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Climate Chapter 1 Section 1
What is Climate
Topics
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Notes, Diagrams, Drawings
Climate
Climate is the average weather conditions in an area over
a long period of time.
Latitude
Latitude is the distance north or south, measured in
degrees, from the equator.
How does Latitude Latitude determines the amount of solar energy a particular
affect Climate?
area receives. Influences a Climate’s Temperature
Seasons and
Latitude
Due to the Earth’s tilted axis at 23.5o, during the winter the
northern hemisphere is titled away from the sun resulting in
cooler temperatures, during the summer the the northern
hemisphere is tilted towards the sun resulting in warmer
temperatures.
Prevailing Winds
Winds that blow mainly from one direction, influence a
climate’s moisture and temperature. Winds that form and
blow from water carry moist air. Winds that form and blow
over land carry dry air.
Geography
Mountains can affect the climate by influencing the
temperature and precipitation. Elevation on mountains
result in lower temperatures regardless of latitude.
Mountains block the prevailing winds from blowing across
a continent, changing the amount of moisture the wind
carries.
Ocean Currents
Surface currents are streamline movements at or near the
surface of the ocean carrying either warm or cold water.
How do Ocean
Surface currents carry warm or cool water to different
Currents affect
locations. The surface temperature of the water affects the
climates of different temperature of the air above it.
locations?
Section 1 Review:
1.What is the
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at particular
difference between time and place. Climate is the average weather conditions
weather and
in a certain area over a long period of time.
climate?
2. How do
Mountains affect
Climate?
Mountains can influence an area’s temperature and
precipitation. Temperature os affected by elevation. The
windward side of a mountain receives much more
precipitation than the rain-shadow side.
3. Describe how air
temperature is
affected by ocean
surface currents.
The surface temperature of water affects the temperature
of the air above it. As surface currents move, they carry
warm or cool water to different locations. This changes the
temperature of the air in the area.
4.How would
If the Earth did not tilt on its axis, there would be no
seasons be
seasons. The same amount of solar radiation would reach
different if the Earth the Earth year-round.
did not tilt on its
axis?
5. Why are the
poles colder than
the equator?
At the poles, the sun’s rays strike the Earth’s surface at a
less direct angle than at the equator; the same amount t of
solar energy is spread over a larger area.
6. Is precipitation
Warm Air
more likely to occur
when the prevailing
winds are formed
from warm air or
when they are
formed from cold
air?
The gulf stream brings warm water to the ocean around
7. Why are
Iceland. This warm water heats the air, making
temperatures
temperatures milder.
milder in Iceland
than in Greenland?
from water