worksheet 7 Flashcards
why does temperature decrease as you move away from equator and towards the poles
bc the amount of radiation hitting the earth is the same but the angle is different so depending on the angle, the amount of space that needs to be heated by the amount of radiation is greater. at the polar regions there is less energy per unit space.
what is insulation
the amount of solar radiation hitting the earth surface
what are the different climate classification zones
moving away from equator: tropical/equatorial –> arid –> warm temperate –> boreal/continental –> polar
what climate zone in ireland in
warm temperate
why do arid regions separate equatorial and warm temperate
because in the hadley and ferrel cells (in the atmospheric circular systems), the warm moist air rises and loses it moisture as rain while cooling. this then circulates before descending and thus forming arid climatic belts
why is europe a lot warmer than canada even though it is in high latitudes that are usually associated with boreal type climates
warmed water bodies on the european side that occur bc of circulation and the gulf stream warm the whole region
how do areas of high elevation disrupt climatic zones
they form polar or boreal regions at areas that are usually associated with warmed climates because as elevation increases, air pressure decreases and thus it is cooler
how do himalayas and other mountain belts affect precipitation patterns
they block moist air and form rain shadows
how can the composition of the atmosphere effect climate
trapping of greenhouse gases can trap solar radiation and having warming effect on earth
what do coals tell you about what the climate was
must have been warm tropical conditions because coals are organic deposits formed in swamps/bogs
what do bauxits tell you about what the climate was
must have been tropical/subtropical because the fe-al rich clay needs those soils
what do evaporites like salt and gypsum tell you about climate
must have been arid environments because they are mineral deposits formed by evaporation of seawater/high salinity lakes
what do calcretes tell you about what the climate was
must have been arid because they are formed in shallow ground water
what do kaolintes tell you about what the climate was
must have been tropical/subtropical because they are white clays that form from weathering and breakdown of igneous rocks
what do tillites tell you about what the climate was
must have been cold environments because they are deposits from glaciers
