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Name _____________________ Date __________________ Hour _____ What Impacts Climate? Background Climate is determined by the temperature and precipitation characteristics of a region over time. The temperature characteristics of a region are influenced by natural factors such as latitude, elevation and the presence of ocean currents. The precipitation characteristics of a region are influenced by factors such as proximity to mountain ranges and prevailing winds. These, too, are natural factors that influence precipitation. The temperature and precipitation characteristics of a region remain relatively unchanged for thousands of years. Changes in climate are very gradual. Various years throughout history may be noted for being particularly hot, cold, wet or dry, but when many years are considered, these wild fluctuations in climate combine with many relatively “normal” years to develop a picture of the average climate characteristics of a region over time. Problem What effects do various factors have on the climate of a region? Self-Assessment The following statements relate to the Problem. Circle true (T) or false (F). Also circle how confident you feel about your answer by circling H (high confidence), M (moderate), or L (low confidence). 1. The climate on the windward side of a mountain is warmer and dryer than the climate on the leeward side. 2. Cities near large bodies of water have more temperature variation throughout the year than cities in the center of a large landmass. 3. Cities at higher latitudes have lower temperatures than cities at lower latitudes. T or F H, M, L T or F H, M, L T or F H, M, L Part 1: Climographs A quick way to get an idea of the climate of a particular place is to look at a "climate-graph," or "climograph." A climograph is what scientists create to show a particular location's average temperature and precipitation during the year. Use the the diagram of the U.S and the climographs to answer the following questions. Muskegon● Grand ●San Francisco Junction● ●Denver ●Detroit ●St. Louis Page _____ 1. Annual Climatology: San Francisco, CA (SFO) Annual Climatology: St. Louis, MO (STL) Elev: 8 ft Lat: 37o 37'N Long: 122o 24'W Elev: 586 ft Lat: 38o 45'N Long: 90o 22'W Does the temperature of San Francisco change much throughout the year? What is the temperature range? __________________________________________________ 2. Does the temperature of St. Louis change much throughout the year? What is the temperature range? _________________________________________________ 3. How does the latitude of St. Louis compare to the latitude of San Francisco? ____________________________________________________________________ 4. Examine the differences in precipitation throughout the year for each city. What do you think could cause such a difference? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 5. St. Louis and San Francisco have the same average yearly temperature. However, St. Louis has cold winters and hot summers, while San Francisco has a generally mild climate all year. What do you think causes this? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Page _____ Annual Climatology: Detroit, MI Annual Climatology: Muskegon, MI Elev: 637 ft Lat: 42o 14'N Long: 83o 20'W Elev: 625 ft Lat: 43o 10'N Long: 86o 14'W 6. Does the temperature of Detroit change much throughout the year? What is the temperature range? _________________________________________________ 7. By examining the climographs, you should see that Detroit has a lower average yearly temperature than St. Louis. What do you think causes this? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ 8. What do you think causes the difference in precipitation between Detroit and Muskegon in August and September? ____________________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________________________ Part 2: The Orographic Effect When air is warmed it’s density decreases and it begins to rise. As it rises there is less atmosphere above it, so there is less pressure on it and the air molecules can spread out. As they spread out, they take their heat with them. Imagine a cubic meter rising with the air. As the air expands, there will be fewer molecules in the cube, which means there will be less HEAT in the cube. This will cause a drop in the temperature. The expansion of the air causes the temperature to drop, though no heat is actually taken from the air. Temperature changes that occur due to expansion or contraction and without gain or loss of heat are called adiabatic temperature changes. Normally as air rises in the lower atmosphere the temperature drops at a rate of 10ºC for each kilometer (1000 meters) it rises. This is known as the Dry Adiabatic Lapse Rate. When the air spreads out (as it rises) it opens up space which more water molecules can fill, allowing more water molecules to evaporate into the air than would have at a lower altitude. This lowers the dew point by a rate of about 2ºC for each kilometer of rise. This is known as the dew point lapse rate. After air has reached its dew point it continues to cool as it rises upward, but it does so at a slower rate known as the Wet Adiabatic Lapse Rate and is about 5°C per kilometer (1000 meters). When air is cooled below the dew point and the relative humidity is 100%, condensation exceeds evaporation and the amount of liquid water increases as dew or cloud/fog droplets form and grow. As air rises, the temperature drops 10ºC for each kilometer, and the dew point drops 2ºC per km. If this goes on long enough, the falling temperature will eventually catch up to the falling dew point. When this happens, condensation will exceed evaporation and tiny droplets of liquid water will form in the air. We call a mass of tiny water droplets in the air a cloud (or fog if at ground level). The diagram below shows an air parcel being forced over a mountain range. This causes changes in temperature (T), relative humidity (RH) and the dew point temperature (Td) as a result of pressure changes. Calculate what the temperatures at the various points using the appropriate adiabatic lapse rates and fill in the corresponding blank lines. Page _____ 4000 m _____ _100%_ _____ 3000 m _____ _100%_ _____ 2000 m _____ _100%_ _____ 1000 m _____ _75%_ _____ Sea Level _25__ _50%_ _13 T (C°) RH Td(C°) 4000 m ______ _100%_ _____ 3000 m ______ _100%_ _____ 2000 m ______ _75%_ _____ 1000 m ______ _ 50%_ _____ Sea Level ______ _40%_ _____ T (C°) RH Td(C°) Circle the correct responses. 9. As air rises it (expands, contracts). 10. As air rises, temperature (increases, decreases). 11. The capacity of the air (increases, decreases) as the air gets cooler. 12. The air at sea level is (saturated, unsaturated). 13. Clouds will begin forming at (1000, 2000) meters. 14. The air will initially (warm, cool) as it rises over the windward side of the mountain at the (wet, dry) adiabatic rate, which is (10, 5) C per 1000 meters. 15. Condensation (will, will not) take place at 1000 meters. 16. From the altitude where condensation begins to occur, to the summit of the mountain, the rising air will continue to expand and will (warm, cool) at the (wet, dry) adiabatic rate of about (10, 5) C per 1000 meters. 17. Assume the air begins to descend on the leeward side of the mountain, it will be compressed and its temperature will (increase, decrease). 18. Assume the relative humidity of the air is below 100% during its entire descent to the plateau. The air will be (saturated, unsaturated) and will warm at the (wet, dry) adiabatic rate of about (10, 5) C per 1000 meters. Page _____ 19. As the air descends and warms on the leeward side of the mountain, its relative humidity will (increase, decrease). 20. Explain why mountains might cause dry conditions on their leeward sides. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Annual Climatology: Denver, CO (DNR) Annual Climatology: Grand Junction, CO (GJT) Elev:5286 ft Lat: 39o 46'N Long: 104o 52'W Elev: 4858 ft Lat: 39o 08'N Long: 108o 32'W 21. Based on the climographs of Denver and Grand Junction, how can you tell which is on the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains and which is on the windward side? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ 22. By examining the climographs, you should see that Denver has a lower average yearly temperature than St. Louis. Explain what you think causes this? ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________ Part 3: 1. Use the Diagram of Imaginary Continent to answer the questions. a. The diagram represents an imaginary continent on the Earth surrounded by water. b. The arrows indicate the direction of the prevailing winds. c. Two large mountain ranges are also indicated. d. Points A, B and E are located at sea level; points C and D are in the foothills of the mountain; point F is high in the mountains. Circle the correct answer and then explain your answer. 23. Which city probably has the same type of weather year round? (A, B, C, D, E, F) Why? _______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Page _____ 24. What factor would cause location F to have a colder yearly climate than any other location? (ocean, mountains, latitude, elevation, inland, wind direction) Why? _______ _________________________________________________________________ 25. What 3 factors would cause location E to have the greatest annual rainfall? (ocean, mountains, latitude, elevation, inland, wind direction) Why? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 26. Which location would you expect to have the greater annual rainfall? (C or D) Why? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 27. Which location would you expect to have the greater range in temperature during the year? (A or B) Why? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28. Location A is in the center of a large desert. What 3 factors could account for its low annual precipitation? (ocean, mountains, latitude, elevation, inland, wind direction) Why? ____________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 29. What 3 factors could cause the climate in location D to be cooler than at location B? (ocean, mountains, latitude, elevation, inland, wind direction) Why? _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 30. Which city would you expect to have a climate similar to San Francisco? (A, B, C, D, E, F) Why? _______________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Page _____ Conclusion 1. The climate on the windward side of a mountain is warmer and dryer than the climate on the leeward side. T or F If false, what is your claim?____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Evidence: _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Reasoning: ________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 2. Cities near large bodies of water have more temperature variation throughout the year than cities in the center of a large landmass. T or F If false, what is your claim?____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Evidence: _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Reasoning: ________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 3. Cities at higher latitudes have lower temperatures than cities at lower latitudes. T or F If false, what is your claim?____________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Evidence: _________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Reasoning: ________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Page _____