weather and climate Flashcards
What are the three circulation cells?
Hadley, Ferrel and Polar Cells.
What happens at the equator?
At the equator, warmed air rises to 15 kilometres which causes low pressure.
What happens afterwards?
Afterwards, the cooled air moves back in the direction of the equator as trade winds.
What is the quaternary period?
The quaternary period is the period that covers the last 2.6 million years.
What has happened in this period?
In this period, there have been more than 60 cold periods and also warmer interglacial periods which have lasted about 15,000 years.
What has happened recently?
In the last 250 years the earth’s temperature has risen.
What is the milankovitch cycle?
The Milankovitch cycle is split into three separate cycles. They are the Eccentricity cycle, axial tilt cycle and the precession cycle.
What is the evidence of climate change happening?
Historical sources, ice cores and preserved pollen.
What are human causes of climate change?
Industry, Energy, farming and transport.
What happened in the medieval warm period?
In the medieval warm period, higher temperatures meant greater crop yields and a growing population.
What is Britain’s climate like today?
Today Britain has a temperate but wet climate.
What is the impact of the UK’s location?
maritime influence, prevailing wind, north Atlantic Drift, atmospheric circulation and altitude.
How do tropical cyclones form?
Tropical cyclones form because they need a source of warm, moist air and the ocean to be warm.
What are the characteristics of a tropical cyclone?
The characteristics of a tropical cyclone are very low pressure, they form a cylinder of rising air, the eye wall surrounds the eye and they are often 400 km wide and 10 km high.
What are the hazards associated with tropical cyclones?
High winds, storm surges, landslides, coastal flooding and intense rainfall.
