Chapter 3
Climates of the Earth
• Earth-Sun Relationship
o Climate and Weather
 Weather- _________ time period
 Climate- ____________ time period
o Earth’s Tilt and _____________
 Tilt is one reason for the ________________ in sunlight
 Because of the tilt of the __________ not all places on the planet receive the same
about of ____________ sunlight
 Angle of the tilt affects the _________________. Measured in degrees on a set scale.
 Also depends on whether or not the __________ of the planet is facing the sun.
 __________________ on its axis making one complete rotation every 24 hours.
• Earth’s Revolution
o Also traveling in an ____________ around the sun. To complete one trip around the sun it takes
a few hours over ___________ days
o Revolution and tilt changes the ____________ and amount of sunlight. Follow a regular
pattern which are our ______________.
o Seasons are ________________ in northern and southern hemispheres.
o ___________- March ______- sun’s rays fall directly on _________ making day and night equal.
o Tropic of Cancer and Capricorn
 Sun’s rays directly hit the Tropic of ___________ at 23 ½ °N. It is the most northern
point to receive ___________ sunlight. June _______- Northern Hemisphere- longest
day of _____________. Solstice- beginning of summer
 September 22- _________. Sun is directly over the Equator again. Start of _____ in the
North.
 Tropic of ___________- 23 ½ °S. southern most area to receive _________ sunlight.
December ____. Winter Solstice. Shortest day and the start of _________ in Northern
Hemisphere.
o The Poles
 For _______ months out of the year, one pole is ______________ directly at the sun
and receives constant ____________ while the other is in complete darkness.
 __________- March 20 to September 23rd.
 _______________- September 23- March 20th
• Greenhouse Effect
o Only ________ of sun’s radition passes through atmosphere. Reflects some back into space
o __________ acts like the glass in a greenhouse. It ___________ sun’s energy for growing plants
even in the winter
o Without this it would be too _______ to live on Earth. Atmosphere provides the right amount
____________ to promote life here on earth.
o _____% of radiation that makes it through is converted to ___________ radition or heat. Clouds
and greenhouse gases __________ the heat reflected by earth and raditate back again so a
balance occurs.
o ___________ warming- rise in atmospheric _________ levels causes a rise in temperatures.
o Things like burning fossil __________ release more cabron dioxide which traps more heat.
Make weather ____________ more extreme. Not everyone agrees with the theory.
• Factors Affecting Climate
o Latitude Within each of the _______________ zones the climate follows a general pattern
o Low latitudes:
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Between 30° S and 30 ° N.
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Includes the Tropic of ____________, the Equator and the Tropic of Cancer
•
Part of it receive _____________ sunlight all year round
•
Warm to hot ____________
o High latitudes:
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60 ° N and 90 ° N and 60 ° S and 90 ° S. _____________ areas.
•
________________ but indirect sunlight when tilted towards the sun.
•
__________ Circle- 66 1/2 ° N and _______________ Circle- 66 1/2 ° S
o Mid-latitudes:
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___________ weather found here. Between 30 ° N and 60 ° S and 30 ° S and 60 ° S.
•
Generally have a ____________ climate- ranges from fairly cold to fairly hot
•
Warm/hot and cold/cold air ______________ affect weather throughout the year
• Factors Affecting Climate
o Elevation
 Relationship between the __________ of a place and its temperature. This happens no
matter the ___________
 Atmosphere _________ as altitude increases. Thinner air is less dense and keeps less
__________.
 As elevation increases the ____________ drops 3.5 ° F for each 1,000 feet.
 Ecuador- city of __________ is nearly on the Equator. Lies in the __________ at an
elevation of more than _________ feet. Average temps are 32 ° F
 ____________ is also brighter in these places because there is less __________ to filter
the rays. Sun does not always equal _______________ in these places.
• Wind and Ocean Currents
o _______ moving across surface is called wind. Happens when sunlight ___________ surface
unevenly. Rising _________ air creates areas of low pressure and sinking cool air causes areas
of __________ pressure. Cool air replaces the __________ air. Winds distribute sun’s energy
around the ___________.
o Wind Patterns
 ____________ air moves towards the Poles and the polar air moving towards the
__________.
 ________________ Winds- global winds. Determined by __________ and is affeced by
___________ movement.
 Because Earth __________ the winds in the Northern Hemisphere rotate clockwise and
counterclockwise in the ______________ Hemisphere.
 ______________ effect causes the winds to blow diagonally rather than along
____________ lines.
o Horse Latitudes
 At Equator winds either go ________ or south. There is a windless band called the
_________.
 Two other bands of calm air ___________ the globe. Just north of Tropic of Cancer and
just ___________ of Tropic of Capricorn.
 Called ___________ latitudes because during the times of actual sailing they feared
getting caught in these and threw ____________ overboard to catch even the slightest
breeze.
o Ocean Currents
 __________ and warm streams of water, known as currents, also move in patterns.
 Caused by some of the same ________- rotation, changes in air pressure, differences in
___________ temperature.
 Coriolis effect is also present in __________ currents.
 Warm water currents start in the _________ areas and then warm as they move closer
to the Equator. ___________ happens for the cold currents.
 Ocean currents affect the ____________ along the coastlines. North Atlantic Current
flows along _________ Europe giving it a mild climate despite the high latitude.
o Weather and Water Cycle
 Wind and water work together to affect ________________.
 Warmer temperatures create _____________ which creates percipitation which causes
___________ temperatures.
o El Niño
 Climate is all affected by events that ______________ weather patterns.
 Most famous is El Niño. ______________ change in pattern of ocean currents, water
temperatures and ____________ in the mid-Pacific regions.
 Not every year but has increased over the past ___________ years.
 Normally low ____________ pressure over western Pacific rises and the normally high
pressure over the eastern ____________ drops. Causes __________ winds to slow or
reverse direction. __________ equatorial ocean currents
 ____________ climates around the world. Precipitation ___________, warms winters,
increases chances for floods. ______________ and massive forest fires.
• Landforms and Climate
o ___________ or presence of landforms can change climates even when they are in the same
latitude.
o Large bodies of water are ____________ to heat and to cool than land
o Water temperatures are more ___________ and constant than land temperatures.
o Coastal lands most affected. Less changeable weather than ____________ areas
o ___________ ranges affect precipiation and climate. Winds push __________ when they meet
mountains. Rising air cools and releases ______________ on the windward side. After this
winds become drier and warmer as they come down the __________ side
o Produces __________ shadow- hot dry air with little precipiation. Makes dry areas, even
___________ on the leeward side of mountains.
• Climate Regions
o Climate regions are broken down into ___________ regions.
o Each region has its own soils and ____________ vegetation
o Tropic Climates
 In or near _______ latitudes. Most widespread climates are tropical wet and
__________ dry.
 Tropical _________- average temperature of 80°F. warm ________ air is saturated with
moisture. Rains almost every day. Yearly rainfall is about ______ inches. Very rich soil
and lots of ___________ life. Rain forest vegetation grows in thick layers. Canopy.
___________ River basin. Parts of South America, the Caribbean, Asia and Africa
 Tropical _______- dry winters and ________ summers. High year round temperatures.
Few trees exist. __________. Found in Africa, Central and South America, Asia and
Australia
o Dry Climates
 Occurs in __________ and mid latitudes.
 _________- dry areas with almost no vegetation. Yearly does not exceed ____ inches.
Temperatures vary widely. Occur in just under 1/3rd of Earth’s ________ land area.
____________ extends over almost the entire northern third of Africa. Natural
vegetation is scrub and cactus. Some times have ____________.
 __________- border the deserts. Dry, largely treeless. Rainfall average ___________
inches a year. Largest _________ stretches across eastern Europe and western and
central Asia. North and South America, Africa and Australia.
o Mid-latitude Climates
 __________ temperate climates. Variable weather patterns and seasonal changes.
____________ of natural vegetation.
 _________ West Coast- 30°N and 60°N and 30°S and 60°S. Pacific coast of North
America. ________ winds bring cool summers and damp cool winters. Has both
___________ and coniferous trees.
 ________________- land surrounding Mediterranean Sea. Mild rainy _________ and
hot sunny summers. Tickets of _________ bushes and short trees. Any coastal midlatitude areas with similar ____________ and vegetation. Southwest Australia.
 ____________________- southeastern U.S. short, mild winters and year round rain.
Wind ___________ and high pressure keep humidity high. __________ and forests of
evergreen and deciduous trees.
 ________________________- landforms influence climate more than other _________.
Inland areas. Further north you go the ____________ and more severe the winters and
shorter and cooler the summers are. ____________ similar to marine west coast with
more deciduous trees.
o High-Latitude Climates
 ______________ temperatures throughout the year. Vegetation is limited
 ___________ climate- South of Arctic Circle. Bitterly cold winters, summers short and
cold. Widest temperature ranges. 120°f. ______________.

____________- closer to the Poles. Bitter cold and darkness for several months. Long
summer days with limited ____________ effects. Little vegeations. Snow and ice, some
times __________ miles thick, constantly cover the ice cap areas.
o Highland Climates
 These areas have ____________ characteristics of the high latitude climates because of
elevation.
 _______________ elevation, the cooler temperatures.
 Vegetation also varies. Mixed forests at the __________ of the mountains. Higher up
are _______________ with small trees, shrubs, and wildflowers.
• Climate Changes
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Climates change ____________ over time
___________ ages affect climate.
Human _______________ with the environnent also affects climate.
Fossil fuels, acid rain, smog, __________ diversions.