Chapter 3 - Climate and Vegetation
Section 1 – Seasons and Weather
A. The ___________ of the earth and its _________________ around the sun give us seasons
1. The Tropic of ______________ and the Tropic of ______________________ mark the
points farthest north and south that the sun’s rays shine directly overhead at noon
2. The days on which this happens are the ___________________
 Longest and shortest days of the year
 Beginning of summer and winter
3. Twice a year, on the ________________, day and night are equal all over the world
 Beginning of spring and fall
B. Weather: condition of the atmosphere at a particular location and time
1. ________________: weather conditions at a particular location over a long period of time
2. Weather is the complex result of several conditions including:
 Amount of _________________ energy received
 Amount of _______________ ________________ in the air
 Cloud cover
 Landforms and bodies of __________________
 ________________________
 Air movement
C. _________________________: falling water droplets in the form of rain, sleet, snow, or hail
1. There are three types of precipitation:
 ___________________________: sun heats moist air causing afternoon rain
 ___________________________: falls on the windward side of hills or mountains
 ___________________: cold fronts force warm, moist air up where it cools and
produces precipitation
2. Rain Shadow: land on the leeward side of a mountain receives little precipitation due to
process of orographic precipitation
D. Extreme weather
1. ________________________: huge storms that form over warm tropical ocean waters
 Called _____________________ in the Pacific
2. _____________________: a powerful funnel-shaped column of spiraling air.
3. _____________________: a heavy snowstorm with wind of 35 miles per hour
4. _____________________: a long period of time with little or no rain.
5. _______________: when water spreads over land not normally covered with water.
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Section 2 - Climate
A. Factors affecting climate:
1. Wind and ________________ currents help distribute the sun’s heat from one part of the
world to another through convection
2. _____________________: the transfer of heat in the atmosphere by the upward motion
of air
3. Ocean ___________________ are like rivers running through the oceans
 Affect temperature and precipitation on the continents
B. Geographers divide the earth into three general zones of ___________________
1. Low-Latitude Tropical Zone: Tropic of Caner to the Tropic of Cancer
 Hot all year
 Precipitation varies with _______________ patterns
2. High Latitude Polar Zones: circle the _______________ ____________and South Pole
above 66° latitude
 Cold most of the year
 Highs may reach 50° F in ____________________
3. Middle Latitude Temperate Zones: between the tropics and 66°
 Climates vary greatly between _________________ and _______________
4. Elevation and topography also affect climate
C. Causes of Climate Variation:
1. _______________ in the Earth’s orbit
2. Variations in solar radiation
3. Variations in the Earth’s tilt
4. Changes in atmospheric composition
5. Changes in location of ___________________________
6. Volcanic eruptions have dramatic effects on _______________
 Effects seldom last more than a few years
7. Sunspot activity drastically affects electronic equipment
 It may also affect Earth’s _______________, but more information is needed.
D. Scientists believe deep-sea currents in the Pacific Ocean affect climate in a 2-5 year cycle
1. _____ ____________: easterly winds over the Pacific change direction
 Blow toward the Americas
 Brings heavy _____________ to the Americas
 Causes dry conditions in Australia and Asia
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2. La Nina: reverse or “normal” wind pattern
 Blow toward Australia and _____________
 Heavy rain in Australia and Asia
 Dry conditions in the Americas
E. Greenhouse effect: trapping of solar radiation by the earth’s _______________________
1. Makes the planet warm enough to sustain life
Section 3 – World Climate Regions
A. The two most significant factors in defining a climate are
1. _______________________
2. Precipitation
3. Other important elements include:
 Location on a _______________________
 Topography
 _____________________
B. USE ORGANIZER FOR CLIMATE REGIONS
Section 4 – Soils and Vegetation
A. Soil: a thin layer of weathered _____________, _____________, air, and water
1. The world’s food supply depends on the top six inches of soil, called ________________
B. _____________, temperature, and moisture influence the type of vegetation that thrives
naturally in a region
1. Vegetation patterns are identified on the basis of the ecosystems they support
 __________________: an interdependent system community of plants and animals
 _______________: the ecosystem of a region
C. Biomes are further divided into:
1. __________________: categorized by the trees they support
 Deciduous: lose their leaves in the fall and grow new ones in spring
 Rain Forest: found in the tropics; stay green all year
 __________________: cone bearing
2. _______________________: mostly flat regions dotted with a few trees
 Called by different names; savanna, steppe, prairie, and pampas
3. __________________: little rain, can be “hot” or “cold”, sandy or rocky
 Cactus and sagebrush tolerate heat and need little water to thrive
4. _______________: cold much of the year
 Low, hardy vegetation
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