Grade 9 Geography Chapter 11 - Climate Connections 1. Define: Weather. 2. In what way has weather affected your activities in the last two weeks? 3. Define: Climate. 4. Canada s climate is a function of (1) its north-south location [Latitude], (2) the different elevations of the land [Relief and Elevation], (3) the coastal region versus inland location [Continental and Maritime Environments], and (4) wind and pressure systems [Winds and Pressure Systems]. [FYI] 5. What are the most southerly and most northerly locations in Canada? What are the latitudes for each location? Compare the average annual temperature for o each of these locations relative to that of Yellowknife (62 N). What is the range of the average annual temperature between the most northerly and most southerly points? Why does the temperature change between these points? 6. How is the average annual temperature calculated? 7. Define: Relief (in the context of geography) 8. What effect do mountain ranges have on the weather? Discuss using Vancouver and Calgary as examples. 9. What is the difference between degrees Celsius and Celsius degrees? 10. How does the temperature change as you go from the bottom to the top of a mountain? Why? Draw a diagram (using text and arrows) illustrating what happens. 11. Work through the calculations shown in Figure 12-4 on p. 130 in the text. Note that the 0 0 rate of cooling in dry air (or before evaporation begins) is 1C per 100 m and 0.6 C per 100 m when evaporation occurs. Now, work through the same process using the following examples: (a) (d) How far will the air rise before condensation begins? How much will the temperature drop in this distance? How far will the air rise to reach the top of the mountain after condensation begins? What is the temperature at the top of the mountain? [geog9c12-climate-ay67-handout-qa-v001.wpd] Page 1 of 5
Example 10.1: 1. Sea level temperature = 40 C 2. Condensation begins at 1,000 metres 3. Height of mountain = 3,000 metres Example 10.2: 4. Sea level temperature = 10 C 5. Condensation begins at 1,500 metres 6. Height of mountain = 4,000 metres 12. What area of land has a continental climate? 13. Why is the temperature range great in a continental climate? 14. What area of land has a maritime climate? 15. What is the nature of the temperature range in a maritime climate? 16. How do bodies of water have a moderating effect on land temperatures? 17. In a relative sense, compare the winter and summer temperatures of a continental location versus a maritime location near a large body of water. 18. Why does Hudson Bay not significantly moderate the temperatures of the land areas surrounding it? 19. Exam Figure 12-7 on p. 131 in the text. (a) What is the difference between a maritime moisture content versus a continental moisture content? What is the difference with respect to tropical temperatures, polar temperatures, and arctic temperatures? Notice the combinations of the moisture content and temperature in the diagram (i.e., mt, mp, ct, ca). Draw a 2 x 3 matrix (Moisture Content x Temperature). What cell combinations are shown in Figure 12-2? Which cell combinations are empty? Why? 20. What happens when the Labrador Current (cold) meets the Warm Gulf Stream? [geog9c12-climate-ay67-handout-qa-v001.wpd] Page 2 of 5
0 0 21. On a map of Canada, locate and draw in the 55 N and 66 N latitude positions. This identifies the location of the Polar temperatures. 22. (a) How do ocean currents affect climate? (d) (e) How does the North Pacific Current affect the climate of British Columbia? (see Figure 12-7, p. 132) How does the Labrador current affect the climate of Labrador and northern Newfoundland? (see Figure 12-7, p. 131) How does the Gulf Stream affect the climate of Nova Scotia and southern Newfoundland? (see Figure 12-7, p. 131) What happens where the Labrador Current and the Gulf Stream meet off the Grand Banks of Newfoundland? 23. How does one determine if a current is cold or warm? 24. What is an air mass? How do the climate conditions where a land mass is formed affect the nature of an air mass? 25. Define: fog, precipitation 26 Compare the typical seasonal temperatures, annual temperature range, and annual precipitation of a continental climate to that of a maritime climate (see Figure 12-8, p. 132). 27. What term is used to refer to the weight of air? 28. What is air pressure? What is the cause of different air pressures? What is meant by an area of low pressure? an area of high pressure? 29. What measurement unit is used to measure air pressure? What is the average air pressure at sea level? What happens to the air pressure at a higher elevation? Why? 30. What is the cause of wind in the atmosphere? 31. What is meant by prevailing winds? 32. In what direction do the prevailing winds blow over most of Canada and the U.S.? What name is given to these winds? [geog9c12-climate-ay67-handout-qa-v001.wpd] Page 3 of 5
33. An air mass forms over Arctic Canada in the winter. What will it be like? How does it move across Canada? 34. An air mass comes from the Gulf of Mexico. What will it be like when it moves across Canada? 35. Draw a diagram illustrating how differences in air pressure produces wind. Label the diagram completely. Explain your diagram and what happens (see Figure 12-9, p. 133). 36. What is the name given to the boundary between cold, dry polar air and moist, tropical air? 37. What is the polar-front jet stream? In what direction does it flow? What is its air speed? At what altitude is it located? 38. The jet stream encircles the Earth and changes speed and position with the seasons. With respect to North America, explain what happens in the winter and explain what happens in the summer. How do the warm and cold air masses get along? What is the result? 39. What happens to the temperature of air as it rises? What happens to the moisture content of air as it cools? Define: condense, evaporate. 40. There are different reasons why air rises. Explain how each of the following comes about, as air rises: relief precipitation, convectional precipitation, and cyclonic precipitation. 41. Explain how mountain barriers (or even hilly areas) cause relief precipitation, eventually resulting in rain or snow 42. How is moisture content of the air usually measured? How is humidity determined? 43. What is dew? frost? 44. How does convectional precipitation (frontal precipitation) develop? Explain what happens. [The reference to convection should give you a clue that heat is involved.] 45. How can you determine how many times a hailstone was uplifted? 46. Cyclonic storms (mid-latitude cyclones) often develop under the polar-front jet stream - here, the cold, dry arctic air is separated from the warm, moist tropical air by the front. What is a cyclonic storm? How does it develop? 47. In what direction do cyclonic storms move in North America? [geog9c12-climate-ay67-handout-qa-v001.wpd] Page 4 of 5
48. What type of storm is responsible for most of the precipitation in the Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, and Atlantic Canada, especially in the winter? 49. What type of storm is common on the west coast of Canada? Why? Why are they not common in the other parts of Canada (i.e., Prairies, Ontario, Quebec, Atlantic Canada? What is the source of these storms? 50. Answer Question 12(a) on p. 140 in the text. (Note use of Celsius degrees and degrees Celsius.) 51. How does climate affect life in Canada? Some examples can be found on p. 141 of the text. Can you think of other examples? 52. What are the 8 climate regions of Canada? Where is each generally located? In which region are Toronto, Resolute, Yellowknife, Prince George, Vancouver, Timmins, Regina, and Moncton located? [geog9c12-climate-ay67-handout-qa-v001.wpd] Page 5 of 5