Topic 2

Question 1

Climate

Answer 1

long term average pattern of weather, on a local, regional or global scale

Question 2

Weather

Answer 2

combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind, etc at a specific time and place

Question 3

All of the differences in climate across the earth are driven primarily by..

Answer 3

solar radiation

Question 4

The sun is..

Answer 4

main source of energy

Question 5

What percent of the sun reaches the surface and in absorbed? what happens to rest?

Answer 5

51% and the rest is reflected, scattered or absorbed by atmosphere (remitted as heat)

Question 6

The amount of solar energy intercepted by the earth at any point varies with..

Answer 6

latitude

Question 7

Solar energy decreases towards.. and increases towards..

Answer 7

the poles; the equator

Question 8

Uplift

Answer 8

warm air rises in the tropics creating a low pressure system

Question 9

Cooling air forced..

Answer 9

north and south

Question 10

Cooling air from the tropics meets..

Answer 10

air moving southward from the pole

Question 11

Subsidence

Answer 11

air moves back to the earths surface when temp gradient equalizes (often dry areas) and can occur at poles when air is dry

Question 12

3 distinct cell formation

Answer 12

• hadley cell (tropical)
• polar cell (polar)
• ferrel cell (temperate)

Question 13

Hadley cell

Answer 13

formed from uplift at equator

Question 14

Polar cell

Answer 14

formed from subsidence of air at the poles

Question 15

Ferrel cell

Answer 15

circulates air between and closes off the other cells

Question 16

Coriolis effect

Answer 16

apparent deflection of wind currents from earths perspective

Question 17

Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere goes..

Answer 17

to the right

Question 18

Global winds create..

Answer 18

ocean currents

Question 19

Which direction do currents move in the northern hemisphere

Answer 19

clockwise

Question 20

Warm currents tend to move..

Answer 20

from the tropics outwards

Question 21

Cold currents originate from..

Answer 21

the polar regions

Question 22

Main thermal conveyors of the planet is

Answer 22

ocean currents

Question 23

3 main influences that alter local temp patterns

Answer 23

• distribution of land and water
• elevation
• earths orbit around the sun

Question 24

Water is a better ____ than land and ..

Answer 24

heat sink; retains heat longer

Question 25

Albedo

Answer 25

amount of solar radiation that a surface reflects

Question 26

Precipitation tends to be higher..

Answer 26

in Southern hemisphere relative to the north

Question 27

Topography (mountains) can..

Answer 27

create rain shadows

Question 28

Air temp decreases with..

Answer 28

elevation

Question 29

Greater air pressure at the surface causes..

Answer 29

molecules to move faster (warmer temp)

Question 30

When is the northern hemisphere tilted towards the sun

Answer 30

may to august (results in summer)

Question 31

When is the northern hemisphere tilted away from the sun

Answer 31

november to February (results in winter)

Question 32

Seasons are normally restricted to..

Answer 32

the temperate zones

Question 33

Polar areas experience extreme…

Answer 33

day and night cycles

Question 34

Tropical areas experience ..

Answer 34

shift in intertropical convergence zone and wet dry cycles

Question 35

Environmental heterogeneity\

Answer 35

weather patterns differ at different spatial scales (global, regional, local, micro)

Question 36

Global and regional climate patterns determine..

Answer 36

large scale distribution of plants and animals