Climate

Question 1

What is a desert?

Answer 1

A very dry area of land where few plants and animals can live because of the lack of rainfall (less than 250mm/year) and absence of soil

Question 2

Name the factors that included world climates and explain the 2

Answer 2

1.Latitude:
• latitude is the distance north or south of the equator
• areas near equator are hotter because of oblique rays and near South and North Pole are colder because of oblique rays

2. Distance from Sea
   • In summer coastal areas are cooler than inland areas. In Winter coastal areas are warmer.
   • This is because the sea heats slower than land in the summer and sea loses heat much more slowly than land in winter
3. Prevailing wind.

Question 3

What is climate?

Answer 3

Climate is the average condition of the weather over a long period of time usually 35 years

Question 4

Name 2 factors that influence local climates and explain.

Answer 4

Aspect
• aspect refers to the direction a slope faces in relation to the sun
• in northern hemisphere , South facing slopes are warmer.
• influenced by Southerly winds.

Altitude
• altitude refers to height above sea level. (Above sea level is colder)
• as altitude increases air becomes thinner, less to absorb and maintain heat

Question 4

Hot Desert Climate
•location:
• daytime temperature:
• nighttime temperature:

Answer 4

Location: found between 15-30 degrees CelsiusNorth and south of equator and on western side

Daytime temperature: 30 - 50 degrees Celsius. Oblique Rays on small area of land, no clouds.

Nighttime temperature: as low as 5 degrees Celsius. Winger of desert, heat loss because of lack of clouds.

Question 5

Rainfall (Precipitation) in the Hot Desert.

• how much rainfall per year?
• what type of winds

Answer 5

• less than 100m/per year
• ## winds blow over land toward equator bringing dry and warm winds.

Question 6

Vegetation in Hot Climates

• speak about plants and how they adapt to climate

Answer 6

• Sparse vegetation due to lack of rainfall.
• small ground - hugging plants and trees with few leaves
• example cactus: thick waxy skin and needs to reduce moisture lost
• Joshua tree: have juicy flesh that stores water

Question 7

Animals in Hot Desert

• describe how two animals have adapted to the climate.

Answer 7

1. JackRabbit: large ears keep cool, rest in shade of shrubs and trees and have thin hairs,
2. Fennec Fox: bar like ears keep cool, rest in shade of shrubs and trees. Also have thin hairs

Question 8

Desertification in hot climate
•spreading where?
• including Countries

Answer 8

• spread of the desert into areas which where once fertile.
• example: Sahara making the Sahel Desert Spreading South.
  ( Ghana, Nigeria, Mali)

Question 9

2 causes of desertification

Answer 9

Climate Change: Sahel, rainfall is unreliable. Because of high temper stir as a result of global warming lead to evaporation and less condensation,
Rivers have dried up.

Human Factor: high birth rate leading to rapid population increase demand of food. Farmers grow food crops ,without fertilisers soil loosens losing nutrients. Trees and shrubs are cut down for cooking and heating. Soil erosion is speeded up

Question 10

2 results of desertification

Answer 10

• Vast Areas of land are now unable to support agriculture. This means farmer cannot supply with food. As a result hundreds of people die from famine.
• millions are forced to migrate in search of food or aid. Many live on refugee camps. Many people also moved to urban areas, leading to growth of slums

Question 11

2 solutions of desertification

Answer 11

Dig deeper wells to find water for irrigation

Introduce new breeds of animals to produce more milk but with smaller herds

Question 12

Name a cold climate?

Answer 12

Boreal Climate

Question 13

In the cold climate….
A) how is the weather in the winter
B) how is the weather in the summer

Answer 13

A) long and cold and as low as 35 degrees Celsius
- northern hemisphere tilted towards sun. Rays low in sky, oblique Rays.

B) short and cold. Average about 5 degrees seclusion.
- northern hemisphere tiled towards sun. Long hours of sunshine, absorb heat.

Question 14

Precipitation in the cold climate.

• how much rainfall per year
• main form of precipitation
• what type of winds

Answer 14

• Less than 250mm
• snow
• polar winds too cold for moisture

Question 15

What type of vegetation is in the cold climate

Answer 15

Evergreen forest called taiga.

Question 16

Taiga forest

- how it survives

Answer 16

• uses a lot of energy to grow out their needles.When the sun comes out the trees already gather much needed sunlight instead of wasting more energy,
  Needles prevent moisture loss, downward branches so snow can slide off and think bark remains moisture and protects from cold winds.

Question 17

Animals in the cold climate

• name three
• explain three ways they survive

Answer 17

• bear, wolf and eagle

- some animals hibernate during winter, fur keeps insulation and birds migrate to South during summer

Question 18

People in boreal climate

Answer 18

• Sami: Europes last tribe to live in the southern area of Sweden, Finland and Russia.
• they used to be nomads, but now have settled in urban areas working in forestry + mining
• in recent times the taiga forest of the boreal is at risk because of logging companies