Chapter 3 Homework

Chapter 3, Section 1

1. How does Earth’s position in relation to the sun affect temperatures on Earth?

Answer:

Because the Earth is tilted slightly on it's side, not all surfaces of the Earth receive the same amount of sun.  The parts that experience more sunlight and hotter than places that don't.

2. How might global warming affect Earth’s air, land, and water?

Answer:

Global warming causes a rise in CO2 levels and temperatures.  This causes the weather patterns to be more extreme, the soil dehydrating faster, and the water from the oceans and seas will evaporate faster.

Creative Writing:  “Global warming is a natural process and there is nothing we can do to affect the severity or effects of global warming on the environment.” Do you agree or disagree with this statement? Write a paragraph explaining your reasoning.

Answer:

I disagree with this statement.  We can do things to limit the CO2 in the atmosphere, and kind of stop global warming, or at least slow it.  If humans would stop creating so much pollution and carbon waste, stop cutting down forests and using up so much oil, and start recycling what we already have, then we could decrease how much waste we're dumping into our atmosphere, which includes CO2. 

Chapter 3, Section 2

1. How do latitude and elevation affect climate?

Answer:

Latitude can majorly affect the climate of an area.  Low Latitude areas usually receive direct rays of light and have warm to hot climates, whereas high latitudes receiver indirect sunlight that barely heats up the land.  Elevation can also affect the climate.  The higher a certain area is, the less atmosphere there is to retain heat, thus making the climate colder.  Likewise, the lower a certain area is, the more atmosphere retains heat and the hotter the area is.

 

2. What role do wind patterns, ocean currents, and landforms play in Earth’s climates?

Answer:

Wind patterns blow warm winds at lower latitudes and colder winds at higher altitudes.  The ocean currents affect the climate of the land with their temperatures.  Cold ocean currents cool lands when the pass, but warm currents bring warmer temperatures.  When the winds and the currents come together and heat up, the water in the oceans turns into clouds.  When both cool down, it causes rain to fall. 

Once in a while of pressure of the atmosphere drops and cit causes the precipitation to increase along the coasts, increasing risks of floods and changing the climates all over the world.

Land forms can also affect the climate.  Large bodies of water cool down coastal areas and protect them from much climate change.  Big mountains cause air to cool and lose their precipitation on the mountain.  This makes the air hot and dry which causes the dry deserts and valleys on the other sides of the mountains.

Creative Writing: The North Atlantic Current, which warms the shore of western Europe as much as 10˚C in some places, came to a halt for ten days in November of 2004. Researchers are unsure of the cause of the shutdown. What might be some of the consequences for the European climate if the current weakened or shut down permanently?

Answers:

If the current stopped completely, it would be disastrous to the climate.  The currents would no longer bring in cool water or cooler winds, and the coastal areas would experience more change in their weather than they are used to.  The mountain areas would receive less perticipation, killing some fragile wildlife there and damaging economies.  Even the deserts would suffer, receiving even less water than they did before.

Chapter 3, Section 3

1. How do geographers classify the climate regions of the world?

Answer:

Geographers classify the climate regions as tropical, dry, mid latitude, high latitude, and highland based on their soil, vegetation, and temperatures

2. How do recurring phenomena influence climate patterns over time?

Answer:

Recurring phenomena such as volcano eruptions and ice ages can alter the climate drastically.  Volcano eruptions can create dust clouds that reflect sunlight back into space, cooling the atmosphere.  Ice ages can also affect an area.  They carve out valleys and seas, and provide water where there once were dry places.  The water created can cool down an area, or the lower elevations can make the climate warmer. 

Creative Writing: Describe the climate region where you live, including its characteristic soils and natural vegetation. Remember that natural vegetation is the plant life growing where the natural environment is unchanged by human activity

Answer:

Huntington Beach's climate is mild.  The city is built by the beach which cools the land down with frequent ocean currents and  cool wind blown in.  The elevation is near sea level, which means that Huntington Beach has a lot of insulation of heat.  The soil is naturally filled with nutrients since Huntington Beach used to be a swamp where sediment and minerals would stop by before being deposited into the sea.  Unfortunately, since humans have settled down here, the soil where it used to be swamps is now littered with human waste and garbage.  The natural vegetation are ferns, wild grasses, and shrubs.  Everything else you see in Huntington Beach are either alien plants (i.e. clover, daisies) that have attack the natural foliage, or garden plants such as which are planted by house owners.