Chapter 6

ecosystem

A community of biological organisms plus the non-living components with which the organisms interact.

polar front boundary

At about 60 degrees latitude, the polar easterlies meet the prevailing westerlies, at a boundary called the polar front. Here, the dense polar air forces the warmer westerly air upward. Some warmer air flows toward the poles, and some flows back toward the 30 degree latitude line.

polar front boundary

At about 60 degrees latitude, the polar easterlies meet the prevailing westerlies, at a boundary called the polar front. Here,the dense polar air forces the warmer westerly air upward. Some warmer air flows toward the poles, and some flows back toward the 30 degree latitude line.

convection cells

Due to Earth's rotation, rising warm air from the equator doesn't make it all the way to the poles. - large wind patterns in Earth's atmosphere caused by convection.

convection cells

Due to Earth's rotation, rising warm air from the equator doesn't make it all the way to the poles. - large wind patterns in Earth's atmosphere caused by convection.

sea breeze

During the daytime, the land heats up faster than the ocean. Rising warm air over the land creates a low-pressure area. Eventually the rising air moves out over the sea, cools, and sinks toward the seasurface. The cooling, sinking air mass creates a high-pressure area. Air flows from high- to low-pressure areas.

sea breeze

During the daytime, the land heats up faster than the ocean. rising warm air over the land creates a low-pressure area. Eventually the rising air moves out over the sea, cools, and sinks toward the sea surface. The cooling, sinking air mass creates a high-pressure area.Air flows from high- to low-pressure areas. So, during daytime hours, there is a cool sea breeze from sea to land.

Land Breeze Circulation

During the evening hours, a land breeze occurs because the ground cools rapidly during this time but the ocean remains warm. At night, warm air rises over the sea, creating a low-pressure area.The air sinks over the land creating a high-pressure area. The breeze then flows from land to sea.

Land breeze circulation

During the evening hours, a land breeze occurs because the ground cools rapidly during this time but the ocean remains warm. At night, warm air rises over the sea, creating a low-pressure area.The air sinks over the land creating a high-pressure area. The breeze then flows from land to sea.

The average yearly temperature at the equator is 27 °C (80 °F), while at the North Pole it is -18 °C (0 °F). Generally, as latitude (or distance from the equator) increases, the amount of incoming solar radiation decreases.

How does solar radiation affect the latitude's temperature?

In cities near water the temperature warms up and cools down slowly, because of its higher specific heat. In contrast, land warms up and cools down quickly because of its lower specific heat. Therefore, regions near water do not have extremely hot or cold weather unlike regions far from water.

How does water help regulate temperature?

1. latitude 2. precipitation 3. elevation 4. topography 5. distance from large bodies of water.

List five factors that affect the climate

Grasslands

Occur where annual rainfall is greater than 25 cm, but generally insufficient to support trees. These biomes include Temperate _____ and Tropical ______.They are well adapted to changing environment. Temperate _____ have cold winters and hot, dry summers. Tropical ______ have a cool dry season and a hot rainy season. What biome is this?

Explain the origin of the polar easterly winds.

Polar easterlies are so named because they come from polar regions and blow from the east.

communities

Populations of a different species living in the same ecosystem interacting with each other

Explain the origin of prevailing westerly winds.

Prevailing westerlies are so named because they blow from the west.

the ratio of water vapor contained in a specific volume of air compared with how much water vapor that amount of air can actually hold

Relative Humidity

Why are the winds after the direction from which they come from?

That means that a west wind blows from the west, for example.

Explain: Winds are described by the direction from which they originate.

That means that a west wind blows from the west,for example.

humidity

The amount of water vapor in a given volume of air

Humidity

The amount of water vapor in a given volume of air.

Why do convection air currents near coastline's occur (land breezes and sea breezes)?

The breezes occur because water has a higher specific heat than land. This causes the water to warm and cool more slowly than the land.

Tundra

The ground freezes because its winters are so cold, permafrost (deeper soil) remains year-round. The word _____ comes from a Finnish word for "treeless land." There are two types of these biomes—Arctic _____, found in a band around the Arctic Ocean, and alpine _____, found high in mid-latitude mountains. What biome is this?

elevation

The height or distance of an object or area from sea level. The range of biomes that exist on Earth from the equator to the poles also exists if one goes from the bottom of a mountain to the top of a mountain.

Relative Humidity

The ratio of water vapor contained in a specific volume of air compared with how much water vapor that amount of air can actually hold

water vapor

The result of liquid water evaporating.

Explain how temperature changes cause convection in Earth's atmosphere

The temperature of air determines whether it rises or sinks. The Sun warms Earth's surface. As air near the surface is warmed, it expands and becomes less dense. The less-dense air rises. Eventually the warm, less-dense air that rose from the surface cools.

Explain how temperature changes cause convection in the Earth's atmosphere?

The temperature of air determines whether it rises or sinks. The Sun warms Earth's surface. As air near the surface is warmed, it expands and becomes less dense. The less-dense air rises. Eventually the warm, less-dense air that rose from the surface cools.

biodiversity

The variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem.

Temperate Deciduous Forest

These biomes are found in middle-latitude regions, where there are four distinct seasons. In the fall the leaves will fall off of the trees. The following spring they will emerge again. What biome is this?

Tropical Rainforests

They are located near the equator. The weather is humid, high temperatures, and rain falls every day. The soil is poor due to high temps and rainfall. This biome has the greatest biodiversity, which includes, evergreen angiosperms, monkey, birds, insects, snakes, bats and frogs. What biome is this?

Deserts

This biome has less than 300mm rainfall every year. Well adapted plants & animals live here. Most of these biomes are found around the latitudes of 30° N and 30° S. They have large variations in daily high and low temperatures. What biome is this?

Taiga

This biome is the largest biome. This biome can be found between the latitudes of 50° N and 70° N in North America, Europe, and Asia. The average temperature in this biome is below freezing for at least six months of the year. What biome is this?

Explain how the earth's rotation also changes the direction of airflow

This causes the path of the wind to be curved as it moves between the poles and the equator. In the northern hemisphere, winds bend to the right and move clockwise around a high pressure center (H). In the southern hemisphere, winds bend to the left and move counterclockwise around a high pressure center (H).

Explain how the earth's rotation also changes the direction of airflow.

This causes the path of the wind to be curved as it moves between the poles and the equator. In the northern hemisphere, winds bend to the right and move clockwise around a high pressure center (H). In the southern hemisphere, winds bend to the left and move counterclockwise around a high pressure center (H).

What is the origin of the name: Trade winds

Trade winds are named after trade routes used by sailing merchants.

Savannas

Tropical Grasslands are also known as what?

How much water vapor can air hold?

Warm air is like a big sponge that can contain a lot of water vapor. Cold air is like a small sponge that can contain less water vapor.

How much water vapor can air hold?

Warm air is like a big sponge that can contain a lot of water vapor. Cold air is like a small sponge that can contain less water vapor.

Global convection

Warm, less-dense air atthe equator tends to rise and flow toward the poles. Then, cooler, denser air from the poles sinks and flows back toward the equator.

Water vapor

Water vapor in the air is the result of liquid water evaporating

1. tropical grasslands or Savannas 2. temperate grasslands

What are the 2 types of grasslands?

adaptions

What do the plants and animals in the environment have that allow them to obtain enough resources (such as food, water, or sunlight) to survive?

They increase

What happens to the equator, humidity, and the biodiversity of plants and animal, as you get closer to the equator?

Earth is hottest near the equator where the Sun is closest to being directly overhead year round. At the north and south poles, temperatures are much colder. This effect is related to the fact that light travels in straight parallel lines.

What is the difference between sunlight at the equator vs. sunlight at the poles?

Specific heat

What property of water helps regulate Earth's temperature?

Explain how pressure changes cause convection in Earth's Atmosphere.

When warm air rises from Earth's surface, an area of low atmospheric pressure is created. This lower-pressure area draws in air from surrounding higher-pressure areas. Eventually the warm air that rose from the surface cools and becomes denser. This dense, cool air sinks back to the surface causing an area of high atmospheric pressure.

Explain how pressure changes cause convection in Earth's Atmosphere?

When warm air rises from Earth's surface, an area of low atmospheric pressure is created. This lower-pressure area draws in air from surrounding higher-pressure areas. Eventually the warm air that rose from the surface cools and becomes denser. This dense, cool air sinks back to the surface causing an area of high atmospheric pressure.

Temperate grasslands are in the mid-latitudes and receive most of their precipitation in the spring and summer.

Where do Temperate Grasslands occur and when do the receive their precipitation?

Where there is not enough rainfall to create a rainforest.

Where do Tropical Grasslands, Savannas, occur?

air mass

a large body of air with consistent temperature and moisture content throughout.

biome

a major climate region with particular plants and animals.

thermal

a small, upward flow of warm air.

its relative humidity is 100%

air is saturated when

Why are prevailing westerly winds named Prevailing Winds?

because they blow from the west.

Why are polar easterly winds named polar easterly winds?

because they come from polar regions and that blow from the east.

Why are trade winds named trade winds?

because trade routes are used by sailing merchants.

air is saturated when

its relative humidity is 100%

specific heat

the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1 degree C

specific heat

the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1g of a substance by 1 degree C.

Coriolis effect

the bending of currents of air or water due to Earth's rotation.

Global Convection

the bending of currents of air or water due to Earth's rotation.

weather

the condition of the atmosphere as it is affected by temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, and water.

wind

the horizontal movement of air that occurs as a result of pressure differences between two air masses.

climate

the long-term record of weather patterns and includes the temperature, precipitation, and wind for a region.