Causes of Weather and Climate
warm and rising
A low-pressure belt means the air is _____.
differences in temperature
Any winds, like the jet stream, occur because of _____.
30%
Approximately how much of the Sun's energy is currently reflected by Earth's atmosphere?
cooler
At higher latitudes, climates become _____.
climate
Blocking atmospheric or oceanic circulation patterns could drastically change
tilted towards the sun
During summer, the Northern Hemisphere of Earth is _____.
obliquity
Earth's tilt
urban heat island effect, cooler
If you live in the city and head out to a rural town, the _____ suggests the rural area's temperature would be _____.
Oregon
If you'd like to live in a place that has more moderate summers and winters, it'd be best to pack your suitcases and head to _____.
get cooler
It's 10 o'clock at night and you're out on a boat. If you head back into the coast where a land breeze is blowing, the temperature would _____.
ocean
Like the atmosphere, the _____ transports and distributes heat on Earth, helping to regulate climate.
Milankovitch cycles plate tectonics volcanic activity
Scientists think past changes in climate have been caused by _____.
lake effect snow the urban heat island effect
Syracuse, New York, is an urban area with mostly flat terrrain. The city is near Lake Ontario, one of the Great Lakes. If you lived in Syracuse, you may have experienced _____.
subtropical
The _____ zone usually has hot deserts due to dry air and belts of high pressure.
plants, trees, grass
Things that can naturally cool an area include _____.
the Sun's rays are more concentrated near the equator
Tropical and polar climate zones are very distinct. This is because _____.
warmer
Very humid areas are usually _____ in temperature.
is moisture in the air or humidity comes from evaporation of water traps heat condenses to make clouds
Water vapor _____.
dry and hot
You live on the east (leeward) side of the Sierra Nevada mountains. What kind of climate should you expect?
Mountains
_____ can alter wind flow and create a rain shadow effect.
Solar
_____ energy powers the water cycle.
lake effect snow
downpour of snow due to an arctic air mass flowing over a warm lake
jet stream
fast moving stream of wind where cold, polar air meets warm air from the equator
humidity
moisture in the air
precession
movement of Earth's imaginary, rotating, polar axis
Milankovitch cycles
predictable variations of Earth's orbit and tilt that can affect climate
convection
process of heat transfer by the circulation or movement of a liquid or a gas
transpiration
the process of plants releasing moisture from their leaves
eccentricity
the shape of Earth's orbit about the Sun; can change from a more elliptical to a more circular path and back
urban heat island effect
the tendency of streets and buildings to absorb and retain the Sun's heat
thermohaline circulation
water that moves because of its temperature and salt content
upwellling
when wind allows cold dense water to rise from the bottom of the ocean to the surface
rain shadow effect
when wind flow over mountains produces moist conditions on the windward side of the mountains and dry conditions on the leeward side