Topic 2 -Environmental Heterogeneity

Question 1

Climate

Answer 1

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

Question 2

Weather

Answer 2

is the combination of temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind and cloudiness at a specific place and time

Question 3

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

Answer 3

solar radiation

Question 4

The ability to sustain life on our planet is due to the

Answer 4

sun

Question 5

The sun is our main source of _______ with only ____reaching the surface and being absorbed

Answer 5

energy, 51%

Question 6

Absorbed energy is remitted as

Answer 6

heat

Question 7

Green house effect

Answer 7

is crucial to maintaining the surface warmth

Question 8

Solar energy intercepted by the earth decreases toward the_______ and increases towards _______

Answer 8

poles, equator

Question 9

Uplift

Answer 9

warm air rises in the tropics, condenses into clouds and precipitates, cooling air forced North and South

Question 10

cooling air from the tropics meets air moving southward from the poles resulting in

Answer 10

subsidence which is when air moves back to the earths surface when temperature gradient equalizes

Question 11

where does subsidence occur

Answer 11

at the poles where air is dry or between the hadley and ferrell cells 30 degrees of latitude

Question 12

Hadley Cell

Answer 12

0-30 degrees tropical

formed from uplift at the equator

Question 13

Polar Cell

Answer 13

60-90 degrees polar

formed by subsidence at the poles

Question 14

Ferrell cell

Answer 14

30-60 degrees temperate

circulates air between and closes off the other cells

Question 15

Atmospheric circulation is linked to

Answer 15

wind currents

Question 16

Corliolis Effect

Answer 16

apparent deflection of wind currents from earths perspective
right in northern hemisphere
left in southern hemisphere
viewed from space wind would move north-south

Question 17

Global winds create

Answer 17

ocean currents, continents obstruct

Question 18

Currents tend to move clockwise in the__________and counter clockwise in the___________

Answer 18

Northern hemisphere, southern hemisphere

Question 19

warm currents tend to move from the_____ outwards while cool currents originate from the _____ regions

Answer 19

tropics, polar

Question 20

ocean currents are the main

Answer 20

thermal conveyors of the planet

Question 21

3 major influences that alter global temperature

Answer 21

Distribution of land and water
Elevation
Earths orbit around the sun

Question 22

true or false

water is a better heat sink than land and retains heat longer

Answer 22

True

Question 23

True or false

type of Vegetation cover of land does not influence heat uptake

Answer 23

False

Question 24

Albedo

Answer 24

amount of solar radiation that a surface reflects

Question 25

True or false

Internal continental areas are less affected by the heating and cooling of ocean currents

Answer 25

True

Question 26

Precipitation tends to be _____ in the southern hemisphere relative to the north because__________

Answer 26

Higher, larger surface area of water

Question 27

topography (mountains) can create

Answer 27

rain shadows, the air cools before getting over the mountain

Question 28

deep continental areas become very dry due to long distances from

Answer 28

water bodies

Question 29

air temperature decreases with

Answer 29

elevation

Question 30

warming effect of earths surface decreases with

Answer 30

elevation

Question 31

greater air pressure at the surface causes molecules to move

Answer 31

faster (higher speed= higher temp)

Question 32

Tilts of the earths axis results in

Answer 32

seasonal temperature differences as it orbits the sun

Question 33

May to august the northern hemisphere is tilted

Answer 33

toward the sun, increased solar radiation results in winter, opposite in southern hemisphere

Question 34

Nov to Feb the northern hemisphere is tilted

Answer 34

away from the sun resulting in winter, opposite in southern hemisphere

Question 35

because of tilt, seasons are restricted to

Answer 35

temperate zones

Question 36

because of the tilt away from the sun, polar areas experience extreme

Answer 36

day night cycles

Question 37

because of tilt, tropical areas experience a shift in the _________ and experience ___________

Answer 37

Intertropical convergence zones (ITCZ), wet dry cycles

Question 38

weather patterns have different spatial scales which are

Answer 38

Global
Regional
Local
Micro

Question 39

Global and regional climate patterns determine the

Answer 39

large scale distribution of plants and animals

Question 40

do local climate conditions match the general climate profiles of the larger region?

Answer 40

No

Question 41

local patterns of microclimate are the actual environmental conditions experienced by

Answer 41

organisms