rain shadow by Atlas Mountains
29
When does the ITCZ move south and north of the equator?
South when Southern Hemisphere experiences summer | North when the Northern hemisphere experiences summer
30
Where do westerly winds and polar easterlies converge?
At the sub-polar low pressure belt
31
What factors affect Africa's climate regions?
Latitude Altitude Convergence and subsidence The ocean
32
What effect does the ocean have on climate?
The ocean moderates temperature and causes moist air
33
What is the Namib Desert a result of?
The cold Benguela
34
What do we call inland and coastal climates?
Continental climate 🌵 | Maritime climate 🐚
35
Where will the ITCZ lie in July?
On the Tropic of Cancer | because it's summer in the Northern Hemisphere
36
Along which pressure belt is there frontal rain?
The subtropical high pressure belt
37
Know how to draw and label a cross-section of Southern Africa (Orange arrow) Labels: Coastal plain, escarpment, plateau, West/ East coast, Indian/ Atlantic Ocean
🌺
38
Justify why Zürich is in the Northern Hemisphere if the highest temperatures are in June/July.
The Northern Hemisphere experiences Summer in June/July as the sun's direct rays shine on the Tropic of Cancer during this time.
39
Justify why Zürich is in the Northern Hemisphere if the lowest temperatures are in December/January.
During December/January temperatures will be lower in the Northern Hemisphere as the sun's direct rays move South (because of the tilt of the axis)
40
Why is there often a lapse between the peak temperature and the peak rainfall period?
With convectional rainfall it sometimes takes a while for the earth to heat up before evaporation occurs, so the peak rainfall period occurs after the highest temperature.
41
What is desertification ?
The process by which once fertile land becomes infertile.
42
What is a dryland?
An ecosystem characterised by a relative lack of water.
43
What is a drought?
An extended period of deficient rainfall relative to the statistical average over a number of years for a region.
44
What are the 4 dryland subtypes and their aridity indexes?
Hyper-arid environments (AI < 0,05) Arid areas (0,05 < AI < 0,2) Semi-arid areas (0,2 < AI < 0,5) Dry subhumid areas (0,5 < AI < 0,65)
45
Define aridity index
Measures how dry an area is
46
What do dryland ecosystems include? Name at least 4 (of the 7)
Cultivated lands, scrublands, shrublands, grasslands, savannas, semi-deserts, true deserts
47
What is the difference between aridity and desertification? (Which drought is often linked to)
Aridity is a permanent and natural condition. | Desertification happens when human activity degrades ecosystems.
48
What are the 4 types of drought?
Meteorological drought Agricultural drought Hydrological drought Socio-economic drought
49
What is a meteorological drought?
When there is a prolonged period of rainfall below the regional average.
50
What is an agricultural drought?
When shortages of precipitation and soil moisture affect crop yields.
51
What is a hydrological drought?
When water reserves fall below an established average
52
What is a socio-economic drought?
When reduced water supplies result in the inability to address social, economic and environmental demands.
53
What is the Sahel region?
A belt of grasslands south of the Sahara and along the central east coast. The transition region between the Sahara desert and wetter equatorial regions.
54
What causes drought?
Mainly changing weather patterns. | Made worse by human activities, e.g. deforestation, overgrazing and poor cropping methods.
55
Name 4 examples of changing weather patterns
Excessive build-up of heat on the earth's surface High pressure systems becoming more common Reduced cloud cover leading to great evaporation rates Winds carrying continental air masses with reduced water content, rather than moist oceanic air masses
56
What are the short term effects of droughts? (7)
Stock-losses, failed harvests, falling production and food shortages. (Living cost increases) Bushfires and dust storms. Less tourism Wells dry up Hydro-electric plants may stop operating. Water restrictions Increased health risks
57
What is a land's carrying capacity?
Its ability to support animals and people
58
What are the long term effects of drought? | 8
Vulnerability of ecosystems and people. Increased evaporation from water sources. Ground subsides if the water-table drops. Lower water quality. Toxic algae outbreaks. Loss in species diversity of plants and animals. People forced to migrate. Increased conflict over commodities, fertile land and water sources.
59
What can reduce the carrying capacity of land?
Overgrazing
60
What is land degradation ?
A process in which drylands lose their productive capacity
61
What are the 8 land use patterns and practices that contribute to desertification?
``` Farming in fragile areas Poor agricultural practices Farming of average land (not given time to replenish itself) Salt build-up Deforestation Improper soil-moisture management Erosion Surface mining (without land reclamation) ```
62
Name two factors that cause desertification
Climatic processes and human activities
63
What are the direct factors causing desertification?
Climate-related processes like global climate change
64
What are the indirect factors causing desertification?
Increasing human population Lack of supportive infrastructure Policies leading to unsustainable use of resources Removal of international trade barriers
65
How does desertification effect the vulnerability of people and the environment? (5 steps)
``` Agricultural reduced/ unpredictable Food security threatened (Desperate poor people over-exploit natural resources) Individualism and conflict People migrate Economies weaken ```
66
What positive changes can desertification bring?
Women can demand greater ease of access to land (men seeking work elsewhere) Communities learn how to rehabilitate and manage land sustainably Governments improve policies
67
What are the global consequences of desertification? | 4
Global carbon cycle influenced Biodiversity reduced Reduced fresh water reserves Underground fossil water reserves exploited
68
What can people do to manage the risk of drought and desertification? (4)
Mitigation (reduce the intensity of the disaster) Be prepared Predict using climate and weather monitoring Create early warning systems
69
What can people do to manage the crisis of drought and desertification? (4)
Do an impact assessment Find ways to cope Respond as effectively as possible to the effects Rebuild
70
What is orographic uplift?
An air mass that is forced up over rising terrain and cools adiabatically. This causes the humidity to increase, creating clouds.

Geography (12 decks)

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