4 Climate Through Time Free Online FlashCards

What does climate describe?

Climate is the pattern of weather in a place over long periods, typically assessed using averages over 30 years or more.

Why do low latitudes receive more solar energy on average?

Low latitudes receive more solar energy on average because the Sun’s rays strike the tropics more directly than high latitudes.

What mainly causes Earth’s seasons?

Earth’s axial tilt causes seasons: a hemisphere tilted toward the Sun receives more direct sunlight and longer days, producing summer.

What is ENSO, and how can it affect climate?

ENSO is a recurring pattern of tropical Pacific temperature and atmospheric-circulation changes. El Niño and La Niña can shift temperatures and rainfall across many regions.

How can volcanic eruptions temporarily cool Earth’s surface?

Volcanic eruptions can temporarily cool the surface by adding sunlight-reflecting particles to the atmosphere.

What changes make up Milankovitch cycles?

Milankovitch cycles are gradual changes in Earth’s orbital shape, axial tilt, and axis direction that alter sunlight distribution over thousands to hundreds of thousands of years.

What can ice cores reveal about past climates?

Tiny air bubbles trapped in ice cores preserve samples of ancient atmospheres; the surrounding ice also provides clues about past temperatures.

How do human activities drive long-term global warming?

Burning coal, oil, and gas, along with land-use changes, increases greenhouse gases that reduce the rate at which heat escapes to space. Human influence has unequivocally warmed the atmosphere, ocean, and land.

How does elevation generally affect temperature?

Air temperature generally decreases with height, so high plateaus and mountain regions are often cooler than nearby lowlands.

Why do coastal locations often have smaller temperature swings?

Water heats and cools more slowly than land, so coastal places often have smaller temperature swings than inland places.

How can ocean currents shape a region’s climate?

Ocean currents transport heat, warming or cooling nearby coasts and influencing regional rainfall and winds.

How can mountains create wetter and drier areas nearby?

Mountains can force moist air upward, bringing rain to one side and drier conditions to the other.