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Weather and Climate Flashcards

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1
Q

What are the factors that determine climate and weather?

A

Heat energy from the sun and how that energy is circulated around the earth through the movement of air and ocean currents.

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2
Q

What causes wind to circulate?

A

The energy difference of the surplus of heat at the equator and the deficit of heat energy at the poles.

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3
Q

What is the troposphere?

A

The lowest layer of the earth’s atmosphere.

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4
Q

Where does most of the earth’s weather form?

A

In the troposphere.

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5
Q

Where does global atmospheric circulation take place?

A

In the polar, ferrel and hadley cells.

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6
Q

Where are hadley cells located?

A

Closest to the equator.

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7
Q

Where are polar cells located?

A

Closest to the poles.

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8
Q

Where are ferrel cells located?

A

In-between hadley and polar cells.

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9
Q

What is the coriolis effect?

A

The spinning of the earth.

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10
Q

Which direction does the earth spin in?

A

From west to east.

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11
Q

Which way is the wind/air always deflected in the northern hemisphere?

A

To the right.

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12
Q

Which way is the wind/air always deflected in the southern hemisphere?

A

To the left.

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13
Q

Describe how air moves in hadley cells.

Latitudes 30N and 30S

A

Rising moist air at the equator creates low pressure. The moist air then cools, condenses and falls as rain. (This is where you find tropical rainforests).

At 30N and 30S the cooler air sinks back to Earth’s surface and creates high pressure areas, with cloudy skies. (Where hot deserts are found).

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14
Q

Describe how air moves in polar cells.

Latitudes 60N and 60S

A

Air sinks over the poles producing high pressure, then flows towards the low pressure in the mid-latitudes where it meets the warm air of the ferrel cell.

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15
Q

Describe how air moves in ferrel cells.

30N and 30S to latitudes 60N and 60S

A

Air moves from the high pressure at 30N/S to the low pressure at 60N/S. These winds collect moisture as they blow over oceans and at 60N/S they meet cold air from the poles.The warm air rises over the cold air as it’s less dense.

This causes unsettled weather in the UK.

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16
Q

What are jet streams?

A

Very fast ribbons of wind high up in the atmosphere that push cold and warm air masses around.

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17
Q

What do ocean currents do?

A

Transfer and redistribute heat across the Earth.

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18
Q

What is the Gulf stream?

A

The main ocean current in the Northen hemisphere.

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19
Q

What is the North Atlantic Drift?

A

A surface current that is carried by the South Westerlies.

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20
Q

What is climate change?

A

A large-scale, long-term shift in the planet’s weather patterns or average temperatures.

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21
Q

What are interglacial periods?

A

The times in the past when the temperature of the Earth has become warmer, melting the large ice sheets.

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22
Q

What are glacial periods (ice ages)?

A

The times in the past when the temperature of the Earth had dropped and ice sheets have covered the lands.

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23
Q

What period are we currently in?

A

The Quaternary period which began 2.6 million years ago.

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24
Q

What are Milankovitch cycles?

(Eccentricity, Axal tilt and Precession)

A

Changes in the earth’s orbit around the sun or changes in its axis, leading to changes in the earth’s climate and seasonal variations.

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25
Describe volcanism (eruption theory).
Big volcanic eruptions produce ash and sulphur dioxide gas, which will stop some sunlight reaching the earth's surface. The sunlight is reflected off the ash and gas, back into space. This cools the planet and lowers the average temperature.
26
Describe solar variation (solar output theory).
Sunspots are black areas on the surface of the sun. Sometimes the sun has lots of these spots. At other times they disappear. Temperatures are greatest when there are plenty of sunspots because it means other areas of the sun are working even harder.
27
Describe ice cores as evidence for climate change.
Ice sheets are made up of layers of ice - one layer formed per year. Scientists drill into ice sheets to get long cores of ice and by analysing the gases trapped in the layers of ice, they can tell what the temperature was each year. Long term evidence.
28
Describe tree rings as evidence for climate change.
Wider in warm weather, thinner in cold weather. You can count the rings to find out the age of a tree. - short/medium term evidence.
29
Describe pollen analysis as evidence for climate change.
Trapped in ice and rocks. Scientists can identify the preserved pollen to show which species were living at that time. - Short term evidence.
30
Describe historical records as evidence for climate change.
Reports, photos, paintings, diaries can give the number of days of rain and snow, telling us what the climate was like. - short/medium term evidence.
31
What is anthropogenic climate change?
Climate change caused by humans.
32
What key human activities have led to climate change?
Food production, more energy production to meet the needs of industry and person use, production of more consumer goods in factories and the growth of transport. Human activities burn fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases such as CO2, nitrous oxide and methane.
33
How do human activities lead to climate change?
Human activities burn fossil fuels, releasing greenhouse gases such as CO2, nitrous oxide and methane.
34
What are some key impacts of climate change?
Sea level rise, lower crop yields and glacial retreat.
35
What are air masses?
Bodies of air that share the same characteristics.
36
How are air masses moved around?
By prevailing winds.
37
What are the 5 UK air masses?
Polar maritime Arctic maritime Tropical maritime Polar continental Tropical continental
38
What weather does polar maritime bring?
Cold and wet.
39
What weather does arctic maritime bring?
Cold and wet.
40
What weather does tropical maritime bring?
Warm and wet.
41
What weather does polar continental bring?
Cold and dry.
42
What weather does tropical continental bring?
Warm and dry.
43
What are tropical cyclones?
Tropical cyclones are large rotating storms that form over oceans, between the tropics of cancer and capricorn.
44
What are the 3 parts of a tropical cyclone?
.The eye .The eye wall (the deadliest part with strong winds and rain). .The rain bands (rain filled cload).
45
What conditions do tropical cyclones need to form?
.Warm ocean waters - 27C. .Summer months when ocean is warmest. .Winds converging at the ocean surface, causing air to rise and storm clouds to form. .Sufficient distance from the equator to provide spin or twist.
46
When are tropical cyclones more frequent in the northern tropics?
June-November.
47
When are tropical cyclones more frequent in the southern tropics?
November-April.
48
What are the impacts of tropical cyclones?
- High winds. Destroys buildings, uproots trees, endangers people. - Intense rainfall. Flooding, damage to property and life. - Storm surges. Higher sea levels and strong winds, erodes beaches and coastal habitats, damage to property and life, contaminates water supplies. - Coastal flooding. Affects farming and tourism, sea water contaminates fresh water. - Landslides. Destroy settlements.
49
What is the scale called used to classify tropical cyclones in the northern hemisphere?
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale.
50
Describe the timeline and track of Hurricane Sandy (developed country).
Started as a tropical storm near Jamaica, moved across Cuba and Bahamas before making landfall in New Jersey.
51
What were the social impacts of Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
150 people dead, subway stations and road tunnels flooded, schools closed for several days, no electricity for days, hundreds temporarily homeless.
52
What were the economic impacts of Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
Property damage worth $65 billion, insurance claims $3.3 billion in New Jersey, NY Marathon cancelled.
53
What were the environmental impacts of Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
New Jersey's beach damaged, sewage released into waters, oil spills killed habitats, nature reserves damaged.
54
What were responses by individuals to Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
- People shared images and experiences of Hurricane Sandy through social media. - Most had home insurance and rebuilt homes quickly. - People moved in with relatives and shelters.
55
What were responses by organisations to Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
- Public agencies restored beaches. - American Red Cross sent relief workers and volunteers to hard-hit areas with food and supplies. - Donations and charity concerts.
56
What were responses by the government to Hurricane Sandy (developed country)?
- US government approved $60.3 billion in aid. - Department of agriculture promised $6.2 million for emergency food assistance. - US government brought out several hundred homes, allowing people to relocate.
57
Describe the timeline and track of Typhoon Haiyan.
Started as a low pressure system and became a tropical depression, made landfall in the Philippines as a category 5 tropical cyclone.
58
What were the social impacts of Typhoon Haiyan?
- 6000 dead, 25000 injured, over 1500 missing. - Desctruction in Tacloban city - Power cut off, looting, transport networks cut off.
59
What were the economic impacts of Typhoon Haiyan?
- $2 billion worth of damage, $85 million farm related damage. - Coconut and rice plantations destroyed.
60
What were the environmental impacts of Typhoon Haiyan?
- Chemical leaks, trees and forests destroyed, mangroves destroyed. - Drinking water contaminated by sea water; lack of sanitation led to higher pollution.
61
What were responses by individuals to Typhoon Haiyan?
- Survivors searched the wreckages for bodies. - Street sellers began setting up food stalls again. - Social media enabled global volunteers to coordinate relief efforts.
62
What were responses by organisations to Typhoon Haiyan?
- Water tanks installed by charities. - International Red Cross provided materials for emergency shelters. - Charities sent emergency supplies to the city.
63
What were responses by the government to Typhoon Haiyan?
- Troops sent to Tacloban to restore law and order due to looting. - EU, UK and USA sent millions in aid. - Phillipines government invested in initiatives to reduce disaster and adapt to climate change. - Water and sanitation services were set up by the government.
64
What is drought?
When an area suffers from a gradual reduction in the availability of water.
65
What is meteorological drought?
When dry weather patterns dominate an area.
66
What is hydrological drought?
When there is a very low water supply in streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater levels.
67
What are natural causes of drought?
- Lower levels of precipitation than usual. - El Nino - Low levels of water in streams, rivers, lakes, reservoirs and groundwater supplies.
68
What are human causes of drought?
- Dams, which can restrict flow of water in river and water levels downstream. - Deforestation; forests release water vapour. No water vapour, no rainfall. - Agriculture; water is taken from wetter areas for farmland in other areas. Too much water can be taken.
69
What are general impacts of drought?
Famine, disease, increased food prices, people migrate, fires and dust storms, river habitats lost.

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