Introduction To Climate Flashcards
(30 cards)
What is weather?
Weather refers to the daily conditions of the atmosphere, including temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, and air pressure.
What is climate?
Climate is the measure of atmospheric conditions over a long period, usually years or decades, and includes seasonal changes.
What is the key difference between weather and climate?
Weather describes short-term atmospheric conditions, while climate refers to long-term patterns of weather over time.
What elements are included in weather?
Temperature, rainfall, humidity, wind, and air pressure.
Why is climate described over long periods?
Because it is based on the average weather conditions observed over many years.
Why do places around the equator receive more sunlight and heat?
Because they directly face the sun and have a smaller surface area to heat up.
Why do places further from the equator receive less sunlight?
Because sunlight reaches them at an angle, spreading over a larger area and losing intensity.
What happens to sunlight at the poles?
The poles receive very little sunlight, making them colder than other regions.
What is the angle of incidence?
It is the angle at which the sun’s rays hit the Earth’s surface.
How does the angle of incidence affect temperature?
A higher angle (near the equator) results in more direct sunlight and warmth, while a lower angle (near the poles) spreads sunlight over a larger area, making it cooler.
What is latitude?
Latitude is the distance of a place from the equator, measured in degrees north or south.
How does latitude affect temperature?
Temperatures decrease as latitude increases, meaning the poles are colder than the equator.
Why do higher altitudes have colder temperatures?
Because air pressure is lower, making air particles fewer and less capable of retaining heat.
What is the relationship between altitude and temperature?
For every 1000 meters increase in altitude, the temperature drops by approximately 6.5°C.
How does distance from the sea affect climate?
Areas close to the sea have milder climates with moderate temperatures, while inland areas experience more extreme temperatures.
Why do coastal areas have more stable temperatures?
Water heats and cools more slowly than land, leading to moderate climate conditions.
How do ocean currents influence climate?
Warm currents increase temperatures in coastal areas, while cold currents lower temperatures.
What role does wind play in climate?
Wind moves heat and moisture across the globe, affecting temperature and rainfall patterns.
What is precipitation?
The descent of water from the atmosphere to the Earth’s surface, including rain, snow, hail, sleet, and dew.
Name three types of rainfall.
Convectional, depressional (cyclonic or frontal), and orographic (relief).
What is convectional rainfall?
Rainfall that occurs when the sun’s heat evaporates water, causing it to rise as vapor, cool, condense into clouds, and fall as rain. It is common in hot, low-lying coastal areas and tropical regions, often in the afternoon after a hot day.
Describe the process of convectional rainfall.
The sun heats the land.
Hot air rises.
The air cools.
Water vapor condenses.
Clouds form.
Rain falls.
Where does convectional rainfall often occur?
Hot, low-lying coastal areas, especially in the tropics, typically in the afternoons.
What weather phenomena are sometimes associated with convectional rain?
Thunder and lightning.
