Earth's Geography and Climate
Introduced| English | Meaning |
|---|---|
| current/ˈkʌrənt/ | A sustained movement of ocean water in a particular direction. |
| rain shadow/reɪn ˈʃædəʊ/ | A relatively dry region on the leeward side of a mountain range, where descending air has lost moisture on the windward side. |
Why places differ
- Two places at the same latitude can have very different climates.
- A coast, a mountain, or a desert each shapes its own weather.
- Geography — the lay of the land — is a powerful climate-maker.
- A few key features explain most local differences.
Latitude and altitude
- Latitude (distance from the equator) sets how direct the Sun is.
- Near the equator it is warm; toward the poles, cold.
- Altitude (height above sea level) matters too — air cools as you climb.
- So a tall mountain can be snow-capped even at the equator.
Desert dunes: latitude, altitude and ocean currents 洋流 shape Earth's climate regions
How does latitude (distance from the equator) affect climate?
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Near the equator the Sun is direct and warm; toward the poles it is slanted and cold.
The rain shadow
- When moist air hits a mountain, it is forced up and drops its rain on the near side.
- The far side, now getting dry air, receives little rain.
- This dry region is called a rain shadow 雨影.
- Many deserts sit in the rain shadow of a mountain range.
As altitude increases (higher up a mountain), the temperature usually…
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Air gets colder with height, so mountain tops are cold even near the equator.
The dry region on the far side of a mountain, where rain rarely falls, is a rain ____.
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A rain shadow forms where a mountain forces air to drop its rain on one side, leaving the other dry.
The moderating ocean
- Water heats and cools much more slowly than land.
- So a large ocean current or sea nearby evens out temperatures.
- Coastal places have milder winters and cooler summers.
- Inland places, far from water, swing between hot and cold extremes.
What shapes a local climate?
Sort each geographic feature by how it changes a region's climate.
Being near a large body of water makes a region's temperatures more extreme.
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False. Water heats and cools slowly, so coastal regions have milder, more even temperatures than inland areas.
Select all true statements about geography and climate.
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Geography strongly shapes local climate. The other three are correct.
Latitude is not the whole story. Two towns at the same latitude can have opposite climates: one on a wet coast, one high on a mountain or in a rain shadow. Always consider altitude, mountains, and nearby water, not just how far a place is from the equator.
One mountain, two climates:
- Moist ocean air rises up the windward side of a mountain and rains heavily — a lush green slope.
- Having lost its moisture, the dry air descends the far side.
- The leeward side sits in a rain shadow — often a desert, just kilometres from the rainforest.
Geography strongly shapes local climate. Latitude and altitude both control temperature (higher and farther from the equator is colder). A mountain creates a dry rain shadow on its far side, and a nearby ocean current moderates coastal temperatures. These features explain why nearby places can have very different climates.