Geography Ch. 2
Differentiate between the 4 spheres
A= Air/natural gases L= Solid crust of planet H= All Earth's water B= All life forms on Earth
doldrums
An area along the equator with no prevailing winds.
Humid continental climate
Found in interiors and east coasts of upper middel latitde continents. Hot humid summers and mild humid winters, precip year tound in paths of hurricanes and typhoons. Average of 40 inches of rain annually. Can support forests.
Humid subtropical climate
Found on eastern side of continents where there are warm ocean currents. Summers are hot and humid. Winters are mild, with occasional frost and some snow. Huuricanes or typhoons are common. Plant life are temperate forests including deciduous and coniferous forests
Convection
Transfer of heat energy
fronts
Two air masses of widely different temperatures or moisture levels meet. Precipitation often occurs along these fronts.
Monsoon
Winds completely reverse direction and cause seasons of wet and dry weather as in India
Prevailing Winds
Winds that blow from the same direction most of the time.
4 of Earth's Spheres
...!. atmoshpere 2. lithosphere 3. hydrosphere 4. biosphere
Impact of Sun and Moon on Earth's tides
...Mood tides: The Earth and moon are attracted to eachother like magnets. The moon tries to pull at anything on the earth to bring it closer. The Earth can hold on to everything except the water, so the moon is able to pull at it to create tides. The sun also exerts gravitational forces on the Earth to create tides.
Marine west coast climate
.Found on west coasts of continents in the upper middle latitudes. (Northwestern Europe) Temps are mild all year. Storms in westerlies bring most of rainfall. Winters are foggy, cloudy and rainy. Summers are warm and sunny. The rainy weather supports dense coniferous forests called temperate rain forests.
Interaction between the Sun and Earth in the solar system
.The sun is atracted to the Earth through gravity.
Gravitational Forces
.the force of attraction between all masses in the universe. The moon's gravitational pull has more of an impact on Earth than Sun proximity
Tropical Humid climate
1. Close to equator 2. Always warm temps...gets Sun's direct rays all year 3. Continuous rising of warm, unstable air brings daily thunderstorms and heavy rain.
What would happen if the Earth didn't rotate?
1. Earthquakes 2. Water would shift to poles/air/atmosphere 3. Samll habital zone 4. One half would be dark and cold. The other half would be very hot.
Types of Prevailing Winds
1. Trade Winds: Blow from northeast and southeast toward the equator. Flow from subtropical highs toward equatorial lows. 2. Westerlies: flow from the west, from the subtropical highs toward the suppolar lows 3. Polar Winds: come mainly from east, high latitudes. Strong winds that blow from Arctic and Antarctic areas into the middle latitudes.
Tilt of the Earth's Axis
23.5 degrees from the perpendicular. The North Pole points to a star known as the North Star.
Change in Earth's Seasons
Days between the solstices and equinoxes gradually become warmer or cooler, and daytime becomes longer or shorter, depending on where you live. This cycle is repeated each year, creating the four seasons.
Revolution of the Earth
Earth revolving around the sun every 365 1/4 days. Every 4 years=Feb. 29th is leap year.
Explain how the sun's energy is kept within the earth's atmosphere
Earth's atmosphere traps heat energy. www.epa.gov greenhouse-effect.htm
Green House Effect
Earth's atmosphere traps heat energy. Like the clear glass of a greenhouse, the atmosphere allows much sunlight to pass through. Earth's air then slows the rate at which the hear escapes into space. The greenhouse effect helps keep the planet warm.
highland climate
Found in high mountain regions. Varying climates partly due to temp. changes with elevation, Also, prevailing wind patterns can affect rainfall on windward and leeward sides of the mountains.
deciduous forests
Lose their leaves during part of the year.
temperature
Measurement of heat
orthographic effect
Moist air pushes against a mountain. The barrier forces the air to rise. The rising air cools and condenses, forming clouds and causing precipitation. As a result, the side of the mountain facing the wind receives a great deal of moisture. This side is known as the windward side. Every 1,00 ft. in elevation = - 3.5 degrees F
Rotation of the Earth
One complete spin of Earth on its axis. Rotates west to east. 24 hours=full spin
condensation
Process by which vapor turns from a gas into liquid droplets. You can see condensation as clouds, dew, fog or frost. If the water droplets become large enough, they will fall as precipitation in one of four forms: rain, snow, sleet and hail.
Evaporation
Process by which water changes from a liquid to a gas. Most water vapor that becomes rain is evaporated from the oceans.
Difference between Solstice and Equinox
Solstice: Twice during the year is the time when the Earth's poles point at their greatest angle toward or away from the Sun. December 21st: The sun's most direct rays strike along a parallel 23 1/2 degrees south of the equator: Tropic of Capricorn. South Pole has 24 hours of daylight. North Pole has constant darkness and cold. June 21st: The sun's most direct rays strike along a parallel 23 1/2 degrees north of the equator: Tropic of Cancer. North Pole has daylight for 24 hours, South Pole has darkness for 24 hours. Equinox: Twice during the year when Earth's poles are not pointed toward or away from the Sun. At this time, the direct rays of the sun strike the equator and both poles are at a 90 degree angle from the Sun. both hemispheres receive an equal amount of sunlight-12 hours each . Occur on about March 21st and September 22nd. March: In the Northern Hemisphere, marks the beginning of spring. In the Southern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of fall. In September: the opposite.
Difference between a Neap Tide and a Spring Tide
Spring Tides are very high tides because the sun, moon and Earth are aligned and this causes the gravitational pulls of the sun and moon on the Earth to be greatly multiplied. Occurs during full and new moons. Neap Tides: The sun and moon are at right angles together and the gravitational pulls partially cancel each other. The result is a very weak tide. Occurs during quarter moons.
Humidity
The amount of water vapor in the air. The higher the temperature, the more water vapor the air can hold.
Rain Shadows
The drier area of the leeward side of a mountain. Deserts are often located in rain shadows.
Why some parts of the globe receive more light than others? Impact on Tropic and Polar regions?
The earth's tilt affects the amount of solar energy that different places receive during the year. When the North Pole points toward the Sun, direct rays strike the North Polar regions. The temperature is warmer in the Northern Hemisphere and cooler in the Southern Hemisphere. When the North pole tilts away from the sun, the most direct rays strike the Southern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere has warmer temperatures and the Northern Hemisphere has cooler temperatures.
Illustrate the Hydrologic Cycle
The movement of water through the hydrosphere : Evaporation-Condensation-Precipitation
Leeward side of a mountain
The side of the mountain facing away from the wind. As the air moves down the leeward side, it warms and dries.
Windward side of a mountain
The side of the mountain facing the wind that receives a great deal of moisture.
tundra climate
coastal areas in high latitudes. cold all year; very long cold winters and very short cool summers. Low preciptation. Some places have permanently frozen soil called permafrost. Vegetation is made up of lichens, mosses, herbs andlow shrubs. Trees cannot grow. In the short summer, area bursts into flower.
weather
condition of the atmosphere at a given time
jet streams
current of fast moving air found in the upper levels of the atmosphere.
Mediterranean climate
exists mainly in two kinds of areas: 1. coastal area of southern Europe. 2. The west coasts of continents with cool ocean currents. Usually dry, warm summers and mild wetter winters. Plant life includes shrubs with a few large trees.
ice cap climate
found in Earth's polar regions. Freezing cold; snow and ice year round. low precipitation. Few land plants and animals can survive. Hardy plant life might grow on exposed rocks. Many birds, fish and marine mammals live there along with polar bears.
Arid climate
located about 30 degrees north and south of the equator. Less than 10 inches of rain per year due to subtropical high pressure, because they are far from moisture bearing winds, or because cool ocean currents create highly stable atmospheric conditions. Plants and animals are hardy. Plants are small and flower only after a rare rainfall. Soil is thin and rocky. Desert regions.
subarctic climate
located about 50 degrees north latitude. Extremes of temps: long cold winters and short mild summers, low precipitation.. supports evergreen forests called boreal forests.
Tropical Wet and Dry Climate
located just to north and south of equator. Wet and dry according to where the sun's rays strike.
ocean currents
more or less permanent or continuous movement of ocean water driven by tides, winds or differences in water density.
Solar System
the sun and the group of bodies that revolve around it. 8 planets. Milky Way is our galaxy of stars. Solar system is 4.5 billion years old. Universe is 10-20 billion years old.
Semiarid climate
transition zone between arid and more humid climates. generally borders deserts and interiors of large continents. Receive more moisture than deserts, but less than more humid areas..about 10-20 inches a year. Grasses make up much of plant life
coniferous forests
trees remain green all year
Cold cyclonic air
yields high pressure
Hot rising air
yields low pressure
