Topic 2 Flashcards
Climate
long term average pattern of weather, on a local, regional or global scale
Weather
combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, etc at a specific time and place
All of the differences in climate across the earth are driven primarily by..
solar radiation
The sun is..
main source of energy
What percent of the sun reaches the surface and in absorbed? what happens to rest?
51% and the rest is reflected, scattered or absorbed by atmosphere (remitted as heat)
The amount of solar energy intercepted by the earth at any point varies with..
latitude
Solar energy decreases towards.. and increases towards..
the poles; the equator
Uplift
warm air rises in the tropics creating a low pressure system
Cooling air forced..
north and south
Cooling air from the tropics meets..
air moving southward from the pole
Subsidence
air moves back to the earths surface when temp gradient equalizes (often dry areas) and can occur at poles when air is dry
3 distinct cell formation
- hadley cell (tropical)
- polar cell (polar)
- ferrel cell (temperate)
Hadley cell
formed from uplift at equator
Polar cell
formed from subsidence of air at the poles
Ferrel cell
circulates air between and closes off the other cells
Coriolis effect
apparent deflection of wind currents from earths perspective
Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere goes..
to the right
Global winds create..
ocean currents
Which direction do currents move in the northern hemisphere
clockwise
Warm currents tend to move..
from the tropics outwards
Cold currents originate from..
the polar regions
Main thermal conveyors of the planet is
ocean currents
3 main influences that alter local temp patterns
- distribution of land and water
- elevation
- earths orbit around the sun
Water is a better ____ than land and ..
heat sink; retains heat longer
Albedo
amount of solar radiation that a surface reflects
Precipitation tends to be higher..
in Southern hemisphere relative to the north
Topography (mountains) can..
create rain shadows
Air temp decreases with..
elevation
Greater air pressure at the surface causes..
molecules to move faster (warmer temp)
When is the northern hemisphere tilted towards the sun
may to august (results in summer)
When is the northern hemisphere tilted away from the sun
november to February (results in winter)
Seasons are normally restricted to..
the temperate zones
Polar areas experience extreme…
day and night cycles
Tropical areas experience ..
shift in intertropical convergence zone and wet dry cycles
Environmental heterogeneity\
weather patterns differ at different spatial scales (global, regional, local, micro)
Global and regional climate patterns determine..
large scale distribution of plants and animals
