Chapter 6 science test

climate

the type of weather patterns that a place has, on average over a long period of time (50-100 years)

weather

a term that describes the condition of the atmosphere in terms of temperature, wind, and atmospheric pressure

biomes

a major climate region with particular plants and animal communities. Earth has 6 important biomes

humidity

a measure of how much water vapor is in the air

latitude

a line that goes side to side, used to record exact locations

longitude

a line that goes up and down, used to record exact locations

altitude

the vertical distance (height) or (elevation) above a baseline such as sea level

biodiversity

the variety of life in a defined area

adaptations

an inherited trait that helps organisms survive

desert

a climate region that averages less than 35cm of rainfall per year

rain shadow effect

moist air rises and travels up a mountain then cools, so there is very little moisture left

grassland

climate regions with too little rainfall to support a forest

temperate forest

climate regions with large trees in the mid latitudes that have four seasons

deciduous

trees loosing leaves at the end of growing season

tropical rainforest

climate regions found near the equator that have a lot of rainfall and high biodiversity

tiaga

the largest climate region found in the higher latitudes also known as the boreal or coniferous forest

coniferous

a tree that makes pine cones

tundra (arctic and alpine)

a climate region located in the high latitudes known as the coldest land biome

permafrost

a frozen layer of ground which has a layer of soil above it

carbon sink

anything that stores more carbon dioxide that gets released into the atmosphere

latitude, precipitation, elevation, topogrophy, distance from a large body of water

what are the factors that affect climate

the sun

what is the major source of energy for weather

deserts, grasslands, tiagas, tundras, temperature decidous forests, tropical rainforests

what are the 6 main land biomes

near the equator because this is where the sun is closest to being above our heads year round

Where is the earth hottest and why

if a region is near water, it wont have hot or cold water because water cools and heats fast (high specific heat)

How does water (humidity, precipitation, proximity to large bodies of water) affect biomes and climate

30, 30, 35

Most deserts are found between ____°N and _____°S and receive less than ______cm of rainfall per year.

rainshadow- caused by the rain shadow effect

Fog- moisture filled air comes from the ocean, small amounts of rain, very windy

name and explain the two types of deserts

on every continent except for antarctica

where are grasslands found

Savannahs (tropical)- 2 seasons wet and dry, 50-127cm of rainfall per year

Temperate- 4 seasons 50-89cm of rainfall per year

Differentiate between the two types of grasslands

Steppe, outback, veld, prarie

What other names are used to describe grasslands around the world?

middle latitude regions

Where are temperate deciduous forests found?

75-150

The annual average rainfall in a temperate deciduous forest is ____ to _____ cm.

no, its the only forest with 4 seasons. The savannahs have wet and dry season

Is the temperate deciduous forest the only biome to have seasons? Explain.

23.5,23.5, equator

Tropical rainforests found between _____ °N and _____°S (near the _____________).

bannanas, cocoa, coffee, vanilla, cinnimon, coconut

What are some foods that are only found in the rainforest

because land gets cleared, land topsoil washes away causing unusable farming land

Why is destruction of the tropical rainforests a problem for the whole world

boreal, coniferous

The taiga may also be called a ________________ or ______________ forest.

50, 70

The taiga is found between _____° and _____°N.

40-100cm

How much precipitation does the taiga get?

Vegetation

Taiga is the Russian word for

evergreen trees with needle like leaves

What kinds of trees grow in the taiga

the air spaces in between snow crystals prevents the ground underneath from loosing more and more heat

how can snow keep things warm

Tundra

What is the coldest biome on Earth

treeless land

Tundra is from a Finnish word, meaning

Alpine- high altitude, in the mid latitudes

Arctic- near the arctic cirlce 66.5 N

What is the difference between an alpine tundra and the Arctic tundra

permafrost is frozen ground which has a small layer of soil over it and its called a carbon sink because it stores more carbon dioxide than is released in the atmosphere

What is permafrost, and why is it called a “carbon sink?”