Term 1 Test Knowledge Organiser Flashcards
What is the Hadley call
Largest cell which which extends from the Equator to between 30-40 degrees North & South
Ferrell Cell
Middle cell where air flows poleward between 60-70 degrees
North & South
What is the Polar cell
smallest & weakest cell that occurs from the poles to the Ferell Cell
What are Tropical Storms called in East Asia
Typhoons
What are Tropical Storms called in India
Cyclones
What are tropical storms called in North America
Hurricanes
Low Pressure
Caused by hot air rising, causes stormy cloudy weather
High pressure
caused by cold air sinking, causes clear and calm weather
Primary effects of tropical storms
Can destroy whole communities, buildings and communication networks
Secondary effects of Tropical Storms
People left homeless
Shortage of clean water and ;ack of proper sanitation
Businesses are damaged
Crops destroyed
Enhanced greenhouse effect
Recently humans burning fossil fuels or energy emit greenhouse gases, this makes earths atmosphere thicker and traps solar radiation causing less to be reflected, as a result, Earths climate is getting warmer
What methods help reduce
climate change
Carbon Capture
International Agreements
Planting Trees
Renewable Energy
Natural causes of climate change
Orbital Changes
Sun Spots
Volcanic Eruptions
Formation of tropical storms
- Sun rays heat up ocean causing warm air to rise
- One temp is 27, the rising air leads to low pressure, This turns into a thunderstorm and causes air to be sucked in from the trade winds
- With the rotation of earth and the winds blowing an opposite direction, the thunderstorm starts to spin
- When the storm spins faster than 74 mph, a tropical storm is officialy born
- With the storm growing in power, cool air sinks in the centre of the storm creating calm conditions, this is called the eye of the storm
- When the tropical storm hits land, it loses its energy source and loses strength
Management of tropical storms
Protection, Aid, Development, Prediction, Education, Planning
What type of pressure system is a tropical storm
Low-pressure system
The quaternary period is how many years of time?
2.6 million years
Name the 3 greenhouse gases that absorb heat in the Earths atmosphere
Methane, Nitrous Oxide, Carbon dioxide
Eccentricity describes that what has changed?
The shape of Earths orbit around the sun. The Earths orbit is not fixed, it changes shape from being circular to almost elliptical and then back to circular etc. When the cycle is circular, Earth orbits closer to the sun and climate gets hotter, when elliptical, it orbits further away causing climate to be cold. This happens every 100,000 yeas and closely coincides with the alternating glacial (cold) and inter-glacial (warm) periods in the quaternary period
Whats the latitude in which tropical storms form between
5-30
Seasons tropical storms form in?
Summer
Weather
The day to day conditions of the atmosphere
Climate
The average weather over a 30 year period
Extreme weather
When a weather event is significantly different from the average or usual weather pattern and is usually severe or unusual
What is a weather depression
When an area of low pressure (air rising) brings wind cloud and rain
What does precession describe
This describes the wobble like a spinning top, As the Earth wobbles towards the sun, the climate gets warmer and as it wobbles away, it gets colder
What does Axial tilt describe
When the Earth spins on its axis causing night and day, The Earths axis is currently tilted at 23.5 degrees. However over a period of 41000 years, the tilt of the Earths axis moves back and forth between two extremes, 21.5 degrees and 24.5 degrees making inter-glacial and glacial periods of time
What does Axial tilt describe
When the Earth spins on its axis causing night and day, The Earths axis is currently tilted at 23.5 degrees. However over a period of 41000 years, the tilt of the Earths axis moves back and forth between two extremes, 21.5 degrees and 24.5 degrees making inter-glacial and glacial periods of time
What is sunspot
Sunspot is a dark patch on the surface of the sun, the number of sunspots increases from a minimum to a maximum then back to a minimum over a period of 11 years. This is a sunspot cycle.
What happens when sunspot activity is at a maximum
When sunspot activity is at a maximum, the sun gives off more heat. Large explosions occur on the Earths surface causing a solar flare
What happens when sunspot activity is at a minumum
When sunspot activity is at a minimum, the solar output is reduced, this can lead to lower temperatures on Earth
Volcanic Activity
Violent volcanic eruptions that blast huge quantities of ash gases and liquids into the Atmosphere
Volcanic ash can block out the sun reducing temperatures on the Earth, this tends to be 2-3 years and is short term
The tiny droplets that result from the conversion of Sulphur dioxide to sulphuric acid act like tiny mirrors reflecting radiation from the sun. This can last longer and affect the climate for many years
How do volcanic eruptions change the Earths climate to make it warmer
Volcanic ash blocks out the sun
How do volcanic eruptions change the Earths climate to make it warmer
Volcanic ash blocks out the sun
What releases Carbon Dioxide into the atmosphere
Deforestation, Burning fossil fuels, car exhausts
What releases Methane into the atmosphere
Decaying organic matter, rice farming, burning biomass for energy, farm livestock
What releases Nitrous Oxide
Agricultural fertilizers, car exhausts, power stations producing electricity, sewage treatment
How does Carbon dioxide contribute to global warming
Account for 60% of the enhanced greenhouse effect
How does Methane contribute to climate change
Very effective in absorbing heat
How does Methane contribute to climate change
Very effective in absorbing heat
How does Nitrous Oxide contribute to climate change
Very small concentrations in the atmosphere up to 300 times more effective in capturing heat that Carbon Dioxide
What is short-wave radiation
Radiation entering Earth’s atmosphere
What is Long-wave radiation
Radiation escaping back into space
define renewable energy source
An infinite source of energy that can be used over and over again
Name 2 primary effects of Taiphoon Haiyan
6300 killed
60000 displaced
Name 2 Secondary effects of Typhoon Haiyan
4 million affected 6 million jobs lost
Flooding caused landslides
Name the 5 UK weather hazards
Thunderstorms, Drought, Prolonged rainfall, Strong winds, Heavy snow
Recall the 8 dates when the UK faced extreme weather
2003 - Heatwave 2007 - Floods 2008 - Floods 2009 - Heavy Snow 2009 - Floods 2010 - Heavy Snow 2013/16 Floods
Why might extreme weather be on the rise?
Climate change can lead to:
More energy in the atmosphere leading to more intense storms
Affects Global atmospheric circulation bringing floods to dry areas and heatwaves to cool areas
What is evidence for Climate Change
Glacier and Ice Cap melting
Thermal Expansion
Low-lying islands in danger of flooding
Seasonal changes (tree flowering earlier, birds nesting earlier)
What are the 3 main natural causes of climate change
Volcanic Activity
Milankovitch cycles
Solar Activity
How can we adapt to climate change
Introducing drought resistant strains of crops
New irrigation systems
New cropping patterns
Shade trees to protect seeds from strong sunshine
Educating farmers in water harvesting techniques
How can we reduce risk from sea levels
Restoration of coastal mangrove forests
Construction of artificial islands
Building houses raised off the ground on stilts
