Unit 1

Chapter 2

Section 1

 

THE WATER PLANET

 

1. THE WATER CYCLE

Ø        70% of the earth is covered with water

Ø       Water vapor is all around us, water in the atmosphere is in the form of gas

Ø       Amount of water does not change-its form does

Ø       Water goes from the oceans, to the air, then to the ground, and back to the oceans-WATER CYCLE

Ø       Sun’s heat turns liquid water into water vapor(humidity)-EVAPORATION

Ø       WATER VAPOR rises and cools-goes back into liquid-CONDENSATION

Ø       Droplets of water form clouds-falls back to earth rain, snow, sleet, or hail-PRECIPITATION

Ø       PRECIPITATION-soaks into ground, collects in streams and rivers-carried back to the oceans-COLLECTION

 

2. WATER RESOURCES

Ø       2% of the water found on earth is freshwater

Ø       Most of the water is frozen –in glaciers

Ø       GROUNDWATER- fills cracks and holes in the rock layers

Ø       AQUIFERS-underground rock layers in which some of the groundwater flows through

 

 

CHAPTER 2

SECTION 2   

 

     CLIMATE

 

1. WEATHER and CLIMATE

Ø       WEATHER-unpredictable changes in air  over a short period of time

Ø       CLIMATE-usual predictable pattern over a long period of time-affected by wind, sun, oceans, bodies of water, landforms, and people

Ø       Scientists look at extremes of temperature and precipitation to understand an area’s climate

2. THE SUN and CLIMATE

Ø       ORIGINAL source of climate is the sun

Ø       Wind and water carry the sun’s heat around the globe

Ø       A place’s climate is also affected by its latitude. Lower latitudes get more direct sunlight and higher latitudes receive angled rays of sunlight

Ø       Areas near the Equator are known as the Tropics. (between the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn). Tropics have a hot climate year-round

 

3. THE WIND’S EFFECT on CLIMATE

Ø       Movements of air are called winds. Follow typical patterns affecting climate

Ø       Monsoons-seasonal winds/rain that last for months at a time. Found mainly in Asia and some areas in Africa

Ø       Tornadoes or funnel-shaped windstorms –form from thunderstorms

Ø       Hurricanes form in the Atlantic. The same type of storm in Asia is called a typhoon

Ø       Drought-long period of dryness(no precipitation)

Ø       El Nino and La Nina-in the Pacific

 

4. OCEAN CURRENTS

Ø       Currents-moving water-warm or cool

Ø       Currents affect the climate of land areas. Winds over warm currents carry warm air to land areas

 

5. LANDFORMS and CLIMATE

Ø       Shape of the land, location of landforms in relation to one another to water also affect climate

Ø       Local winds-patterns of wind caused by landforms in a particular area-these winds occur because land warms and cools more quickly than water

Ø       Coastal areas cool during the day. After the sun goes down, land cools down and cool breezes blow out to sea

Ø       Higher elevation-the cooler it will be

Ø       Air becomes cool and loses its moisture as it goes up the windward side of mountain peaks. Air that goes over the peak is dry, creating a rain shadow- dry area on the leeward side of the mountains. It warms up again as it moves down mountainsides, giving the region a dry or desert climate

 

6. IMPACT OF PEOPLE ON CLIMATE

Ø       Actions of people affect climate-buildings absorb more heat than plants and trees

Ø       Cities are warmer than rural areas

Ø       Burning of fuels

Ø       Buildup of gases preventing warm air from rising and escaping into the atmosphere-greenhouse effect

Ø       Rain forests-receive high amounts of rain. The destruction of these forests lead to the greenhouse effect

 

 

     CHAPTER 2

     SECT. 3

 

                CLIMATE ZONES and VEGETATION

 

1.       TROPICAL CLIMATES

Ø       Tropical rain forest and tropical savanna

Ø       Tropical rain forests- year-round rains-vegetation and thick rain forests

Ø       Tropical savannas-wet season and the rest of the year is hot and dry. Savannas, or broad grasslands with a few trees are found in this area

 

2.       MID-LATITUDE CLIMATES

Ø       INCLUDES MORE AND DIFFERENT CLIMATE ZONES-due to warm air from the tropics and cool air from the polar regions

Ø       MARINE WEST COAST CLIMATE-occurs along coastal areas that receive winds from the ocean. Rainy winters and cool summers

               Trees-deciduous and coniferous

Ø       MEDITERRANEAN CLIMATE-rainy, mild winters and hot dry summers. Shrubs and short trees grow in this climate

Ø       HUMID CONTINENTAL CLIMATE-occurs in the inland areas of North America, Europe, and Asia. Winters can be long, cold, and snowy. Summers are short and may be very hot. Deciduous trees and vast grasslands.

Ø       HUMID SUBTROPICAL CLIMATE-regions close to the Tropics. Rainfall throughout the year. Trees-oak, magnolia, and palm

 

3.       HIGH LATITUDE CLIMATES

Ø       Near the mid-latitude zones, you will find subarctic climate. Winters are very cold and bitter. Huge evergreen forests called taiga grow here

Ø       Closer to the Poles-areas of vast rolling plains without trees. This region is know as the tundra and is harsh and dry. Much of the lower layers of the soil stay permanently frozen-permafrost. Only sturdy grasses and low berry bushes grow here

Ø       ICE CAP CLIMATE- at the POLES, ice sheets of Antarctica and Greenland. No vegetation grows here, only lichens live on the rocks

 

4.       DRY CLIMATES

Ø       DESERT CLIMATES- driest-receive last than 10m inches of rain a year. Plants-cacti

Ø       STEPPES-deserts surrounded by partly dry grasslands. Great Plains in the U.S.

 

5.       HIGHLAND CLIMATE

Ø                   Mountains tend to have cool climates-even near the Equator

Ø                   Highland or mountain climate has cool or cold temps throughout the year. No trees grow above the timberline