test 5 Flashcards
What two components are major factors in determining climates?
Temperature and precipitation
What are the basic features of the Tropical climates
- coldest month with mean temp above 65 degrees
- consistent warm temperatures
What are the basic features of the Arid climates
- more evaporation then precipitation
- consistently dry patterns
What are the basic features of the Temperate Mid-latitude climates
- moderate seasonal temps
- coldest month with mean temps above 32 degrees
What are the basic features of the Harsh Mid-latitude climates
- warmest month with mean temps above 50 degrees
- seasonal temps, cool to cold winters, warm summers
What are the basic features of the Polar climates?
- extreme cold climates, little precipitation
- warmest month mean temps below 50 degrees
Contrast the Tropical Rainforest, Monsoon, and Savanna sub climates.
Tropical rainforest: lots of precipitation, much vegetation, mostly trees, near equator in South America, Africa, and Indonesia
Monsoon: wet/dry seasons, excessive during wet seasons, seasonal change in wind direction, scattered trees, open grasslands, in southern India and South Asia
Savanna: extreme seasonal precipitation, dry about six months a year, many grasslands, Africa and eastern South America
Contrast the Hot and Cold desert climates.
Hot: around 30 degrees N/S much heat, lack of vegetation, only highly adapted, Sahara in North America, outback of Australia
Cold: around 60 degrees N/S not very hot, lack of vegetation, gobi in central Asia
Contrast the Mediterranean and Humid subtropical sub climates.
Mediterranean: wet cool winters, dry hot summers, commonly on west coast of continents, Greece, Italy, southern France and southern California
Humid: wet year-round, hot summers, short cool winters, mostly along east coasts, SE USA and China
Historically, what were the values of fire for early humans?
- provides heat to keep warm in winter - allowed them to cook food
- provided light at night
For what do we need energy in our modern culture?
- electricity
- transportation
- production of materials
Much of today’s electrical production comes from fossil fuels. What are the fossil fuels?
- coal
- petroleum
- natural gas
How are coal, petroleum, and natural gas transported around the globe?
Trains carry the coal
Pipelines transport petroleum and natural gas
Large tanker ships can transport petroleum and pipelines too
What are the wastes from energy production and use?
- ash is generated
- carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide wastes
What are the components of the Carbon Cycle?
Decomposition
Photosynthesis
Respiration
Fossilization
Diffusion
Combustion
Natural fires
How does each component of the carbon cycle add or take away carbon dioxide in the atmosphere?
- Decomposition, carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere by animals
- Photosynthesis, carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere
- Respiration, carbon dioxide put into the atmosphere by bacteria and other organisms
- Fossilization carbon remains of organisms buried (taken out)
- Diffusion movement in and out of ocean
- Combustion adding carbon dioxide to atmosphere
- Natural fires, nature moves carbon dioxide into atmosphere
How can we determine average global temperatures?
The average daily temperature at many locations(high and low) each day, further average for the year
What actions can we use to help slow the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide?
- less transportation or general use of fossil fuels
- add more forest
What outcomes of climate change might we see in the near future?
- increase in average global temperatures
- changes in ocean level
- longer summers and warmer winters
- changes in plant growth and animal distributions
What percent of the Earth’s surface is covered by oceans?
over 70%
How does ocean water generally circulate in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres?
Northern – water between 30 degrees and equator circulate clockwise
Southern – water between 30 degrees and the equator circulate counterclockwise
Why are their variations in oceanic salinity?
- amount of sunlight
- ocean temperature vary between seasons around the globe
- upwelling
- circulation
What is El Nino and how does it develop?
A change in the weather patters in the Pacific Ocean between Australia and South America ,
- Australia drier
- More rainfall in Pacific Ocean
