Weather n Climate

Question 1

What is weather

Answer 1

Short term state of atmosphere at a particular time or place

Question 2

What is Weather Elements

Answer 2

Cloud, Rain, Atmoshpheric Pressure, Temperature, Wind, Relative humidity

Question 3

What is climate

Answer 3

Long term ave condition of weather atmosphere at a particular place

Question 4

What to use when describing climate

Answer 4

temp => Annual Temp Range + Mean Annual temp

rainfall => Total Annual Rainfall + rainfall distribution

Question 5

What is the tropical equatorial climate

Answer 5

MAT => High

ATR => small

TAR => High

Rainfall distribution => Evenly high

Question 6

What is the tropical monsoon climate

Answer 6

MAT => High

ATR => small to moderate

TAR => High

Rainfall distribution => Uneven (wet n dry)

Question 7

What is the cool temperature climate

Answer 7

MAT => moderate

ATR => moderate to large

TAR => moderate

Rainfall distribution => Evenly moderate

Question 8

What are the climatic zones

Answer 8

Tropics, Temperate, Polar

Question 9

How n Why does temp vary over a day

Answer 9

• Earth faces sun –> Day => Receives solar radiation so experiences high temp
• Earth faces away from sun –> Night => Does not receive solar radiation so experiences low temp

Question 10

How n why does temp vary over a year

Answer 10

• Earth’s revolution
• Earth’s axis titled at an angle
  -> NH or SH leans towards sun => receives more direct solar radiation ==> summer
  -> NH or SH leans away from sun => receives less direct solar radiation ==> Winter

Question 11

What causes temp to vary over a space

Answer 11

Latitude (MOST IMPT -> Global influence as it forms the major climate zones

-> temp modified due to place’s characteristics within each zone)

Altitude

Type of Surface

Distance from the sea

Question 12

Why does latitude result in temp varying over a space

Answer 12

LATITUDE => The higher the latitude, the lower the MAT

-> As earth is a sphere, sun ray’s strike low latitude area at high solar angle [solar radiation concentrated over a small area = high MAT]

-> Sun’s rays strike high latitude area at low solar angle [solar radiation is spread out over large area = low MAT]

Question 13

Why does altitude result in temp varying over a space

Answer 13

ALTITUDE =>The higher the altitude, the lower the MAT

-> Air is less dense at higher altitudes as there are fewer air molecules to absorb and radiate heat

Question 14

Why does type of surface result in temp varying over a space

Answer 14

TYPE OF SURFACE => Dark surfaces absorb more solar radiation and radiate more heat leading to a higher temp

=> Light coloured surfaces reflect more solar radiation and radiate less heat leading to a lower temp

Question 15

Why does distance from sea result in temp carrying over a space

Answer 15

DISTANCE FROM THE SEA => The greater the distance from the sea, the larger the annual temp range

=> Difference in heating and cooling of land and sea

-> Coastal areas = Maritime effect (sea gains n loses heat slower) => Cooler Summers, Warmer Winters

-> Inland areas = Continental effect (land gains n loses heat quickly) => Warmer Summer, Cooler Winters

Question 16

What is the water cycle?

Answer 16

1) Water vapour enters the atmosphere through evapo-transpiration
2) As water vapour rises, it cools and condenses into tiny water droplets at dew pt temp, forming clouds
3) When water droplets become big n heavy, they fall to ground as precipitation such as rain or snow
4) Water on surface infiltrates the subsurface soil n rock
5) Water flows over the ground surface as surface runoff and enters a body of water
6) Below Earth’s surface, water moves horizontally above the impermeable rock as groundwater flows

Question 17

How and why does type of soil affect the rate of infiltration and flow of water

Answer 17

Infiltration & Groundwater flows rate faster in soils wih larger pores (eg sandy soil) than in soils with smaller pores (eg clayey soil)
-> Larger pores allow water
to infiltrate, allowing
water to move more
quickly

Question 18

How and why does type of surface affect the rate of infiltration and flow of water

Answer 18

Concrete grounds (Built up areas) -> Low infiltration rates
due to surface having
tiny pores
-> Fast surface runoff
rates as ground
surfaces are smoother
with fewer
obstructions and less
friction
Vegetated grounds
-> Fast infiltration rates
and groundwater
flows as roots of
plants loosen the soil
creating more open
spaces in the soil for
water to pass through
-> Slow surface runoff
as stems n roots of
grasses n plants act
as barriers and
increase the surface
roughness

Question 19

What is the process for the formation of rain

Answer 19

1) Temp
2) Relative humidity -> Warm air rises, cools to RH 100%
3) Condensation
4) Coalescence -> Water droplets in clouds collide & coalesce
5) Cloud
6) Rain

Question 20

What are the 2 types of rain

Answer 20

1) Convectional
2) Relief

Question 21

How does convectional rain form

Answer 21

1) Warm air cools as it rises

2) RH increases to 100% at dew pt temp

3) Condensation occurs, forming water droplets

4) Water droplets collide and coalesce to form clouds

5) When clouds are heavy, water droplets fall as rain

*Air rises cos of intense heating of ground

Question 22

How does relief rain form?

Answer 22

1) Winds push moist air against coastal highland

2) Rising moist air cools & condense at dew pt temp & form clouds

3) Condensation occurs, forming water droplets

4) Water droplets collide and coalesce to form clouds

5) When clouds are heavy, water droplets fall as rain

[Windward side moist while leeward side dry]

*Air forced to rise against coastal highlands by prevailing winds

Question 23

How are winds formed

Answer 23

1) In places with higher temps, air heated, becomes less dense n rises, this forming a void n area of lower atm pressure
2) In places with lower temps, air cooled, becomes more dense and sinks, thus forming an area of higher atm pressure
3) This results in an uneven distribution of pressure gradients
4) Therefore, air moves horizontally from area of higher atm pressure to area of lower atm presssure, forming winds

Question 24

What affects the speed of wind and why

Answer 24

• Strength of pressure gradient
  -> Larger pressure gradient
  –> Larger pressure diff
  => Faster wind speeds
• Friction
  -> As air moves along Earth’s
  topography, might exp
  frictional drag
  -> Areas with uneven relief
  and rough surfaces will
  exp highest frictional drag

Question 25

# Time of Day -> Heating/cooling of land & sea -> temp+pressure ovr S + L How do land breeze form

Answer 25

1) Occurs during the night 2) Sea loses heat slowly while land loses heat quickly 3) Higher temp over the sea while lower temp over the land 4) Air less dense over the sea, thus rising and forming an area of void and low atm pressure 5) Air more dense over the land, thus sinking and forming an area of high atm 6) Air move horizontally from area of high atm pressure, land, to area of low atm pressure, sea 7) This forms land breeze

Question 26

# Time of Day -> Heating/cooling of land & sea -> temp+pressure ovr S + L How do sea breezes form

Answer 26

1) Occurs during the day 2) Land gains heat faster while sea gains heat slower 3) Higher temp above land while lower temp above sea 4) Air above land less dense, rises, forming area of low pressure above the land 5) Air above sea more dense, sinks, forming an area of high pressure above the sea 6) Air moves horizontally from area of high pressure, sea, to area of low pressure, land 7) This forms the sea breeze

Question 27

Why does wind direction vary on Earth's surface on a regional scale

Answer 27

Unequal difference of air temps across Earth surfaces results in varied pressure zones -> Air moves from zones of high pressure to zones of low pressure --> Air deflected because of Coriolis effect due to Earth's rotation [NH = deflect to right SH = deflect to left]

Question 28

How does the NE monsoon form

Answer 28

1) From Oct to Feb, NH experiences winter and cooler temps while SH experiences summer and warmer temps 2) Cool air is dense and sinks, forming a higher pressure zone in the NH, over Central Asia 3) Hot air is less dense and rises, forming a lower pressure zone in the SH, over Australia 4) Air travels from Central Asia to Australia 5) As winds travel towards India, they are deflected to the right in NH, forming NE monsoon. After crossing the equator, they are deflected to the left in SH due to the Coriolis effect, thus forming NW monsoon 6) NE monsoon is dry as it is picked up from central Asia, resulting in India experiencing little rain 7) As winds blow over South China Sea and Indian Ocean, they pick up moisture in the form of water vapour, bringing heavy rains to countries such as Singapore and Australia

Question 29

How does SW monsoon form

Answer 29

1) From June to September, NH experiences warmer summers while SH experiences cooler winters 2) Warm air in NH rises, forming a zone of low pressure above Central Asia 3) Cool air in SH sinks, forming a zone of high pressure above Australia 4) Air travels from Australia to Central Asia 5) Due to Coriolis effect, winds are deflected to left in SH, forming the SE monsoon. As winds cross equator, they are deflected to the right, forming the SW monsoon 6) As winds move along Indian Ocean, they pick up moisture, bringing rain to India.

Question 30

What are the natural factors which contribute to climate change

Answer 30

1) Change in Earths orbit 2) Change in Earth's angle of tilt 3) Presence of sunspots 4) Large scale volcanic eruptions

Question 31

How does change in Earth's orbit contribute to climate change

Answer 31

1) Earth's orbit most elliptical orbit every 100k yrs 2) When furthest departure approach to sun, less radiation reaches Earth 3) Decrease in temp

Question 32

How does Earth's angle of tilt contribute to climate change

Answer 32

1) Earth axis tilts back n forth between 21.5 and 24.5 degrees 2) When angle of tilt increases, seasons are more severe [warmer summers and colder winters] => Each hemisphere receives more solar radiation when tilited towards sun resulting in warmer summers => Each hemisphere receives less solar radiation when tilted away from sun, resulting in colder winters

Question 33

How does presence of sunspots lead to climate change

Answer 33

More sunspots -> areas around sunspots radiate more energy to compensate for more cooler sunspots => rise in global temp

Question 34

How do large scale volcanic eruptions lead to climate change

Answer 34

1) Huge amounts of ash released during volcanic eruptions 2) Ash reflects incoming solar radiation -> Lower solar radiation reaches Earth => Cooling effect

Question 35

What are the human factors that lead to climate change

Answer 35

Industrialization and Population growth

Question 36

How does industrialisation lead to climate change?

Answer 36

Indisutrialisation results in the burning of fossil fuels to create energy for human activities -> Releases large amounts of CO2 and other GHG into the atmosphere => Leads to the enhanced greenhouse effect

Question 37

How does population growth lead to climate change

Answer 37

Population growth accelerates climate change as it results in changing land use -> This results in large-scale deforestation to meet higher demands for jobs, food and housing => Less trees to act as carbon stores and absorb CO2 thru photosynthese --> Larger amounts of GHG in atmosphere => Leads to the enhanced greenhouse effect