Topic 1- Global Hazards Flashcards
Why is the equator so hot?
It receives more heat than it can radiate.
What are many natural hazards caused by?
The weather
What is climate?
Climate is the average weather recorded over at least a 30 year period.
What is the term for the movement of air?
The global circulation system.
How is high pressure created?
When air mass descends, it presses down on earth resulting in high pressure.
How is low pressure created?
When air mass rises there is low pressure
What does the global circulation system control?
It controls temperatures and influences precipitation and prevailing winds, this creates distinctive climate zones
what is the albedo effect?
how much a surface reflects or absorbs the suns rays
what is cloud cover?
the clouds reflecting the suns rays
what are the 3 types of winds?
trade winds, jet streams and katabatic winds
what are trade winds?
trade winds are the winds that blow from high pressure belts to low pressure belts
what are jet streams?
jet streams are winds high in the atmosphere and are very strong as there is little to slow them down
what are katabatic winds?
winds caused by air flowing downhill
what is wind speed measured in?
the beaufort scale which ranges from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane)
what is the process of precipitation?
when warm air rises it carries water vapour. as it rises the air cools and the water vapour condenses to form clouds, eventually the clouds release precipitation
