What is Climate (17-1)/Climate types (17-2)
Polar Zones
(66 degrees north and 66 degrees south to the poles) sun shines at a low angle, keeping temperatures low
Tropics
(between 23 degrees north and 23 degrees south) sun shines directly overhead, keeping temperatures high
Temperate Zones
(between the tropics and the polar zones) moderate temperatures (Most of the US)
Warm
____ currents begin near the equator and flow toward higher latitude, warming the land
cities
___________ are made up of streets, parking lots, and buildings, and in turn heat the air
Mountains
_____________ cause air to rise, cool, and condense, creating a wetter climate on the windward side of the mountain and a much drier climate on the leeward side
stem
a cactus's thick, fleshy ________ helps it hold water
hibernation
a period of greatly reduced activity during cold months
Large bodies of water
affect climate of coastal areas by absorbing or giving off heat
Leeward side (rain shadow)
air descends, heats up, and dries the land; the side of the mountain with a drier climate
heat-island effect
air pollution and greenhouse gasses trap heat, create this effect
Windward side (rain shadow)
air rises, cools, and drops its moisture; the side of the mountain with a wetter climate
Adaptation
any structure of behavior that helps an organism survive in its enviornment
structural adaptations
body structures that help organisms survive in certain climates (inherited)
Ocean Currents
can bring cool or warm temperatures and moisture to coastal areas
mountain climates
colder than sea level climates
currents
cool off and flow back toward the equator, cooling the air and nearby land
Climate
determines the types of plants or animals that can survive, and influences how people live
Latitude
distance north or south of the equator
Temperature/precipitation/air pressure/ humidity/days of sunshine
elements that are averaged to determine climate
Koppen's System
examines temperature, precipitation and plant types
cities
have higher temperatures than surrounding areas because of the large areas of solar radiation-absorbing pavement
coastal areas
have wetter climates than places further inland because of ocean currents
behavioral adaptations
help organisms survive in a particular climate
behavioral adaptations
hibernation and estivation
warmer/cooler
many coastal regions are ______ in winter and ______in the summer
latitude
most fundamental factor that affects climate
Water
needs more heat than land to reach a given temp.
Koppen
observed that the plant types found in a region depended on the climate of the area
climatologists
people who study climate; usually use a system developed in 1918 by Wladimir Koppen to classify climates
Tropics
receive the most solar radiation because the sun shines almost directly over these areas.
Tropical, mild, dry, continental, polar and high elevation
six types of climate
estivation
state of being inactive, similar to hibernation, that occurs during periods of intense heat.
5
temps in the city are ______ degrees C higher than in surrounding rural areas
fur
the _____ of mammals insulates them from cold temperatures
Colder
At the same latitude, the climate on a mountain is ______ than the climate at sea level
Koppen's System
System of climate classification
Climate
the pattern of weather that occurs in an area over many years
mountain air
very thin, and has fewer molecules to absorb heat
