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GEOG 1250
Geography (Weather & Climate) final exam study material
70
Geography
Undergraduate 1
05/01/2012

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Cards

Term
What are the major greenhouse gases?
Definition

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Methane (CH4)

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

Term
What are the effects of global warming?
Definition
  • Climate/Tempature change
  • Major shift in agricultural areas
  • Ice Loss
  • Sea Levels Rise
Term
What factors are involved in climate change?
Definition
  1. Insolation intensity
  2. Earth's orbit
  3. Land surface changes
  4. Atmospheric aerosol composition
Term
Acid deposition are mainly caused by the release of what gases into the atmosphere?
Definition
Sulfur and nitrogen
Term
What evidence is there that climate change is happening?
Definition
  • Mean global air tempature has increased
  • Sea Levels have increased
  • Permafrost has warmed
  • Increased frequency in extreme weather
Term
Kyoto Protocol
Definition
an internation debate on how 38 industrialized countries agreed to reduce their emissions of greenhouse gases to below 1990 levels.
Term
Obliquity
Definition
changes in the angle that Earth's axis makes with the plane of its orbit cause variations in seasonal temperature contrasts.
Term
Precession
Definition
the wobbling of Earth's axis over a period of about 26,000 years results in variations in seasonal temperature contrasts.
Term
Eccentricity
Definition
variations in the shape of Earth's orbit (which occur on a cycle of 90-100 thousand years) cause variations in the difference between aphelion and perihelion, which causes variations in the amount of solar energy received at those times.
Term
Sunspot activity tends to follow a cycle of roughly how many years?
Definition
11 years
Term
How are past climates determined?
Definition
  1. Remnant landforms
  2. Features associated with ice and water
  3. Coral reefs
  4. Past vegetation
  5. Relic soils
Term
Climate
Definition
long-term statistical properties of the atmosphere.
Term
Describe the general criteria by which the Koppen system delineates climates?
Definition
The climatic zones delineated by the Köppen system generally correspond to characteristic networks of species that have evolved to survive the region's seasonal temperature changes, precipitation fluctuations, and weather events.
Term
The Koppen scheme for classifying climates emplys annual and monthly averages of what variables?
Definition
Temperature and rainfall
Term
What are the five major climate groups according to Koppen? How do they differ?
Definition
  1. Tropical Climates
  2. Dry
  3. Mild Midlatitude
  4. Severe Midlatitude
  5. Polar

they differ in temperature and precipitation.

Term
Where are the various dry climates located in the world, and what geographical characteristics cause them to occur where they do?
Definition

-located in the subsidence area

 

Term
What type of climate is defined by precipitation and potential evaporation?
Definition
Dry climate
Term
What climate type covers the largest amount of the Earth's land?
Definition
Dry Climates
Term
A Climograph
Definition
a graphical representation of basic climatic parameters, that is monthly average temperature and precipitation, at a certain location. It is used for a quick-view of the climate of a location.
Term
Be sure you can determine the hemisphere of a location given its climograph.
Definition
Term
Where is permafrost found?
Definition
tundra biomes or artic lands in Canada, Greenland, Scandinavia, and Russia.
Term
In what parts of the U.S. would you find a Mediterranean climate? A Marine West Coast climate?
Definition
Term
Describe how the Bermuda high influences the climate of the eastern Unites States.
Definition
Term
Describe how the Icelandic low modifies the climate of the United States.
Definition
Term
A Dropsonde
Definition
a weather reconnaissance device designed to be dropped from an aircraft at altitude to more accurately measure (and therefore track) tropical storm conditions as the device falls to the surface.
Term
In what quadrant of a hurricane (in the northern hemisphere) do most tornadoes often form?
Definition
Right-front
Term
Where do hurricanes gain most of their energy?
Definition
Warm ocean water
Term
The hurricane season in Australia occurs between which months?
Definition
October and early April
Term
Hurricanes generally need water temperatures of what value to form?
Definition
26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit) or higher
Term
When are hurricanes most likely to form?
Definition
the 1st June to the 30th of November over tropical oceans
Term
What region of the world has the highest average number of hurricanes per year?
Definition
Atlantic Region
Term
What is the weather like within the eye wall of the a hurricane?
Definition
Strong winds and wild thunderstorms
Term
What is the weather like within the eye of a hurricane?
Definition
Light winds and clear skies
Term
Storm Surge
Definition
an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones.
Term
Why is the right-hand side of a hurricane (relative to the direction of movement) the most dangerous?
Definition
Because wind speeds combine with the speed of the storm’s movement to create the area of highest potential impact.
Term
What feature associated with hurricanes causes the greatest destruction to coastal regions?
Definition
Term
Is there a "typical" path that hurricanes take after forming?
Definition
Term
Describe the characteristics that distinguish tropical disturbances, tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes from one another.
Definition
Term
Hurricanes generally develop within which latitudinal zones?
Definition
Term
Describe the Saffir-Simpson scale.
Definition
Term
The fastes wind speeds and greatest storm surge occur in what part of a hurricane?
Definition
Term
A hurricane must have sustained wind speeds of at least __ mph or ____ km/hr.
Definition
Term
At what stage of development do hurricanes first receive an offical name?
Definition
Term
What are hurricanes called in Australia? Japn? Bangladesh? Taiwan?
Definition
Term
What are the three stages involved in the development of a thunderstorm?
Definition
Term
What U.S. state has the highest tornado density?
Definition
Term
Stepped Leader
Definition
Term
Thunder
Definition
Term
Tornado
Definition
Term
Supercell Storm
Definition
Term
What is the first observable step in the development of a tornado?
Definition
Term
Why is North America susceptible to tornadoes?
Definition
Term
Cloud-to-ground lightning makes up what % of all lightning?
Definition
Term
Cloud-to-cloud lightning makes up what % of all lightning?
Definition
Term
Which U.S. state experiences the most thunderstorms each year?
Definition
Term
Which U.S. state experiences the most tornadoes each year?
Definition
Term
What is tornado alley?
Definition
Term
Which months are tornadoes most frequent?
Definition
Term
Describe the Fujita scale.
Definition
Term
What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
Definition
Term
The most violent storms on the surface of the Earth are:
Definition
Hurricanes
Term
Tornadoes most often move TOWARDS what direction?
Definition
Northwest
Term
In the United States, tornadoes are most likely to occur in the month:
Definition
May
Term
In the United States, thunderstorms are most frequent in:
Definition
Oklahoma
Term
Thunder:
Definition
Results from the explosive expansion of air.
Term
Tornado alley is:
Definition
Texas-Oklahoma-Kansas-Nebraska
Term
The Fujita Scale
Definition
Classifies the severity of a tornado, based on the correlation of wind speed with the degree of destruction.
Term
The upper part of the thunderstorm cloud is normally ____ charged, and the middle and lower parts are ____ charged.
Definition
positively, negatively
Term
The terms leader, flash, and stroke are used when describing:
Definition
Lightning
Term
Why do most tornadoes in the central U.S. occur during the spring months?
Definition
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