Chapters 6-7

Question 1

What is Weather?

Answer 1

A variety of conditions through the day.

Question 2

What is Climate?

Answer 2

Climate is the collective pattern of weather over many years.

Question 3

What is Climatology?

Answer 3

Climatology is the study of the climate and its variability.

Question 4

What is a Climatic Region?

Answer 4

Areas that share similar characteristics, mainly temperature and precipitation.

Question 5

What are the four criteria for the Koppen Climate Classification?

Answer 5

1. Monthly Mean Temp
2. Monthly Mean Precipitation
3. Mean Annual Temp
4. Limit of Vegetation Communities

Question 6

What is an Ecosystem?

Answer 6

A self regulating community formed by plants, animals, and the non-living environment.

Question 7

What is a Climograph?

Answer 7

A graph that shows mean temp and precipitation for a given area.

Question 8

What climates are Tropical (A)?

Answer 8

Rainforest (Af), Monsoon (Am), and Savanna (Aw)

Question 9

What are the characteristics of a Tropical Climate (A)?

Answer 9

All months over 64.4 degrees with water exceeding demand.

Question 10

What are the characteristics of an Arid and Semi Arid Climates? (B)?

Answer 10

All months have a moisture deficit.

Question 11

What are the classifications in Arid and Semi Arid Climates (B)?

Answer 11

BW: Less than half of moisture demand
BS: More than half of moisture demand but not enough (Steppe)
Bh: Hot, over 64.4 degrees
Bk: Cold under 64.4 degrees

Question 12

What climates are Mesothermal (C)?

Answer 12

Humid Subtropical hot-summer, Subtropical winter-dry, Marine West Coast, Mediterranean

Question 13

What classifies as a Mesothermal Climate (C)?

Answer 13

Has all seasons, does not get below 32 degrees in the winter and does not get below 50 degrees in the summer

Question 14

What climates are Microthermal (D)?

Answer 14

Humid continental-hot summer, mild summer, Subarctic cool summer, cold winter

Question 15

What are the characteristics of Microthermal Climates (D)?

Answer 15

Warmest month is over 50 degrees, coldest month is below 32 degrees, snowy

Question 16

What climates are Polar (E)?

Answer 16

Tundra, Ice cap, Ice sheet

Question 17

What are the characteristics of Polar Climates (E)?

Answer 17

The warmest month is below 50 degrees

Question 18

What are the characteristics of Highland Climates (H)?

Answer 18

Elevational Controlled

Question 19

What percentage of living things is water?

Answer 19

70%

Question 20

What is the Hydrologic Cycle?

Answer 20

Circulating and transformation of water

Question 21

What is transpiration?

Answer 21

Plants release water from pores called stomata in their leaves.

Question 22

What is evaporation?

Answer 22

Net movement of free water molecules away from a wet surface into unsaturated air.

Question 23

What is Evapotranspiration?

Answer 23

How 14% of Earth’s water enters the atmosphere

Question 24

What is Infiltration?

Answer 24

When water soaks into the subsurface of soil

Question 25

What is Percolation?

Answer 25

After infiltration, water moves down into the soil or rock. The slow passage of water through a porous substance.

Question 26

What is Base Flow?

Answer 26

The portion of streamflow that consists of groundwater

Question 27

What is Gravitational Water?

Answer 27

When there is too much water, it percolates rapidly downwards through the pore spaces to deeper groundwater.

Question 28

What is Capillary Water?

Answer 28

Water is held in the soil by bonding with hydrogen.

Question 29

What is Hygroscopic Water?

Answer 29

Water is bound too tight to hydrogen.

Question 30

What is saturation?

Answer 30

When there is too much water for plants to get oxygen

Question 31

What is field capacity?

Answer 31

After excess water drains from the soil, the remaining water is available for plants

Question 32

What is the wilting point?

Answer 32

When the only water in the soil is unavailable for plants

Question 33

What is an Aquaphor?

Answer 33

Large amounts of fresh ground water

Question 34

What are characteristics of Effluent Conditions?

Answer 34

The water table is higher than the stream channel, water flows out from the surrounding ground into the stream

Question 35

What are characteristics of Influent Conditions?

Answer 35

The water table is lower than the stream channel, the stream's water flows into groundwater