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