Climate - Exam Questions Flashcards
Explain how high atmospheric pressure influences the climate of hot deserts (3)
Ideas such as:
Air is descending [1]
It heats up/does not cool [1]
Condensation does not occur/clouds do not form [1]
Precipitation is low/does not occur/drier/only has e.g. 250 mm per annum [1]
Explain why temperatures are high in areas of equatorial and hot desert climate (2)
ideas such as:
Low latitudes/close to Equator/between tropics/tropical areas [1]
Sun is overhead/direct/concentrated sunlight/high angle of sun [1]
High insolation [1]
Many deserts are inland explain why this results in low amounts of rainfall (3)
Ideas such as:
Long way from source of moisture/from sea/no water to be evaporated/no water source [1]
Prevailing winds blow over large areas of land [1]
Winds are dry when they reach the desert/rain falls before the winds reach the desert [1]
They may be in areas of rain shadow [1]
In this answer it is important to focus on why inland areas are dry rather than why desert areas overall are dry
Explain why tropical rainforests has an average of over 2000mm of rainfall per year (4)
Ideas such as:
There are large amounts of water sources/rivers/swamps [1]
Low pressure [1]
Overhead sun/direct sunlight [1]
It’s hot/temperatures are high/heat water [1]
Large amounts of evaporation [1]
Large amounts of transpiration [1]
Air/water vapour rises/convection [1]
Condensation occurs/clouds form/build up/droplets form [1]
Saturation/clouds cannot hold any more water [1]
Repeated everyday/daily pattern/no seasons/all year round [1]
Explain why there are hot desert climates in some areas close to the Tropics of Cancer and Capricorn (5)
Any five from ideas such as:
Overhead sun/high angle of sun/only a small area to heat up/sun’s rays are
More concentrated [1]
High air pressure [1]
Descending air [1]
Air heats as it descends [1]
Therefore no condensation [1]
Little or no surface water [1]
Little or no evaporation [1]
Little or no transpiration/evapotranspiration [1]
Wind direction over large areas of land/trade winds [1]
Rain shadow effect [1]
Cold ocean currents [1]
Distant from sea/landlocked [1]
Explain why the equatorial climate is hot and wet (4)
Close to equator/in tropics [1]
Overhead/direct/high angle of sun [1]
Low pressure [1]
Ascending/rising air [1]
Cooling/condensation/saturation [1]
Large amounts of evaporation/transpiration [1]
Convectional rainfall [1]
Explain why deforestation of tropical rainforests take place. (5)
Ideas such as:
Population growth [1] which leads to increased clearance of land for agriculture [Dev]
For economic growth to take place/country/government to make money/to repay debt [1]
Exploitation of land by TNCs [1]
Weak legislation/corruption [1]
Lumbering/export of timber/logging/e.g. such as furniture [1]
Mining/quarrying [1]
Road building [1]
HEP generation/dams/reservoirs [1]
Agriculture/ranching/e.g. such as cattle/palm oil/slash and burn [1]
Urbanisation/building settlements/housing/places for people to live [1]
Industrialisation/building manufacturing industry [1]
Tourism/hotels [1]
Firewood [1]
Suggest reasons why some animals live in the canopy but others live in the group cover in a tropical rain forest (3)
Ideas such as:
Some are able to climb/fly [1]
Some need shelter/protection [1]
Food supplies available (in canopy/at ground level) [1]
Different habitats/nesting areas [1]
Describe the processes which result in large amounts of rainfall in areas of equatorial climate (4)
Processes such as:
Heating/heats up [1]
Evaporation of water [1]
Transpiration [1]
(Evapotranspiration as alternative to evaporation and transpiration) [1]
Rising air/convection [1]
Cooling [1]
Condensation [1]
Saturation [1]
Clouds form [1]
Hot [1]
Explain how wildlife (animals) are able to survive in hot desert climate
Ideas such as:
Can survive for a long time without water/food/can store water [1]
They eat succulent plants/get water from plant [1]
Large feet to stop sinking into sand [1]
Large ears with many blood vessels to give off excess heat [1]
They stay in burrows/bury themselves in the sand during the hot days [1]
They are nocturnal [1]
Their kidneys concentrate urine so that they excrete less water [1]
Some (or e.g.) have a thick outer covering which reduces moisture loss [1]
Some excrete urine on their legs which cools them by evaporation [1]
Circulate the cooled blood back through the body [1]
Explain why some places have a hot desert climate (4)
Overhead/high angle of sun/direct/concentrated/intense sunlight [1]
High pressure [1]
Descending air/air does not rise [1]
In rain shadow/leeward side of mountains [1]
Cold ocean currents [1]
Wind blows over large areas of land/long distance from sea/dry winds/offshore winds [1]
With reference to name examples describe the impacts of deforestation
Explain why the equatorial climate is constant through the year with little seasonal variation (2)
Length of day and night constant/same all year, [1]
Constant high angle of the sun/all year/direct sun all year, [1]
Low pressure all year [1]
Explain how each of the following plans in the tropical rainforest have adapted to the equatorial climate:
(i) Channelled leaves with drip tips
(ii) Broad leaves
(i)
Drain water from surface of leaf/get rid of excess moisture [1]
(ii)
For maximum/much/increased/large area for transpiration/photosynthesis [1]
