Chapter 2 Gateway 1: Weather and climate Flashcards

1
Q

What is weather?

A

Weather is the immediate condition of the atmosphere at a particular place and time

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2
Q

What are the elements of weather?

A
  1. Wind
  2. Clouds
  3. Air pressure
  4. Temperature
  5. Relative humidity
  6. Rainfall
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3
Q

What is climate?

A

Climate is the average condition of the atmosphere of an area over a long period of time

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4
Q

What is temperature? What is considered high and low? How to measure it?

A

The degree of hotness or coldness of a place

High temp > 20
Low temp < 10

Analogue
Digital thermometer

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5
Q

Mean daily temperature

A

Sum of hourly temperatures / 24

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6
Q

Diurnal temperature range

A

Max daily temp - min daily temp

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7
Q

Mean monthly temperature

A

Sum of mean daily temperatures in the month / number of days in the month

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8
Q

Mean annual temperature

A

Sum of mean monthly temperatures in the year / 12

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9
Q

Annual temperature range

A

Max mean monthly temp - min mean monthly temp

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10
Q

Factors affecting temperature

A

Cloud cover
Latitude
Altitude
Distance from sea

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11
Q

What is latitude and description

A

The distance of any point of the earth measured north or south from the equator

Most important factor affecting temperature

The temperature differs between places at lower latitudes and higher latitudes because the sun’s rays strike various parts of the world at different angles

Singapore is located at 1 degree north and experiences a mean annual temperature of 27 degrees celcius
Russia is located at 60 degrees north and experiences a mean annual temperature of 6 degrees celcius

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12
Q

What is altitude and description

A

The height of a place in relation to the sea level

Temperature decrease by 6.5 degree celcius when altitude increase by 1000m (generally)

Air pressure decreases as altitude increased

Peak of mount everest at 8848m above sea level: -20 degrees celcius to -35 degrees celcius
Foot of mount everest at 1400m above sea level: 16 degrees celcius

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13
Q

What is longwave and shortwave radiation?

A

Longwave
Land to sun
Shortwave
Sun to land

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14
Q

What is the maritime effect? Summer + Winter

A

The effect that large ocean bodies have on the climate of coastal areas

SUMMER
Land: Air heats up quickly
Sea: Air gains heat slowly
WINTER
Land: Air loses heat quickly
Sea: Air loses heat slowly

Anchorage, Alaska, USA: annual temperature ranges from -9 degree celcius to 14 degree celcius

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15
Q

What is the continental effect? Summer + Winter

A

The effect that continental surfaces have on the climate of inland areas

SUMMER
Land: Air heats up quickly
WINTER
Land: Air loses heat quickly

Fairbanks, Alaska, USA: annual temperature ranges from -24 degree celcius to 17 degree celcius

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16
Q

What is cloud cover?

A

The extent of the sky that is covered by clouds

The amount of cloud cover influences the temperature on the earths surface in the day and in the night

More cloud cover results in a smaller difference between day and night temperatures, leading to a smaller diurnal temperature range

17
Q

What is relative humidity? + Formula, relationship and saturation

A

The ratio between the actual amount of water vapour present in a mass of air and the maximum amount of water vapour the air could hold at a given temperature
FORMULA
Actual amount of water vapour in the air (g/m^3) /
Maximum amount of water vapour the air could hold (g/m^3) X 100%
RELATIONSHIP
Relative humidity decreases as temperature increases
SATURATION
Occurs when relative humidity is at 100 per cent, also known as dew point temperature

18
Q

What is a cloud, condensation nuclei, coalescence, wet bulb temperature and relationship

A

A visible mass of water droplets or ice crystals that are suspended in the atmosphere from the condensation of water vapour

Tiny particles

The process where water droplets in the air will merge and become larger

The difference between the dry and the wet

Lower the humidity —> lower the web bulb temperature

19
Q

What is rainfall((definition,air instability,high,low,precipitation)(def,exp,measure))

A

The result of air instability

The tendency of a parcel of air that rise rather than remain in its original position

> 1500mm
<250mm

Water in any form that falls from the atmosphere to the surface of the earth

Hail, snow, sleet, rain
Rain gauge (mm)

20
Q

What is convection rain?(definition,process)

A

Occurs when the earth’s surface is heated intensely

  1. The sun’s energy reaches the earth’s surface
  2. The earth’s surface is heated up the sun’s energy. This in turn heats up the surrounding air
  3. Air expands and rises
  4. As the air rises, it cools. Air reaches dew point temperature and condensation occurs
  5. Cumulonimbus clouds are often formed
  6. When water droplets become large and heavy enough, they fall to the ground as rain
21
Q

What is relief rain?(definition,process)

A

Occurs when the warm, moist air is forced to rise over landforms such as a mountain range

  1. Warm, moist air from the sea is forced to rise
  2. As air cools, it rises. When dew point temperature is reached, condensation occurs and clouds form. When the water droplets are large and heavy enough, rain falls
  3. By the time the air moves to the leeward side, the air is dry and no rain falls
22
Q

What is air pressure?(definition,measurement,high/low,isobars)

A

The forces exerted on an unit area of the earth’s surface by the weight of a column of air above it

Barometer (millibars)

High > Above sea level value
Low < Below sea level value

Lines joining places of equal air pressure

23
Q

What is wind?(definition,area,pressure gradient,describe)

A

The movement of air

Air moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

The different between the air pressure between the two locations
Higher pressure - lower pressure

Speed, direction and frequncy

24
Q

What is wind speed?(definition,measurement)

A

The rate at which the air is moving

Anemometer (km/h)

25
Q

What is wind direction?(definition,measurement)

A

Direction from which the wind blows

Wind rose

26
Q

What is wind frequency?

A

The percentage of time the wind blows from a particular direction

27
Q

What is prevailing winds?

A

Winds that blow most frequently from a specific direction

28
Q

Wind systems

A
  1. Land and sea breezes
  2. Monsoon winds
29
Q

Land and sea breezes

A

Local winds that occur in coastal areas

Lower the temperature of coastal areas during the day and regulate the temperature during the night, leading to a smaller diurnal temperature range in these areas

LAND BREEZE
Wind that blows from the land to the sea
It is formed by differences in air pressure due to the different rates at which land and water bodies cool
formation..
1: Air expands and rises, lowering air pressure over the sea
2. Air cools and sinks
3. Air moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure as a land breeze

SEA BREEZE
Wind that blows from the sea to the land
It is formed by differences in air pressure due to the different rates at which land and water bodies heat up
formation..
1. Air over the land surface heats up. Warm air expands and rises, lowering air pressure over the land
2. Air cools and sinks
3. Air moves from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure as a sea breeze

30
Q

Monsoon winds

A

Regional wind patterns that reverse direction seasonally

This brings seasonal changes in precipitation

Monsoon winds and other winds are affected by the Coriolis effect, which is a force produced by the earths rotation

The Coriolis effect causes the bending or deflection of winds

Strongest in poles, weak in tropics, no effect on equator

Northern hemisphere, wind deflects to the right

Southern hemisphere, wind deflects to the left

31
Q

Climate types

A
  1. Equatorial climate
  2. Monsoon climate
  3. Cool temperate climate
32
Q

Equatorial climate

A

Located between 10 degrees north and south of the equator

Singapore

Characterised by high temperatures because of the high solar angle

High mean annual temperatures of 27 degrees and small annual temperature range of 2 degrees

33
Q

Monsoon climate

A

Located between 5 degrees and 25 degrees north and south of the equator

Mumbai, India

Characterised by high mean annual temperatures but lower than equatorial climate

Mean monthly temperature:
Before rainy seasons 28 degrees
During rainy seasons 26 degrees

Small annual temperature range of 3 to 4 degrees

34
Q

Cool temperate climate

A

Located near coastal areas found between 40 degrees and 60 degrees north and south of the equator

London

Characterised by four distinct seasons, spring, summer, autumn and winter due to the tilt of the earth and its revolution around the sun

Large annual temperature range of 21 degrees ranging between -3 degrees and 18 degrees

35
Q

Northeast monsoon and southwest monsoon

A

NORTHEAST MONSOON
NEOF
october to february
SOUTHWEST MONSOON
SWJS
june to september