Climate Flashcards
(38 cards)
What are climate factors?
Conditions that affect the climate characteristics of a particular location.
List the six major natural climate factors.
- Air masses and winds
- Latitude
- Ocean currents
- Elevation
- Relief
- Bodies of water
What type of climate factors affect all parts of Earth?
Global factors.
What type of climate factors influence only small parts of Earth?
Local factors.
How do winds and air masses affect the climate?
They help move energy around the planet.
What is the zone near the equator like?
The zone near the equator is hot. Here, as the air warms and rises, cooler air moves in beneath it.
What are movements of air along Earth’s surface called?
Movements of air along Earth’s surface are called winds.
What causes the winds to veer sideways?
Earth spins on its axis from west to east, causing the winds to veer sideways.
How do winds appear to move in the northern hemisphere?
In the northern hemisphere, the winds appear to move to the right.
How do winds appear to move in the southern hemisphere?
In the southern hemisphere, the winds appear to move to the left.
Why are the world’s wind systems complex?
The world’s wind systems are complex due to the uneven distribution of land and water and the Earth’s rotation.
What is the prevailing wind?
The wind that blows most commonly in an area is the prevailing wind.
What are the prevailing winds in most of Canada?
For most of Canada, the prevailing winds are from the west and are called the prevailing westerlies.
What are trade winds?
Trade winds are winds that blow steadily toward the equator from the northeast in the northern hemisphere or the southeast in the southern hemisphere, especially at sea.
What does the term relief refer to in geography?
Relief describes the difference in height between the highest point and the lowest point in an area.
What is the difference between high relief and low relief?
Mountainous areas have high relief (large differences), while plains have low relief (small differences).
How does relief affect precipitation?
Places of high relief can have a big impact on precipitation.
What is relief precipitation?
Relief precipitation occurs when moist air rises due to mountains, cools, and condenses, resulting in rainfall.
What is the difference in precipitation between the windward and leeward sides of a mountain?
The windward side receives more rain than the drier leeward side.
What does the term relief refer to in geography?
Relief describes the difference in height between the highest point and the lowest point in an area.
What is the difference between high relief and low relief?
Mountainous areas have high relief (large differences), while plains have low relief (small differences).
How does relief affect precipitation?
Places of high relief can have a big impact on precipitation.
What is relief precipitation?
Relief precipitation occurs when moist air rises due to mountains, cools, and condenses, resulting in rainfall.
