Weather and Climate Flashcards

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1
Q

What are environmental benefit of rapid development

A

-Potential to invest in technologies-renewable energy

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2
Q

At the equator hot air rises to _km, causing low pressure

A

15

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3
Q

After the air forms the Hadley cells the cool air sinks at _ degrees north and south of the equator, leading to high pressure. Some of the _ air moves back towards the _ as trade winds. The rest travels towards the , forming the lower part of _ cells.
At _ north and south, the _ air of the
cells meets colder _ air. The warmer air rises to form_ cells. This air travels to the _, where it cools and sinks forming areas to _ pressure

A
30 degrees
cooled
Equator
Poles
Ferrel cells
60 degrees
warmer
Ferrell
Polar
Polar
Poles
High
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4
Q

When does the Quaternary cover

A

2.6 million years

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5
Q

In the last how many years have temperatures significantly risen

A

250

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6
Q

What is the eccentricity cycle

A

The Earth’s orbit changes that happen every 100, 000 years. Whether it is more of a circular orbit or more of an ellipse

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7
Q

How often does the tilt of the Earth’s axis change

A

40 000

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8
Q

What is the precession cycle

A

The Earth’s ‘wobbles’ on its axis , changing the direction the axis is facing

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9
Q

How often does the precession cycle happen

A

24 000

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10
Q

What are evidence of natural climate change

A
  • Historical source, such as diaries
  • Ice cores trap volcanic ash, microbes, air bubbles. These reveal information on climate when the ice formed
  • Preserved pollen
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11
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect

A

Human activity releases increasing levels of CO2 and other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, increasing the greenhouse effect- more warming

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12
Q

What are 4 human causes of climate change

A

Industry
Energy
Farming
Transport

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13
Q

When was the medieval warm period

A

950-1100

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14
Q

What caused the medieval warm period

A

Increased solar radiation

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15
Q

When was the mini ice age

A

1600-1685

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16
Q

What caused the mini ice age

A

Increased volcanic activity and less solar radiation

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17
Q

What degree is the UK , in terms of cells

A

50-60 degrees north

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18
Q

What 5 things have impacts on the Uk’s climate

A
  • Maritime influence
  • Prevailing winds
  • North atlantic drift
  • Atmospheric circulation
  • Altitude
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19
Q

What is meant by maritime influence

A

Most of the air that reaches the UK contains lots of moisture as we are surrounded by sea leading to rainfall all year

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20
Q

When do tropical cyclones from

A

When the ocean is 26/27+ degrees celsius

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21
Q

Do tropical cyclones have high or low pressure

A

Low

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22
Q

How high are the tropical cyclones often

A

10km

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23
Q

How wide are tropical cyclones normally

A

400 km

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24
Q

Do tropical cyclones happen in June-November or November-April

A

Both

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25
Q

What are tropical cyclones movement

A

Prevailing winds and ocean currents

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26
Q

How far can tropical cyclones travel a day

A

600km

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27
Q

How fast can tropical cyclones travel

A

40km/h

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28
Q

What are 5 hazards associated with tropical cyclones

A
  • Landslides
  • Coastal flooding
  • Intense rainfall
  • High winds
  • Storm surges
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29
Q
How fast are category
1
2
3
4
5
hurricanes in km/h
A
  1. 119-153
  2. 154-177
  3. 178-208
  4. 209-251
  5. 252 +
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30
Q

Where did Hurricane Sandy travel

A

Across the Caribbean Sea, affecting the island nations of Jamaica, Cuba and Haiti, before moving north to reach the USA

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31
Q

When did Hurricane Sandy reach New Jersey

A

29th October 2012

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32
Q

With Hurricane Sandy how fast was it when it hit land

A

129 km/h

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33
Q

Where did Hurricane Sandy impact the USA the most

A

Eastern coast states

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34
Q

What were social impacts of Hurricane Sandy

A
  • Death toll of 150 people
  • Many areas left without electricity
  • Homes and businesses damaged
  • schools closed for days
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35
Q

What were environmental impacts of Hurricane Sandy

A
  • Storm surge caused significant damage to coastal nature reserves like Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge in Delaware
  • Raw sewage leaked into the waters around New York and New Jersey, damaging habitats
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36
Q

What were economic impacts of Hurricane Sandy

A
  • Estimated property damage: US$65 billion
  • Government had to pay for petrol to be brought in as suppliers ran out
  • Income from tourism affected by cancellation of New York Marathon
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37
Q

What was the individuals responses to Hurricane Sandy

A

The Concert for Sandy Relief with artists such as Bon Jovi

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38
Q

What was the organisations responses to Hurricane Sandy

A

The American Red Cross helped by providing

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39
Q

What were governments responses to hurricane Sandy

A

Billions of dollars were voted through legislation to help with rebuilding and supporting victims. New York setup a new local government office to support the rebuilding

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40
Q

When did Typhoon haiyan form

A

2nd November 2013

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41
Q

What ocean did Typhoon Haiyan form in

A

South pacific Ocean

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42
Q

How fast was Typhoon Haiyan when i reached land

A

300 km/h

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43
Q

What two islands were impacted the most by Typhoon Haiyan

A

Samar and Leyte

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44
Q

What are social impacts of Typhoon Haiyan

A

-An estimated 6 000 people died and many more missing
Significant loss of power
An estimated 600 000 people displaced from their home
Many homes left destroyed

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45
Q

What are environmental impacts of Typhoon Haiyan

A
  • Mangroves damaged across the islands
  • Trees uprooted
  • Oil spills from a tanker caused sea pollution
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46
Q

What are economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan

A
  • Estimated damage was US$2 billion
  • Damage and disrupted to infrastructure blocked transport across islands, making provision of aid and support difficult and expensive
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47
Q

What were individuals responses to Typhoon Haiyan

A

People in countries such as the UK and Canada gave money towards the relief money towards the relief methods

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48
Q

What were organisations responses to Typhoon Haiyan

A

The World Health Organisation coordinated the international responses to help the Philippine government meet the acute need for healthcare services

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49
Q

What were governments responses to Typhoon Haiyan

A

In order to direct funds to help support the aftermath, the Philippines were put in a ‘state of national calamity’. Aid in the form of loans and grants was provided by countries like the UK, which gave a £10 million package including emergency shelter, water and household items

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50
Q

What is an arid environment like

A

Dry

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51
Q

Are arid climates high or low pressure

A

High

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52
Q

Is the Sahara an arid location

A

Yes

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53
Q

Is the Kalahari an arid location

A

No, semi- arid

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54
Q

How much rain do arid environments get in mm

A

10-250

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55
Q

Are arid places cloudy

A

No

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56
Q

Where are most arid places located

A

The tropics

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57
Q

What degrees N/S of the equator are arid places found

A

23.5

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58
Q

In the UK how many days without rainfall is a drought

A

15

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59
Q

What are the two types of natural causes of drought

A

Meteorological & hydrological

60
Q

What is a meteorological drought

A

An area receives less than average precipitation then normal. This is when an area receives less energy than normal caused by a change in usual weather of an area. El Nino can cause this and so can jet streams.

61
Q

What is a hydrological drought

A

Hydrological drought occurs when low water supply becomes evident, especially in streams, reservoirs, and groundwater levels, usually after many months of meteorological drought.

62
Q

When was the drought in California

A

2012- present

63
Q

When was a state of emergency declared in California due to the drought

A

January 2014

64
Q

What river was over used in the drought in California

A

Colorado River

65
Q

What were the main hazards to the California drought

A
  • Subsidence as groundwater levels dropped, causing land to settle at a lower level
  • Contaminated of land and drinking water by the seawater, drawn inland by a lack of pressure
  • Wildfires which started and spread quickly, as vegetation was so dry
66
Q

What area was worst impacted by the California drought?

A

Central Valley

67
Q

What were environmental impacts of the drought in California

A
  • Water diverted, so wetlands and rivers get less
  • Increased extraction of groundwater/ aquifer causing subsidence- infrastructure and building damage
  • 542 000 acres taken out of crop production
  • Warm and windy weather causes wildfires
68
Q

What were economic impacts of the drought in California

A
  • Costsed California US$2.7 billion a year

- 542 000 acres taken out of crop production

69
Q

How did governments respond the the California drought

A
  • Ran public education campaigns, such as Save our Water

- Brought in State laws requiring a 25% cut in water use across California

70
Q

How did organisations respond the the California drought

A

University of California research project for effectively managing ground water

71
Q

How did individuals respond the the California drought

A
  • Farmers encouraged to use water-efficient irrigation, such as drip irrigation
  • Homeowners encouraged to check for water leaks
  • Protesters campaigned against companies selling bottled local water
72
Q

When was the drought in Ethiopia

A

2015

73
Q

What % of people in Ethiopia live in rural areas

A

85%

74
Q

The 2015 drought ( in Ethiopia) was the worst in _ years

A

30

75
Q

What were the 3 main hazards of the drought in Ethiopia

A
  • Reduction in crops yields leading to malnutrition and death for people and livestock
  • Longer journeys to find water, taking children out of school and farmers out of fields
  • Migration in search for ways to survive, breaking up communities
76
Q

What were 5 social impacts on the drought in Ethiopia

A
  • Death of livestock causes a food crisis
  • loss of crops means maize prices rocket
  • People eat less , become weak, malnutrition and vulnerable to disease
  • Girls have to walk further to get water, so cannot go to school
  • Long grasses used for roofing cannot grow, so homes are unprotected
77
Q

What were 6 environmental impacts on the drought in Ethiopia

A
  • Loss of habitat for fish and wildlife due to low water in reservoirs, lakes and ponds
  • Increase in disease in wild animals, because of reduced food and water supplies
  • Migration of wildlife
  • loss of 200 000 hectares of forest every year due to forest fires
  • Extinction of some species
  • Wind and water erosion of soil
78
Q

What were governments responses to the drought in Ethiopia

A

Overseas governments have given aid

79
Q

What were organisations responses to the drought in Ethiopia

A
  • Aid agencies such as Oxfam and UNICEF are helping people to get water supplies
  • Education charities are trying to help people get jobs in urban areas
80
Q

What were individuals responses to the drought in Ethiopia

A

Large charities like Live Aid have helped raise awareness and money

81
Q

How much did the repairs of hurricane Sandy come to

A

$65 billion

82
Q

How much did the repairs of Typhoon Haiyan come to

A

$ 2 billion

83
Q

What category hurricane was Sandy when it hit land

A

3

84
Q

What category typhoon was Haiyan when it hit land

A

5

85
Q

How many people were impacted by Typhoon Haiyan

A

13.2 million

86
Q

Define tropical storm

A

Large, rotating storms that form over oceans in tropical areas sea temperatures surface above 26 degrees

87
Q

What 3 things need to happen to form an ice age

A
  • Day the Earth is closest to the sun
  • Angle of the Earth’s tilt (23.4 degrees)
  • Shape of the Earth’s orbit
88
Q

Define qualenary

A

The current geological state

89
Q

Define interglacial period

A

In Between ice ages

90
Q

Define weather

A

Day-to-day changes in the Earth’s atmosphere

91
Q

Define climate

A

The weather over a period of 30 years

92
Q

How often is an ice age

A

100,000

93
Q

Define glacial

A

A period of time with lower than average temperatures causing widespread glaciation

94
Q

What is asthenosphere

A

The semi-molten layer at the top of the mantle which flows due to convection currents, moving the solid lithosphere above

95
Q

What is atmospheric circulation

A

The general movements of air around the Earth due to pressure and temperature

96
Q

Define climate change

A

A distinct change in global or regional patterns of climate, such as change in temperature or precipitation patterns

97
Q

What is conservative plate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving alongside each other

98
Q

What is the continental crust

A

The thicker, less dense crust that makes up the continents

99
Q

What is convection current

A

The movement of a fluid caused by a difference in temperature or density

100
Q

What is convergent plate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving towards each other

101
Q

What is coriolis effect

A

The effect of the Earth’s rotation on wind movements

102
Q

What is cyclone

A

A tropical cyclone that hits Oceania or Madagascar.

103
Q

What is divergent pate boundary

A

A plate boundary where two plates are moving away from each other

104
Q

What is eccentricity

A

The changing of the orbit of the Earth around the Sun from a circular shape to an ellipse

105
Q

What is the eye

A

An area of a tropical cyclone with extremely low pressure and calm conditions

106
Q

What is the eyewall

A

An area of tropical cyclone with the most intense, powerful winds and torrential rain

107
Q

What is the ferrel cell

A

At around 60 degrees either side of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to lower latitudes around 30 degrees where it sinks, along with air travelling from the equator

108
Q

Define fossil fuels

A

Fuels made up from the remains of organic material, such as oil, gas and coal

109
Q

Define geological hazards

A

A hazard caused by processes on the land

110
Q

Define greenhouse gases

A

Gases in the Earth’s atmosphere that tap energy in the Earth’s system and contribute to the greenhouse effect

111
Q

What is the Hadley cell

A

At the equator, hot moist air rises, moves to higher latitudes (30 degrees) and sinks

112
Q

Define hazard risk

A

The probability that a natural hazard will negatively impact the population

113
Q

Define hotspot

A

An area where unusually hot magma breaks through the middle of a plate and travels up to the surface, creating a volcano

114
Q

Define hurricane

A

A tropical cyclone that hits the USA, Latin America or the Caribbean

115
Q

Define ice core

A

A cylinder of ice extracted from an ice sheet or glacier, which is used to analyse past environmental conditions

116
Q

Define immediate responses

A

Actions taken as soon as the hazard happens and in its immediate aftermath

117
Q

Define inner core

A

A solid ball of iron/nickel at the Earth’s centre. Radioactive decay within the inner core provides Earth’s internal energy

118
Q

Define inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ)

A

An area surrounding the equator where global winds converge, causing an area of low pressure with rainy conditions

119
Q

Define lithosphere

A

Solid rock that lies on top of the asthenosphere. The top of the lithosphere is the crust, which is broken up into tectonic plates

120
Q

Define Long-term responses

A

Actions taken after the immediate responses when the effect of the hazard have been minimalised

121
Q

Define magma

A

Molten rock found beneath the Earth’s surface

122
Q

Define mantle

A

The area underneath the crust which contains magma

123
Q

Define milankovitch cycles

A

The cyclical variations in the Earth’s orbit around the sun

124
Q

Define natural hazard

A

A naturally occurring event that is a threat to the population

125
Q

What is obliquity (or axil tilt)

A

The tilt of the Earth’s axis, which changes from 21.5 degrees and 24.5 degrees

126
Q

What are ocean currents

A

The predictable, continuous circulation of ocean water which transfers heat around the globe

127
Q

What is the oceanic crust

A

The thinner, denser crust that makes up the ocean floor

128
Q

What is the outer core

A

A molten layer of iron and nickel that surrounds the inner core and transfers energy by convection current

129
Q

What is a plate boundary

A

The point at which two plates meet

130
Q

What is the polar cell

A

At 60 degrees north or south of the equator, moist air rises, and travels to the poles (90 degrees), where it sinks

131
Q

What is procession

A

The point at which two plates meet

132
Q

What is a pressure belt

A

A region of the Earth which is generally under the same pressure

133
Q

Define primary effects

A

The effects that are directly caused by the hazard itself

134
Q

What is the quaternary period

A

The geological time period that started 2.6 million years ago and extends into the present

135
Q

What is the Richter scale

A

A logarithmic scale used to measure the magnitude of earthquakes

136
Q

What is secondary effects

A

The effects that are a result of the primary effects

137
Q

Define storm surge

A

A rise in sea level caused when a tropical cyclone pushes a large amount of sea water onto the shore

138
Q

Define subduction

A

A process that occurs at a destructive plate boundary when a plate is pushed below another plate, forcing it to sink into the asthenosphere

139
Q

Define tectonic hazard

A

A natural hazard caused by the physical processes and movements of tectonic plates

140
Q

Define tectonic plates

A

Large slabs of the Earth’s crust that sit and move on top of the liquid mantle

141
Q

What is the enhanced greenhouse effect

A

A process where the Earth’s surface is heated by the greenhouse effect at a higher rate due to increased greenhouse gas emissions from human activities

142
Q

What is the greenhouse effect

A

A natural process where greenhouse gases trap the energy from the Sun inside the Earth’s atmosphere, warming the Earth’s surface

143
Q

Define track

A

A typical pathway that a tropical cyclone takes which is driven by global wind circulation

144
Q

What are tree rings

A

A ring in a tree trunk that grows annually, indicating the conditions in the year it grew

145
Q

What is a tropical cyclone

A

A very large, spinning storm with high winds and torrential rain that forms in the tropics

146
Q

Define tsunami

A

A large wave caused by a large amount of water being displaced when plates move

147
Q

What is a typhoon

A

A tropical cyclone that hits India, Japan or the Philippines