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Chapter 2 Geography NotesSections 2.4-2.8

Climate – A pattern of weather over a time period

Climate zones – Geographers divide the Earth into climate zones to help the study of the Earth.Each zone has a pattern of

temperature and precipitation

EARTH’S CLIMATES

The patterns of weather are shown on a climagraph

EARTH’S CLIMATES

The Climagraph shows the average temperature and precipitation in a place over a year.

Look at the labels on the sides and along the bottom.

5 main Climate Zones –look in your books pages 30-31

1. Tropical2. Dry3. Temperate4. Cold5. Polar

EARTH’S CLIMATES

Location affects climateThings that affect TemperatureLatitude is the most important – affects direct sunlight

Elevation (Altitude) affects temperature – Places at higher elevations are cooler

EARTH’S CLIMATES

Vegetation – Plants and tress that grow in an area – see pages 32-33

Climate has an effect on vegetationColder Climate zones bushes and

small plants growHot climates cacti grow

TreesConiferous trees – Needles and

conesDeciduous Trees – Broad flat leaves

that shed before winter

Earth’s Vegetation

Population Density – The average number of people living an area.Tells us how crowded a place isFiguring Population density –

Divide the number of people by the amount of spaceNumber of people / Area in Square miles = number of people/square mile

Population Density

Economic Activity – Any action that relates to making, buying, selling goods and servicesEconomic activity maps show land use

Economic Activity

Economic activity depends on a countries natural resourcesNatural resources include

Fossil Fuels: Oil, Natural gas, Trees

Water for Hydro electric power – converting moving water’s energy to usable power

Economic Activity

An area with one or more features that set it apart from other areas

Regions have both Human and physical characteristicsHuman Characteristics – Anything built by humans

Physical Characteristics – water body or landform that occurs naturally

Earth’s Regions