Physical Geography

WG.2a-c

Climate charateristics

• Three common charateristics that define climate–Temperature

–Precipitation

–Seasons (hot/cold, wet/dry)

• Temperature is the degree of heat or cold in the atmosphere

• Precipitation is the amount of moisture falling at any given moment. It can be in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or ice.

Climate charateristics cont.

• Elements that influence regional climate patterns

–latitude--higher the latitude the colder the climates

–wind

–elevation--higher and colder

–proximity (closeness) to water

• There are 3 latitude climate region

• Low latitude climates--from 0-30 degrees N and S latitude (tropical)

• Mid latitude climates--from 30-60 degrees N and S latitude (mild)

• High latitude climates—from 60-90 degrees N and S latitude (polar)

• Elevation is the height an area is above sea level

• Water influences temperature because it is slow to heat up or cool down. It can also influence precipitation.

• Elements that influence regional climate patterns

• Wind currents--wind and ocean currents help transfer heat from one part of the earth to another. The process is known as convection. Wind also blows in curved lines because the earth rotates Coriolis Effect

Climate charateristics cont.

• World Climate Regions

–Low latitudes-tropical wet tropical wet and dry, arid, semiarid, and highland

–Middle Latitudes-semi-arid, arid, Mediterranean, humid continental, marine west coast, humid subtropical, highland

Climate charateristics cont.

• World Climate Regions

–High latitudes-subarctic, tundra, icecap

Climate charateristics cont.

• Vegetation Regions

–Rain forest -Savanna

–Desert -Steppe

–Middle Latitude forests

–Taiga -Tundra

Climate charateristics cont.

• Weather phenomena

–Monsoons--South and Southeast Asia (rainstorms)

–Typhoons--Pacific Ocean—Similar to a hurricane

–Hurricanes--Atlantic Ocean

–Tornadoes--United States

Climate charateristics cont.

• Effects of climate

–crops--what grows where

–clothing--what needs to be worn

–housing--type of building

–natural hazards--dangers

Physical and ecological processes

• There are four processes which have shaped the earth, Earthquakes, Floods, Volcanoes, and Erosion

• These four processes have created mountains, lakes, islands and have caused tremendous amounts of damage

Human’s impact on the environment• Aral Sea--diverting water has

caused the lake to shrink and become useless

• Colorado River--placing dams on the river has provided hydroelectric power to millions but destroyed the natural landscape

Human’s impact on the environment

• Aswan High Dam--has helped control the yearly flooding on the Nile River but has destroyed agriculture

• Canals—man made waterway

• Reservoirs—areas of stored water

• Irrigation—water used for farming

How has the land changed due to man

• Agricultural terracing has cut farms into the sides of hills and mountains in China and Southeast Asia

• The use of Polders has allowed the Netherlands to reclaim millions of acres of farmland from the sea

• Polder– land that has been taken back from the sea by building a dam and pumping the water out

• Deforestation—removal of all trees from an area

• Desertification—the increase of deserts by drought and over-farming or over-grazing

How has the land changed due to man

• Deforestation has removed most of the forests in Nepal, Brazil, and Malaysia. This has caused a different set of problems in these areas

• Desertification has become a major problem in areas of Africa and Asia. Major deserts are growing.

How has man changed the environment

• Acid rain caused by pollution from factories and cars has destroyed monuments, cars, and major forests in Germany, Scandinavia, China and Eastern North America

• Pollution destroys wildlife, agriculture and the land and sea. Examples are Mexico City, Chernobyl, and oil spills

Influence of technology• Agriculture--mechanization,

fertilizers

• Energy usage--fossil fuels, nuclear

• Transportation--road building, railways

Influence of technology cont.• Airplanes--airport expansion,

noise

• Automobiles--parking lots, suburbs

How does the environment impact on humans

• Settlement patterns

• housing materials

• agricultural activity

• types of recreation

• transportation patterns