Effects on Climate Weather changes in temperature wind air etc over a short period of time Climate weather patterns in a particular area over many years The suns rays do not hit the Earth evenly So air and water help distribute the suns heat over the entire world ID: 642522
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Slide1
Climate Regions and Human-Environment InteractionSlide2
Effects on Climate
Weather – changes in temperature, wind, air, etc. over a short period of time
Climate – weather patterns in a particular area over many years.
The sun’s rays do not hit the Earth evenly. So air and water help distribute the sun’s heat over the entire world.Slide3
WindsSlide4
Winds
Warm air in the tropics move towards the colder poles. This creates
prevailing winds
, major wind systems that follow patterns that are similar over time.
These prevailing winds begin to curve because of the planets rotation.
Warm air (high pressure system) moves towards cooler air (low pressure systems). The air wants to reach an equilibrium.Slide5
Ocean Currents
Currents
– steady flowing streams of water in the world’s seas.
Very similar to prevailing winds.
Currents carry warm water to the higher latitudes. They then begin to fall when they begin to cool off.Slide6Slide7
Local Winds
Local winds
– winds patterns that are typical for a certain area.
These are created by different landforms.
Canyons winds, ocean windsSlide8
Mountains, Temperature, and Rainfall
Rain shadow
– mountains block rainfall from reaching other areas
Warm, moist air rises to get over a mountain. As it does, it cools releasing its moisture as rain.
The other side of the mountain is very dry. This is called the rain shadow.
The rain shadow side of the mountain is very dry and hot.Slide9Slide10Slide11
Climate Zones
Why do different parts of the world have similar climates? Give examples.
Climate zones
– similar patterns of temperature and precipitation
These regions also have similar vegetation.
Biomes
– particular plants and animals that have adapted to a particular climate zone.
Utah has three major climate zones
Desert – 33%
Highland – 24 %
Steppe – 43
%Slide12
Human-Environment Interaction: Air Pollution
Smog
– chemicals combined with the ozone. Mostly in major cities and can cause breathing problems.
Acid Rain
– chemicals combined with precipitation. Can kill animals and trees and eat away at buildings.
CFCs –
chloroflourocarbons
. These are manmade chemicals that destroy the ozone layer.
Many nations today are trying to outlaw CFCs.
Which nation is not participating?Slide13Slide14
Greenhouse Effect
Greenhouse effect
– gasses in the atmosphere trap the sun’s rays and warm the planet.
This is a natural process, but most scientists (97.1% of them!) believe that human pollution is strengthening the effect.
There is much debate over this issue…
So let’s debate!Slide15Slide16
Lithosphere
Deforestation
– cutting down forests without replanting.
Over farming a land and deforestation leads to the loss of the top soil.
Crop Rotation
– changing of what is planted each year to allow the soil to regenerate.
This helps protect the topsoil.Slide17
How to save our planet
Conservation
– careful use of resources
Protecting our
ecosystems
and
biodiversity
.
Not using harmful pesticides of CFCs.
What easy things
can you do?