Climate

Question 1

What is climate?

Answer 1

Climate is the average pattern of temperature, precipitation, wind, and clouds in an area over many years.

Question 2

How is climate different from weather?

Answer 2

Weather describes conditions at a specific time and place, while climate describes long-term patterns over many years.

Question 3

What two main factors do scientists use to classify climates?

Answer 3

Temperature and precipitation.

Question 4

Do climate regions have sharp, clear borders?

Answer 4

No. Climate regions blend gradually into one another.

Question 5

How does latitude affect temperature?

Answer 5

Places near the equator receive more direct sunlight and are warmer, while places near the poles receive less direct sunlight and are colder.

Question 6

What are the three main temperature zones on Earth?

Answer 6

Tropical (warm year-round), Temperate (seasonal changes), and Polar (cold year-round).

Question 7

How does altitude affect temperature?

Answer 7

Temperature decreases as altitude increases, dropping about 6.5°C for every kilometer above sea level.

Question 8

How do large bodies of water affect climate?

Answer 8

Oceans and lakes make nearby land temperatures milder, while inland areas have more extreme hot and cold temperatures.

Question 9

How do ocean currents influence climate?

Answer 9

Warm or cold ocean currents change nearby air temperatures and weather patterns.

Question 10

What three main factors influence precipitation?

Answer 10

Prevailing winds, mountain ranges, and seasonal winds such as monsoons.

Question 11

What is a rain shadow?

Answer 11

A dry area on the leeward side of a mountain where little precipitation falls.

Question 12

What causes Earth’s seasons?

Answer 12

The tilt of Earth’s axis as it orbits the sun.

Question 13

What are the six major climate regions on Earth?

Answer 13

Tropical rainy, Dry, Temperate marine, Temperate continental, Polar, and Highlands.

Question 14

What is a tropical wet climate like?

Answer 14

It is hot year-round with heavy rainfall and rain forests.

Question 15

What is a tropical wet-and-dry climate like?

Answer 15

It is hot year-round with rainy and dry seasons and grasslands called savannas.

Question 16

What defines a dry climate?

Answer 16

Evaporation is greater than precipitation.

Question 17

What are arid regions commonly called?

Answer 17

Deserts.

Question 18

What is a steppe climate?

Answer 18

A dry region that gets enough rain for short grasses and small bushes.

Question 19

What is a temperate marine climate like?

Answer 19

It is humid with mild winters and cool or warm rainy seasons, usually near oceans.

Question 20

Why are temperatures mild in temperate marine climates?

Answer 20

Ocean water moderates nearby air temperatures.

Question 21

Where are temperate continental climates found?

Answer 21

On continents in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 22

What are temperate continental climates like?

Answer 22

They have changing weather, hot summers, and very cold winters.

Question 23

What is a subarctic climate like?

Answer 23

It has short, cool summers and long, bitterly cold winters.

Question 24

What is the polar climate like?

Answer 24

It is the coldest climate region, found near the poles with ice caps and tundra.

Question 25

Why do few plants grow in polar regions?

Answer 25

Temperatures stay at or below freezing and the soil is permanently frozen.

Question 26

What is permanently frozen tundra soil called?

Answer 26

Permafrost.

Question 27

How are highland climates different from nearby regions?

Answer 27

They are colder because temperature decreases with altitude.

Question 28

What is the climate above the tree line similar to?

Answer 28

Polar climate conditions.

Question 29

What evidence shows long-term climate change?

Answer 29

Pollen, fossils, tree rings, glaciers, and ice ages.

Question 30

What evidence shows short-term climate change?

Answer 30

Ozone depletion, CFCs, and rising carbon dioxide levels.

Question 31

What are natural causes of climate change?

Answer 31

Changes in Earth’s position, sunspots, volcanoes, and plate tectonics.

Question 32

What are human causes of climate change?

Answer 32

Burning fossil fuels, pollution, and deforestation.

Question 33

Why is Earth getting warmer today?

Answer 33

Extra greenhouse gases trap more heat in the atmosphere.

Question 34

What is the greenhouse effect?

Answer 34

Heat from the sun is trapped by gases in Earth’s atmosphere, warming the planet.

Question 35

Is the greenhouse effect helpful or harmful?

Answer 35

It is both—natural warming makes life possible, but too much warming causes climate change.

Question 36

How do scientists know carbon dioxide levels are higher than in the past?

Answer 36

Measurements of the atmosphere and ice core records show increasing carbon dioxide.

Question 37

Why are humans responsible for most current global warming?

Answer 37

Human activities release large amounts of greenhouse gases that trap heat.

Question 38

What is biomass energy?

Answer 38

Energy made from plants or organic material that can replace fossil fuels.

Question 39

What is methane capture?

Answer 39

Collecting methane gas from waste and using it as energy instead of letting it enter the atmosphere.

Question 40

What are three ways people can reduce carbon dioxide emissions?

Answer 40

Save energy, use cleaner transportation, and reduce waste.

Question 41

What are major global concerns caused by climate change?

Answer 41

Rising temperatures, melting ice, sea-level rise, extreme weather, and damage to ecosystems.