Geography - Chapter 3 CLIMATE Coach Harris

1.God designed 3 main systems to distribute heat over the earth: seasons, winds, and ocean currents. 2.Some areas have four seasons– spring, summer, fall, winter. (middle) 3. Near the equator there are only 2 seasons– rainy and dry. (tropics) 4. Seasonal changes are caused by the tilt of the earth’s axis. 5. The earth near the equator receives more sunlight than land near the poles.

6. The earth’s axis is tilted 23½ degrees. 7. The earth’s axis is always pointed to the North Star. 8. The earth has 2 movements– rotate on its axis, and it revolves around the sun. 9. The Tropic of Cancer is located 23½ degrees North. The Tropic of Capricorn is located at 23½ degrees south. 10. On the Tropic of Cancer, the direct rays never shine north of this line. 11. On the Tropic of Capricorn is the southern limit for direct rays of the sun.

12. The Low latitudes are between 0 and 23½ degrees—has warm temperatures and are called the Tropics. 13. The middle latitudes go from 23½ degrees to 66½-- have warm summers and cool winters and are called the Temperate Zones. They have moderate climates. 14. The high latitudes go from 66½ on up (north or south), these are the polar regions. 15. Wind is caused by movement of air that has been heated by the sun.

16. When a large area of air has a similar temperature and moves together, we call it an air mass. 17. Warm air masses rise, and cold air masses sink. 18. (Coriolis Effect) Few winds blow North or South– the rotation around the earth’s axis influences wind direction. The effect of this rotation is known as the Coriolis Effect. (causes wind to appear northwestern) 19. The hot tropics have the most powerful prevailing winds, which blow over beaches and are called Trade Winds.

20. The prevailing winds that blow over the Middle latitudes are called the Westerlies. 21. Jet Streams are fast currents of wind that flow at high altitudes; they occur where cold polar air meets warm equatorial air. 22. Near the poles is a third belt of prevailing winds called the Easterlies. 23. Near the equator there is a non-windy belt called the Doldrums (Pacific Ocean), this region is near 30 degrees latitude. They are called horse latitudes because sailors threw their horses overboard to make the ships lighter. Jet streams over Gobi desert. Doldrums

24. Hot air masses develop over the interior of continents in the summer, this hot rising air is called a low pressure zone. 25. When winter comes, patterns reverse and this cold heavy air is called a high pressure zone. 26. There are 3 major factors that influence wind direction: latitude, earth’s rotation, and continents. 27. Temperature differences create warm and cold ocean currents that circle the globe, following a pattern very similar to the prevailing winds.

28. El Nino is a slight increase in surface water temperature over a wide region in the Pacific. 29. Ocean Currents flow in a circular pattern called gyres. In the center of a gyres the water is dangerously calm. 30, Different states of water– solid-liquid-gas When water absorbs enough heat, it changes into an invisible gas called water vapor. This process is called evaporation. The process of water’s change from a gas to a liquid is called condensation. 31.The amount of water vapor in the air is called humidity (warm air holds a lot of water) Evaporation Condensation

32. The fall of water to the earth is precipitation. Most precipitation is in the form of rain. Four types of precipitation: rain, snow, sleet, and hail. 33. The hydrologic cycle is a water cycle that continually replenishes the soil, plants, lakes, and rivers. 34. Ground water is like a slow-moving river under the ground. 35. Eventually ALL water returns to the oceans. 36. Orographic precipitation is when a warm mass of humid air passes over a mountainous area. The air moves upward and cools rapidly. Then, water vapor condenses, clouds form, and rain follows. This leaves one side of the mountain wet and the other dry.

37. Rain or snow falls along the line where two air masses of different temperature meet, this line is called a front. 38. The rise of warm air over a hot surface is called convection, which causes precipitation. 39 There are 4 moderate climates: Marine west coast, Mediterranean, humid continental, and humid subtropic (MS). 40. Deserts are often called arid regions, which means “lacking moisture”.

41. Humid subtropic refers to land just above the tropics. It receives 50 inches of rainfall per year, and is where some of the richest farmland is located. 42. Marine west coast climate covers most of western Europe and parts of California. 43. For every 1,000 feet in altitude you travel up a mountain, the temperature drops about 3½ degrees, this is called lapse rate. 44. A biome is any large region where distinct populations of plants and animals are found living together. Tundra biome Desert biome

45. There are 3 basic biomes: forest, grasslands, and wastelands. 46. Coniferous forest– gets name from conifers who produce their seeds in a cone. They grow in cold, harsh polar climates and are evergreen. Most known types of pines and firs. 47. Deciduous forests-deciduous refers to trees that lose their leaves during a particular season of the year. 48. Tropical grasslands, or savannas, occur in warm tropical regions. 49. Temperate grasslands, steppes, appear in temperate regions, soil is extremely fertile. In North America fertile grasslands are called prairies. Deciduous forest grassland

50. Tundra- cold regions near the poles. 51. Permafrost is soil that remains frozen all year long. tundra permafrost

The End!