chernofsky - geography geography chapter 2 – section 3 climate, weather and vegetation

Chernofsky - Geography

Geography

Chapter 2 – Section 3

Climate, Weather and Vegetation


What you will learn

• 1. What factors create climate and weather?

• 2. How are climate, plants and animal life related?


Vocabulary• Weather – the condition of the atmosphere at a certain

time and place.• Climate – weather conditions in an area over a long

period of time.• Prevailing winds – winds that blow in the same

direction over large areas of Earth.• Currents – warm ocean water from near the equator

that moves in giant streams to colder areas.• Rain shadow – the ‘dry areas’ created when air reaches

the other side of the mountain and has lost most of its moisture.


• Weather and climate help determine what kind of plants grow in a certain place.

Interactive World Vegetation Map

Chernofsky - GeographyChernofsky - Geography

Factors Affecting Factors Affecting Climate and WeatherClimate and Weather

The sunThe sun • Solar heat makes life possible on Earth.Solar heat makes life possible on Earth.• The sun doesn’t heat Earth evenly.The sun doesn’t heat Earth evenly.• Areas closest to the north and south poles Areas closest to the north and south poles

don’t receive direct rays from the sun.don’t receive direct rays from the sun.• Because the Earth is tilted on its axis, areas Because the Earth is tilted on its axis, areas

away from the sun receive less heat.away from the sun receive less heat.• Regions closer to the equator receive more Regions closer to the equator receive more

heat.heat.• The higher the place’s latitude, the less solar The higher the place’s latitude, the less solar

heat it gets and the colder its climate.heat it gets and the colder its climate.


SeasonsSeasons• Each year is divided into Each year is divided into

periods of time called periods of time called SEASONS.SEASONS.– Each season is known for a Each season is known for a

certain type of weather, certain type of weather, based on temperature and based on temperature and amount of precipitation.amount of precipitation.• Winter, spring, summer, fall – Winter, spring, summer, fall –

based on temperature.based on temperature.

• Dry and wet – based on Dry and wet – based on precipitation.precipitation.

- Seasons change as Earth orbits the sun.


WindsWinds

Winds created by changes in air pressure Winds created by changes in air pressure move solar heat around the planet.move solar heat around the planet.

Cold air weighs more than warm air.– as Cold air weighs more than warm air.– as warm air rises, cooler air moves in to warm air rises, cooler air moves in to replace the rising warm air, and this replace the rising warm air, and this process results in creating what we know process results in creating what we know as ‘wind.’as ‘wind.’

Prevailing winds are what make a region Prevailing winds are what make a region warmer or colder, wetter or drier, warmer or colder, wetter or drier, depending on from where they blow.depending on from where they blow.


Shifting Wind PatternsShifting Wind Patterns Are one cause of Are one cause of

seasonal changeseasonal change..eg: In January, eg: In January, winds from the winds from the north bring dry air north bring dry air to India. In June, to India. In June, the winds have the winds have shifted, coming shifted, coming from the from the southwest and southwest and bringing moisture bringing moisture from the Indian from the Indian Ocean.Ocean.


Oceans and CurrentsOceans and Currents• Winds move ocean water in the same general directions Winds move ocean water in the same general directions

as the air above it moves.as the air above it moves.• Cold water flows from the polar regions to the tropics. Just Cold water flows from the polar regions to the tropics. Just

as wind moves heat between places, so do ‘currents.’as wind moves heat between places, so do ‘currents.’


The Gulf StreamThe Gulf Stream Is an ocean current.Is an ocean current. Moves warm water Moves warm water

north from the Gulf north from the Gulf of Mexico to the of Mexico to the east coast of the east coast of the U.S. It then moves U.S. It then moves across the Atlantic across the Atlantic Ocean toward Ocean toward Europe. The warm Europe. The warm air that goes with it, air that goes with it, keeps the winters keeps the winters milder in Europe milder in Europe than in Canada.than in Canada.


Other factors affecting Other factors affecting climateclimate• Distance form Distance form

the ocean.the ocean.– Water heats Water heats

and cools faster and cools faster than land.than land.

– Therefore, Therefore, coastal areas coastal areas do not have the do not have the wide wide differences in differences in temperature temperature that areas in that areas in the middle of the middle of continents continents have.have.


• Elevation and Mountain Effects– The increase in elevation-

that is, the height on Earth’s surface above sea level, causes a drop in temperature.

– The air is less dense at higher elevations. (that is, the air particles are further apart and have more area to move around in.)

– Warm, moist air blowing against a mountainside will rise. The side of the mountain facing the wind (‘windward’) often gets heavy rain, whereas, by the time the air reaches the other side of the mountain (‘leeward’), it has lost most of its moisture.-CREATES A DRY AREA CALLED A ‘RAIN SHADOW.’


Climate RegionsClimate Regions There are 12 main There are 12 main

climate types in climate types in terms of weather.terms of weather.

These climate These climate types effect the types effect the plants and animals plants and animals that can grow and that can grow and live in certain live in certain areas.areas.

Tropical wet Tropical wet and dry

Semiarid Desert (arid)

Mediterranean Humid subtropical Marine West Coast Humid continental

Subarctic Tundra Icecap

Highland


The Köppen Climate Classification System is the most widely used system for classifying the world's

climates. Its categories are based on the annual and monthly averages of temperature and precipitation. The

Köppen system recognizes five major climatic types; each type is designated by a capital letter.

A - Tropical Moist Climates: all months have average

temperatures above 18° Celsius. B - Dry Climates: with deficient precipitation during most

of the year.C - Moist Mid-latitude Climates with Mild Winters.

D - Moist Mid-Latitude Climates with Cold Winters.E - Polar Climates: with extremely cold winters and

summers.


The 12 Climate Regions


Climates Change Over TimeClimates Change Over Time Did you know that the Sahara Did you know that the Sahara

Desert was once a vast Desert was once a vast grassland?grassland?• This happened in two phases, beginning This happened in two phases, beginning

about 6,700 to 5,500 years ago and then about 6,700 to 5,500 years ago and then again 4,000 to 3,600 years ago.again 4,000 to 3,600 years ago.

Orbital changes caused fairly sudden changes in North Africa’s climate.

Researchers think that ancient civilizations in the Sahara may have moved to the Ile River valley in response to the climate changes.


This ends chapter 2 section 3

• Review:– 1. How does the sun’s heat affect temperature and

winds?– 2. what effect does the Gulf Stream have on Europe’s

climates?– What are the main factors affecting climate and

weather?– Why is there snow on mountain peaks during the

summer?– Explain how the tilt of the Earth on its axis has an

affect on climate around the world.– Know the vocabulary for this section.


Explore your world!

• Blue Planet – Biomes

http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/

• Live Science-Plants and animals adapt to climate

http://www.livescience.com/environment/050621_warming_list.html

chernofsky - geography geography chapter 2 – section 3 climate, weather and vegetation

Documents

solar heat

dry air

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doesnt heat earth