The Geography of Climate Change

GeoPac 4

Climate Change Patterns and Variations

1) What are the spatial variations of natural climate systems?

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Variations in the energy budget

2) What factors can contribute to variations in the heat budget? ______

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3) Outline the relationship between energy and latitude below:

4) How does altitude impact upon the levels of energy received?

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5) Describe the interaction between albedo and energy below:

6) How do seasonal and diurnal variations alter energy levels received?

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7) Outline the relationship between energy, winds and air masses:

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8) Copy World Air Masses diagram form figure 11.8 below:

9) What impact do clouds and atmospheric water vapour have on energy levels?

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Variations in the Hydrological Cycle

10) Explain the role of the net movement of water from the seas to the land.

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11) Define Evapotranspiration.

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12) Does this process occur evenly across the globe? Why/ Why not?

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13) Why are there seasonal variations in the rates of evapotranspiration?

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14) Outline the variables in the amounts of precipitation the world experiences:

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15) Define infiltration and run-off:

16) What factors determine the amount of infiltration and run-off that occurs?

17) Write a summary on how variations in atmospheric circulation occur. (Ensure to include high and low pressure systems, shape and position of landmasses, certain landforms and impact upon energy)

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18) What are the variations in the carbon cycle that can impact upon the energy budget? Specific spatial examples should be included.

19) Summarise the information on each of the climate types below:

Tropical Climates
Middle Latitudes
High latitudes climates

Climate Cycles and Variations

Climate Cycles: Changes in the movement and distribution of seawater of different temperatures in the world’s oceans are responsible for variations in atmospheric pressure systems. This results in ______and ______. These cycles include______

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El Nino/ La Nina Southern Oscillation

Copy the diagram from page 227 on the two phenomenons:

La Nina

El Nino

Summarise in your own words the way the La Nina and El Nino phases work:

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Describe the Pacific Decadal Cycle and detail conditions when it is in its positive and negative phases.

Define the term oscillation: ______

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Describe how it applies to the North Atlantic: ______

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What are conditions like in its positive phase?

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During the negative phase?

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What is the main driver in the North Atlantic Oscillation and how does it occur?

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How does the Antarctic Circumpolar Oscillation work?

What impact does it have?

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What are the global implications of this Antarctic Circumpolar Current?

What ids the Indian Ocean Dipole?

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Describe the climatic conditions associated with the Ion’s:

Positive Phase / Negative Phase

Detail the impact of jet streams on the global climate:

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What is meant by the term Climate Feedback?

Outline if the following are positive or negative feedbacks and describe how they work:

Water Vapour- Positive Or Negative?
Cloud Cover- Positive Or Negative?
Vegetation Cover- Positive Or Negative?
Global Ice Cover- Positive Or Negative?