Chapter 4: Global Climates and Biomes Notes
Global Processes determine weather and climate
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____________________ – Happens on a time scale of seconds to days
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____________________ – the average weather that occurs in a given region over a long period of time (decades)
Processes that affect biome distribution
1. Unequal heating of the Earth by the Sun
2. Atmospheric convection currents
3. Rotation of the Earth
4. Earth’s orbit around the Sun on a tilted axis
5. Ocean currents
Earth’s Atmosphere
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Consists of 5 layers of gases kept in place by gravity.
1. _____________________________________________
2. _____________________________________________
3. _____________________________________________
4. _____________________________________________
5. _____________________________________________
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Because gravitational pull weakens as you move farther from the Earth, molecules are:
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more densely packed ____________________________ to the surface
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less densely packed __________________________ from the surface
Troposphere
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Layer __________________________ to the Earth’s surface
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Extends upwards for about 10 miles
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_________________________________ layer of atmosphere
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Where __________________________occurs
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Air temperature ________________________________ as you move________________________ into the troposphere
Stratosphere
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Directly ___________________________________the troposphere
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Extends from about 10 to 31 miles upward
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___________________________dense than troposphere
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UV radiation reaches higher altitudes first and warms them which means that higher altitudes are _______________________ than lower
altitudes
Ozone (O3)- forms a layer in the _________________________________
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Very important because ozone absorbs most of the _____________________________________
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This provides critical protection to organisms on the planet.
Unequal heating of the earth
Causes of unequal heating
1. Variation in the __________________________________ that the sun ray’s strike the surface
2. Variation in amount of _____________________________ that sun rays are distributed
3. Some areas _________________________________more solar energy than others
________________________________ – The percentage of incoming sunlight that is reflected from a surface
Properties of Air
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The density and temperature of air determines its movement
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Less dense, warmer air ___________________________
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Denser, colder air __________________________
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Temperature of air affects how much water vapor it can hold
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_________________________ air holds more water vapor
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_________________________ air holds less water vapor
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________________________________________ – the maximum amount of water vapor that can be in air at a given temperature.
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What does this mean?
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Air will rise and fall based on the density
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Air will heat and cool based on the pressure
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This is called ________________________________________________
Convection currents
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________________________________________________________ – global patterns of air movement that are initiated by the unequal
heating of the Earth.
Earth’s Rotation
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As Earth rotates, its surface moves much ________________________ at the equator than in mid-latitude and polar regions.
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Earth’s tilting rotation is ____________________________
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The faster rotation speeds closer to the equator cause a _____________________________ of objects that are moving directly north or
south
Earth’s Rotation and the Coriolis Effect
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Earth’s rotation has an effect on directions of the prevailing winds
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_________________________________ - a wind from the direction
that is predominant at a particular place or season
Coriolis Effect
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_______________________________________
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the deflection of an object's path due to Earth's rotation.
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an object that moves along a north-south path will
undergo apparent _______________________ to the right
in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the
Southern Hemisphere.
Convection currents
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_______________________________________: large-scale atmospheric convection cell
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air rises at the equator
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and sinks at medium latitudes, about 30° north or south.
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_______________________(Intertropical Convergence Zone)
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occurs along the equator where there is intense sunlight
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Area between 2 _______________________________ Cells
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Intense ______________________________ activity
_________________________________
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Warm, humid air, moves inland from the oceans & hits the
________________________ side of mountains
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it begins to rise & cool causing _________________________
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the dry cooler air continues to cross the mountains & experience
heating as it descends.
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This creates distinct________________________ on both sides of
mountains.
Variations in Climate Determine the Dominant Characteristics of Each
Organism in each Biome
• Climate affects the distribution of species around the globe.
• Organisms possess distinct growth forms due to adaptations
local temperature and precipitation patterns.
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