Download Climate and Vegetation

Climate and Vegetation
The Earth’s Rotation and Revolution
The Earth rotates on its
axis. 1 rotation takes
24 hours
– This creates day/night
and the sun rising in the
east and setting in the
west
The Earth also revolves
around the sun. 1
revolution around the
sun takes 365 ¼ days
Seasons
Always tilted to the
same spot in the sky-the
North Star
The Earth’s axis is
tilted at 23½°
Each hemisphere
receives more direct
sunlight during a period
of the year
The Earth’s Tilt causes
seasons
Solstice: times when the Earth’s poles point
toward or away from the sun
– December 21 and June21
Equinoxes: “equal nights” occurs twice a year
when the Earth’s poles are not pointed toward
or away from the sun. The Equator receives
direct sunlight
– March 21 and September 22
Weather-atmospheric conditions at a
particular location and time
– Example?
Climate-weather conditions at one
location over long a period
– Example?
What Causes the Weather?
1. Sun: amount of solar energy received
2. Water vapor: determines whether there will
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
be precipitation
Precipitation-water droplets falling as rain,
snow, sleet, hail
Cloud cover: clouds may hold water vapor
Landforms and bodies of water
Elevation: as elevation increases, air becomes
thinner
Air movement: distributes moisture and solar
energy
Weather Extremes
Hurricanes/Typhoons
– form over warm, tropical ocean waters
– hit land with heavy rain, high winds, storm
surge
Tornadoes
– powerful, funnel-shaped column of spiraling
air
– born from strong thunderstorms
Weather Extremes
Blizzard
– Heavy snowstorm with winds of more than
35 miles per hour and reduced visibility
Drought
– Long period of time without rain or with
very little rain
Flood
– Water spreads out over normally dry land
Factors Affecting Climate
Wind Currents
– help distribute sun’s
heat worldwide
Ocean Currents
– Resembles rivers
flowing in the ocean
– Warm water flows
away from equator
toward poles
– Cold, polar water flows
back toward equator
Factors Affecting Climate
Zones of Latitude
– Low, or tropical
latitude
hot all year round
– Middle, or temperate
latitude
warm summers and
cold winters
– High, or polar latitude
– cold all year round
Factors Affecting Climate
Elevation
– Elevation is the distance above sea level
– As elevation increases, climate gets colder
Topography
– Topography: landforms and their distribution in an area
– Landforms, especially mountains, affect climate