17811010
Description
Flashcards by Fxxxxxx Hxxxx Rxxxxx, updated more than 1 year ago
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Created by Fxxxxxx Hxxxx Rxxxxx
over 5 years ago
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| Question | Answer |
| Define weather | Weather is something that we experience everyday |
| Define climate | Climate is the average weather over a long period of time (30 years) |
| Define coriolis effect | The deflection of air due to the rotation of the Earth |
| Define jet stream | Fast moving current of air in the upper atmosphere at the boundary of Polar and Ferrel cells (where there is a significant temperature difference) |
| Define gulf stream | The Gulf Stream (also known as the North Atlantic Drift) brings warm water from the Caribbean Sea across the Atlantic Ocean to the UK |
| Define quaternary period | The quaternary period is the current period of geological time |
| Define solar radiation | The solar energy from the sun |
| Define volcanism | Ejects smoke and ash created from volcanoes blocks out the solar radiation from the sun, reducing temperatures |
| Define surface impact | steroids and comets eject large volumes of ash and dust which blocks out the solar radiation from the sun, reducing temperatures |
| Define axial tilt | Greater angle of tilt means hotter summers and colder winter |
| Define eccentricity cycle | More circular orbits mean cooler periods and more elliptical orbits mean warmer periods |
| Defince precession cycle | More circular orbits mean cooler periods and more elliptical orbits mean warmer periods |
| Define greenhouse effect | more heat escapes and less heat is re-emitted |
| Define enhanced greenhouse effect | less heat escapes and more heat is re-emitted and is caused by humans |
| Define fossil fuels | Coal, oil and natural gas |
| Define tropical cyclones | Tropical storms form in the tropics. Tropic of cancer which is above the equator and the tropic of Capricorn which is below the equator. For a tropical storm to be called a storm, the surface winds must reach 75 m/h. The Coriolis Effect is the deflection of air movement due to the rotation of the earth and this causes the tropical storm to spin |
| Define saffir-simpson scale | Tropical storms are defined by their wind speeds and the potential damage they can cause. However, it is not effective as it does not take into account the rain or storm surges and so the amount of damage is not accurate |
| Describe eye | the centre of the storm, an area of clear conditions by air converging at the centre of the storm and then sinking |
| Describe eye wall | The eye wall is a thick bank of cloud around the eye with high wind speeds and heavy rain |
| Define drought | an extended period of lower than normal precipitation due to high pressure (less than 250mm) and is temporary |
| Define arid environments | low precipitation (due to high pressure) and is temporary. Clouds can’t form so precipitation cannot happen |
| What are the three atmospheric circulation cells | Hadley cells (on either sides of the equator) Ferrell cells (in between the Hadley and Polar cells) Polar cells (in the north and south poles) |
| What are the evidences of climate change | Historical evidence: Diaries may include past climate information Ice cores: Volcanic ash, microbes and air bubbles are trapped Tree rings: Wider rings mean more rainfall and thinner rings mean less rainfall Preserved pollen: Pollen is trapped in rocks and ice cores and provides evidence on warm and cold weather conditions |
| What are the human cause of climate change | Industry, transport, energy and agriculture |
| Explain industry as a cause of climate change | As levels of disposable income rises and increased demand for the production of consumer goods, more energy is needed resulting in more fossil fuels being burned |
| Explain energy as a cause of climate change | The demand for electricity is growing because of increasing population and technologies. This is produced through burning fossil fuels |
| Explain transport as a cause of climate change | With cars becoming more affordable and more people taking flights over long distances, huge quantities are needed and this is made from burning fossil fuels which contributes to the enhanced greenhouse effect |
| Explain agriculture as a cause of climate change | Population growth has lead to a higher demand in food production. Mechanisation means that more fossil fuels are being burnt, intense farming of cattle results to an increased production of methane and we purposefully impregnate cows to produce more meat |
| What are the negative effects of climate change | Melting ice sheets, rising ice sheets, low crop yields and flooding for low lying islands |
| Explain the little ice age | Lower temperatures and the River Thames froze. This lead to crop failures and extreme volcanic eruptions and a decrease in solar radiation |
| Explain the medieval period | Higher temperatures and the UK were able to grow grapes. This meant more solar radiation and low volcanic activity |
| Explain the UK climate | The UK has a temperate wet climate. Extreme weather is rare but the meeting of major air masses makes frontal rainfall common |
| What are the factors affecting UK's climate | Maritime influence, prevailing winds, North Atlantic Drift, atmospheric circulation and altitude |
| Explain the maritime influence | Most of the air that reaches the UK contains lots of moisture and this gets released as rainfall all year round |
| Explain prevailing winds | The main prevailing wind in the UK comes from the south-west and this air travels long distances over the Atlantic Ocean bringing moisture and rainfall |
| Explain North Atlantic Drift | This ocean current brings warm water north to the UK. In the winter, this makes the UK climate milder than would be expected |
| Explain atmospheric circulation | The UK is near the boundary between the Ferrel and Polar circulation cells. This is where warmer air from the south and cooler air from the north meet, causing unsettled weather |
| Explain altitude | The higher an area is, the cooler and wetter it is. Areas in the UK vary |
| Explain the formation of tropical cyclones | The sun heats the ocean to a critical 27 degrees Celsius A strong upward movement of air draws water vapour up from the warm ocean surface This evaporated air cools as it rises and condenses to form towering thunderstorms (clouds) As the air condenses, it releases heat which powers the storm and draws up more and more water from the ocean Several small thunderstorms join together to form a giant spinning storm When surface winds reach 120 km/h (75m/h) the storm officially becomes a tropical storm The storm now develops an eye at its centre where the air rapidly descends. The outer edge of the eye is the eye wall where the most intense weather conditions (strong winds and heavy winds) are felt As the air is carried across the ocean by the prevailing winds (strongest winds), it continues to gather strength On reaching land the storm’s energy supply (evaporated water) is cut off. Friction with the land slows it down and it begins to weaken If the storm reaches warm seas after crossing the land, it may pick up strength again |
| What are the impacts of tropical cyclones | High winds, intense rainfall, storm surges, flooding and landslides |
| Explain the physical causes of drought | Meteorological: refers to the level of dryness in an area and this is the most significant cause of drought. It is caused by a change in the usual weather patterns of an area Hydrological: refers to the level of water on a hydrological scale |
| Explain the human causes of drought | Dams: are huge concrete blocks that trap water so that it can be released in a more controlled way to produce hydroelectric power. By building dams, we restrict the flow of water downstream and this lowers the water levels causing drought conditions Deforestation: results in less carbon dioxide being absorbed from the atmosphere which will lead to an increase in the greenhouse effect. This will change the atmospheric and oceanic circulation and cause climate change and global warming. Also, a decrease in trees means trees can't store water and so water is lost |
| Explain why certain places are more vulnerable to droughts than others | Global circulation means that some locations are more vulnerable to droughts than others. Where the Hadley and Ferrel cells are, such as Africa's Sahel, descending dry air means there is little precipitation. Rainfall occurs during a wet season: if rains does not come, the area has drought conditions |
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