Y8 Weather & Climate Flashcards
What do we mean by the term weather?
The day to day conditions of the atmosphere.
What do we mean by the term climate?
Average weather conditions taken over a number of years.
3 examples of weather
Rain, wind, temperature
How does altitude (height above sea level) impact temperatures in the UK?
There is a 1 degree Celsius drop in temperature for every 100m increase in height.
What is the prevailing wind direction in the UK?
The UK’s prevailing (dominant) wind direction is from the south west, coming over the Atlantic ocean.
How does the tilt of the Earth impact the weather and climate in the UK?
The Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees Celsius on it’s axis and this means we have seasons. We are tilted towards the sun in summer, and away from the sun in winter.
How does latitude (distance from equator) affect temperatures in the UK?
Temperatures drop the further a country is from the equator because of the curvature of the Earth.
How does distance from the sea affect inland and coastal temperatures in the UK?
The sea is cooler than land in summer, and warmer than land in winter. Coastal locations are cooler in summer and warmer in winter than inland locations.
What climate does the UK experience?
Mild, temperate climate
What does temperate climate mean?
It is mild all year with a chance of rain at any time of the year.
What is relief rainfall?
Air is forced to rise over mountains, as it rises it cools and condenses.
What is frontal rainfall?
Warm and cold air do not mix, warm air is forced to rise, it cools, condenses then forms clouds and rainfall.
How is rainfall represented on a climate graph?
As a bar chart
How is temperature represented on a climate graph?
As a line graph
Where are tropical rainforests located?
Between the Tropic of Cancer and the Tropic of Capricorn, in countries such as Brazil, Indonesia, Philippines.
Name the 4 layers of the tropical rainforest in order from bottom to top
Forest floor, understory, canopy, emergent layer
Name one feature of the forest floor
- It is very dark, only 2% of sunlight reaches here.
- There is very little vegetation.
Name one feature of the canopy
- It is the densest layer of vegetation.
- Trees are 20 - 40m tall.
- It is home to insects, birds and some mammals.
Name one feature of the emergent layer
- In this layer are the tops of the tallest trees in the rainforest.
Name 2 types of rainforest vegetation
Buttress roots, Drip tip leaves, Pitcher plants, Lianas, Kapok trees, Bromeliads
How is a pitcher plant adapted to survive in the tropical rainforest?
They produce sweet nectar which attracts insects. Insects land on the waxy sides of the plant and fall in the water, where they drown and are digested by the plant.
How have drip tip leaves adapted to survive in the tropical rainforest?
These leaves are thick and waxy. The shape of the leaves allows rain drops to run off quickly, to avoid growth of fungus and bacteria.
What are the average temperatures in a tropical rainforest?
Average temperatures in the tropical rainforest are 27 degrees Celsius all year round.
What is the average rainfall in a tropical rainforest?
Average rainfall in the tropical rainforest is 2000mm per year.
Explain why tropical rainforests experience high temperatures all year round
Tropical rainforests experience high temperatures all year round because they are located between the Tropics and near the equator, therefore they receive 12 hours of sunlight every day due to the tilt of the Earth.
What is deforestation?
Deforestation is the chopping down and removal of trees to clear an area of forest.
Name 3 human uses of the tropical rainforest
Logging, cattle ranching, mineral mining, road building, hydro-electric power, agriculture, tribal home lands
What is logging?
Logging is the act of cutting down of trees and transporting the logs to sawmills. 80% of all logging in the Amazon is illegal.
What is cattle ranching?
Cattle ranching is when land is cleared to allow cattle to graze for the beef industry. 80% of the land that is cleared in the Amazon is for cattle ranching.
