Climate Unit - Biomes and Climatographs

Question 1

what is a biome

Answer 1

a large geographical region with a particular range of temperature and precipitation levels

Question 2

how do biomes function

Answer 2

as a system or set of interconnected parts

Question 3

why are biomes open systems

Answer 3

because they exchange both matter and energy with their surroundings

Question 4

whats an open system

Answer 4

any system that exchanges matter and energy with its surroundings

Question 5

what is a closed system

Answer 5

any system that does not exchange matter with its surroundings but still exchanges energy

Question 6

what is an example of a closed system

Answer 6

earths hydrosphere

Question 7

what is an example of an open system

Answer 7

cells and biomes

Question 8

how do biome division make it easier for scientists

Answer 8

they allow them to predict how different groups of organisms may be affected by changes that occur due to the continuous climate trends/patterns within an area

Question 9

what are the characteristics of a tundra biome

Answer 9

• little solar energy during winter months
• annual amount of insolation is lowest of all the biomes
• very cold temperatures
• little precipitation

Question 10

where can tundra biomes be found

Answer 10

in the arctic regions of North America and Eurasia, with most being found in the arctic circle

Question 11

where can taiga biomes be found

Answer 11

it is a broad belt around earth just south of the region of tundra biomes

Question 12

what is taiga dominated by

Answer 12

evergreen conifer trees

Question 13

what is another name for the taiga biome

Answer 13

boreal forest

Question 14

what is the main characteristic of the taiga biome

Answer 14

more precipitation and higher temperatures on average than tundra, longer growing season than the tundra

Question 15

what distinguishes the deciduous forest biome

Answer 15

tress that lose their leaves

Question 16

where are deciduous forest biomes typically found

Answer 16

in parts of North and South America, Europe, Asia, Japan and Australia

Question 17

what are the characteristics of a deciduous forest biome

Answer 17

more moderate climate, longer growing season than taiga, and higher average temperatures than the taiga biome, have 4 seasons with a longer summer

Question 18

what is the grassland biome

Answer 18

grassy regions with few or no trees

Question 19

where do grassland biomes occur

Answer 19

in any region where precipitation is at least 20cm per year but is still too low to support the growth of trees

Question 20

where do grasslands occur

Answer 20

on all continents and may be known by different names depending on their distinguishing factors

Question 21

what are rainforests

Answer 21

biomes containing the richest diversity of plants and animals in all of the biomes

Question 22

what are the characteristics of a rainforest biome

Answer 22

have over 200cm of rain every year and are always warm

Question 23

what are the characteristics of a desert biome

Answer 23

always have less than 25cm of rainfall per year and have relatively little plant life

Question 24

what are the 6 different types of biomes on earth

Answer 24

tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, grassland, rain forest and desert

Question 25

what biomes are in Canada

Answer 25

tundra, taiga, grassland and deciduous

Question 26

what biome is most of Canada made up of

Answer 26

taiga

Question 27

what determines the insolation of an area

Answer 27

altitude, number of hours of daylight and the time of year

Question 28

what are the determinants of albedo

Answer 28

cloud and dust cover, natural greenhouse effects interaction with insolation giving each area a particular net radiation budget

Question 29

what causes predictable global wind patterns

Answer 29

convection currents and the Coriolis effect

Question 30

what do global wind patterns do

Answer 30

transfer thermal energy between areas at or near the equator and those at or near the poles

Question 31

what do ocean currents do

Answer 31

moderate air temperaute

Question 32

how does the hydrologic cycle contribute to thermal energy transfer

Answer 32

though the release and absorption of thermal energy that occurs when water warms, cools and changes phases

Question 33

how do you analyze the impact of climate factors on an area

Answer 33

a climatograph

Question 34

whats a climatogrpah

Answer 34

summary of the average temperature for each month of the year for a given location, presented as a graph

Question 35

what does the vertical axis on the left of a climatograph show

Answer 35

average precipitation in millimetres

Question 36

what does the vertical axis on the right of a climatograph show

Answer 36

the average temperature in degrees celsius

Question 37

where are the months of the year shown on a climatograph

Answer 37

on the horizontal axis

Question 38

how are the values for average precipitation and temperature always plotted

Answer 38

precipitation is always plotted as a bar graph and temperature is always plotted as a line graph

Question 39

what must happen to compare the climates of different areas using a climatograph

Answer 39

the scale of the vertical axis on each climatograph must be the same

Question 40

what does a straight line in a climatograph show

Answer 40

the place is near or at the equator

Question 41

what does an up and down curve show in a clamatgoraph

Answer 41

the presence of seasons in that place

Question 42

what can climatographs also help do

Answer 42

help to identify factors that determine the climate of an area

Question 43

what factor has the #1 effect on climate

Answer 43

insolation

Question 44

what should you do if you are seeing something climate-related that cannot be explained by the latitude of the two places; what do you do if both places have the same latitude but completely different climates

Answer 44

think ocean; if one of them is closer to a large body of water that will affect its climate

Question 45

what is the main cause of the natural greenhouse effect

Answer 45

presence of water vapour in our atmosphere

Question 46

what does solar energy consist of

Answer 46

electromagnetic waves at different wavelengths which together make up the electromagnetic spectrum

Question 47

what are the radiation wavelengths in the range that we can see called

Answer 47

visible light

Question 48

how are different types of radiation distinguished from each other in the electromagnetic spectrum

Answer 48

by their wavelengths