Download Learning Objectives

Climate
I will know how to
• describe an area's climate
• Summarize the factors that control
climate and climate change
Climate
Latitude
• Describes the average weather
conditions in a region over a long
period of time
• Determined by temp and amount of
precipitation, latitude, wind patterns
landforms and ocean currents
• The distance of an area north or
south of the equator
• Solar energy
• Seasons
• Latitude determines how much
direct solar energy an area
gets (pic)
• Happen because of Earth is
tilted on its axis by about
23.5 degrees
• Tilt affects how much solar
energy a area gets
• Prevailing winds
• Winds that blow mainly
in one direction
• Caused by uneven
heating of Earth’s
surface
• Move solar energy from
one place to another
• Affect precipitation
carry water vapor from
ocean
• Topography
• Rain Shadow Effect (pic)
• Bodies of water
• Surface currents
• Affect temp and precipitation
• Mtns affect precipitation: warm
air rises, it cools, cool air
condenses, forms clouds.
Precipitation may fall
• Water absorbs and releases
heat more slowly than land
• Paths of flowing water found
near the surface of the water
• Carry warm or cool water to
different places
• Biomes
• Climate zones
• A large area with a
certain climate and types
of organisms
• Tropical, temperate, polar:
temperature range due to
latitude, geography, and
amount of precipitation
• Tropical zone
• 3 tropical biomes
• Region that surrounds the
equator and that
extends 23.5 degrees
north and south
• Receives most solar
radiation
• Rain forest, desert and
savannah
• High temps but differ in
precipitaton
• Temperate zone
• Climate between the
Tropics and the polar
zone
• Latitude receives less
solar energy then
tropics
• Biomes vary in mild
change in seasons to
severe temp
differences
• Four biomes
• Forest, grassland,
chaparral and desert
• Distinctions: distinct
seasons, plants, animals,
temp and amt of
precipitation
• Polar zone
• Zone located at the North and
South Pole and its surrounding
areas
• Coldest climates
• Winter temp below freezing
• Biomes
• Tundra, taiga
• Microclimates
• Climates small area
• Ex: alpine biome found all over
the world; high elevation
affects climate thus biomes
• Ice age
• Period during which ice
collects in high latitudes and
moves toward lower latitudes
• Melting (warmer times) and
freezing
• Other climate factors
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Plate tectonics
continental drift,
volcanic eruptions,
asteroid impact
sun’s cycle,
global warming
greenhouse effect