Climate Regulation and Change

obliquity

Earth's tilt

_____ can alter wind flow and create a rain shadow effect.

Mountains

Which of the following could drastically change climate? Select all that apply.

Volcanic Activity Atmospheric or Oceanic circulation patters Plate tectonics

At higher latitudes, climates become _____.

cooler

The seasons by the ocean are _____ than inland areas.

less extreme

precession

movement of Earth's imaginary, rotating, polar axis

Like the atmosphere, the _____ transports and distributes heat on Earth, helping to regulate climate.

ocean

Milankovitch cycles

predictable variations of Earth's orbit and tilt that can affect climate

eccentricity

the shape of Earth's orbit about the Sun; can change from a more elliptical to a more circular path and back

Scientists think past changes in climate have been caused by _____.

volcanic activity plate tectonics Milankovitch cycles

thermohaline circulation

water that moves because of its temperature and salt content

upwelling

when wind allows cold dense water to rise from the bottom of the ocean to the surface