Climatic factors and their features. Main climate-forming factors
It is not enough just to know what a globe is. You need to learn how to read it correctly in order to learn a lot of new and interesting things. In this lesson we will learn what the colors on the globe mean. Let's learn the names of the oceans and continents, talk about their features and differences. Let's get acquainted with the amazing wonders of nature, flora and fauna.
Why blue and blue color the most on the globe? Most of earth's surface covered with water. In a photograph taken from space, everything bodies of water appear blue. This color on the globe indicates oceans and seas, rivers and lakes.
Rice. 2. Earth from space ()
But if you look closely, you will notice that in different places the ocean is indicated by different shades. This is done to show depth: than deeper ocean, the darker Blue colour, and the shallower the depth, the lighter the paint on the globe.
- these are huge expanses of bitterly salty water that surround continents and islands. Pacific Ocean
- the largest on Earth.
Rice. 4. Physical map of the Pacific Ocean () This name was given to him by the navigator Ferdinand Magellan, because during his journey to sailing ships this ocean was calm. Although in fact the Pacific Ocean is not quiet at all, especially in its western part, where it raises and drives huge waves - tsunami
, bringing a lot of trouble to the inhabitants of the Japanese islands. Mariana Trench - the most deep place
in the world. It is located in the Pacific Ocean, its depth is eleven kilometers and thirty-four meters.
Rice. 6. Mariana Trench () Previously, Europeans did not even suspect the existence of the Pacific Ocean. They knew only one ocean - Atlantic , which seemed limitless, so he was named after the strongest hero Greek myths
Atlanta. Rice. 7. Physical card ()
Atlantic Ocean In fact, the Atlantic Ocean is the second largest after the Pacific, greatest depth
ocean 5 kilometers. In the Atlantic Ocean there are huge waves as high as a three-story house. Indian Ocean
It is especially restless in its southern part. It is warmer than others; even in the northern part of the Indian Ocean, the waters warm up to + 35 degrees.
Rice. 8. Physical map of the Indian Ocean () Arctic - the most, covered in winter and summer with a thick layer of ice and snow. U North Pole there is a fourth ocean, almost its entire surface is covered with thick strong ice, and there are multi-meter snowdrifts around. That's why this ocean was named Arctic.
Rice. 9. Physical map of the Arctic Ocean
Relatively recently, oceanographers began to identify a fifth, South ocean.
Rice. 10. Physical map of Antarctica ()
Previously, this ocean was considered to be the southern parts of the Indian, Atlantic and Pacific oceans. All oceans together: Pacific, Indian, Atlantic, Arctic and Southern - merge together into one world Ocean, which washes all Earth.
On the globe, large areas of land called continents are depicted in green, yellow, brown and white. On the ground six continents: Eurasia, Africa, Australia, Antarctica, North America, South America.
Eurasia- the largest continent, within its borders lie two parts of the world: Europe and Asia.
Rice. 11. Physical map of Eurasia ()
It is the only continent on Earth washed by four oceans: the Arctic in the north, the Indian in the south, the Atlantic in the west and the Pacific in the east. Our homeland is located on this continent Russia.
Rice. 12. Russia on the map of Eurasia ()
The surface of the continent is very diverse. Mountains and plains are the main forms of the earth's surface. Brown color indicates the location of the mountains, and green and yellow indicate the location of the plains. The largest of them West Siberian(flat plain) Eastern European(hilly plain).
Rice. 13. West Siberian Plain ()
Rice. 14. Physical map of the East European Plain ()
Rivers are indicated on the globe by uneven blue lines drawn along the surface of the continents. Rivers flow across the East European Plain Volga, Don, Dnieper, By West Siberian a river flows across the plain Ob. Mountains rise above the surface of the plains. The higher the mountains, the darker their color on the globe. Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world.
Rice. 15. Himalaya mountains ()
Jamalungma (Everest) Arctic high mountain in the world (8 km 708 m).
Rice. 16. Mount Jamalungma ()
Located in Eurasia Baikal- the deepest lake,
Rice. 17. Lake Baikal ()
The largest lake
Rice. 18. Caspian Sea ()
largest peninsula Arabian,
Rice. 19. Coast of the Arabian Peninsula ()
the most low point sushi in the world - depression Dead Sea.
Rice. 20. Dead Sea ()
Rice. 21. Pole of Cold Oymyakon ()
Africa is the second largest continent, which is located on both sides of the equator, washed by the Atlantic Ocean from the west and the Indian Ocean from the east and south.
Rice. 22. Physical map of Africa ()
Africa is known for its diversity of nature: impenetrable rainforests with orchids,
Rice. 23. Rainforest ()
grassy plains with baobabs (huge trees up to forty meters in circumference),
vast expanses of desert.
Rice. 25. Desert in Africa ()
Africa is the most hot mainland planets. Here it is Sahara Desert.
Rice. 26. Sahara Desert ()
This is the most big desert in the world and the hottest place on Earth (maximum recorded temperature is +58 degrees). On this continent flows Nile- the second longest river in the world.
Rice. 27. River Nile ()
Volcano Kilimanjaro Arctic high point Africa.
Rice. 28. Mount Kilimanjaro ()
Victoria, Tanganyika, Chad - largest lakes on this continent.
Rice. 29. Lake Victoria ()
Rice. 30. Lake Tanganyika ()
Rice. 31. Lake Chad ()
In the Western Hemisphere are North America And South America, they are washed from the west by the Pacific Ocean, from the east by the Atlantic, and North America is also washed by the Arctic Ocean from the north.
Rice. 32. Physical card North America
Rice. 33. Physical map of South America
North America also includes the largest island on Earth, it is called Greenland.
Rice. 34. Coast of Greenland ()
These continents are rich in rivers and lakes. In North America there is one of the greatest rivers peace Mississippi,
Rice. 35. Mississippi River ()
and in South America there is a river, the largest in the world in terms of depth and length.
Rice. 36. Amazon ()
There is a bay on the coast of North America Fundy, which, in addition to its incredible beauty, is famous for the largest tides in the world, more than seventeen meters.
Rice. 37. Bay of Fundy ()
Just imagine, millions of tons of water approach the shore in twelve hours and then move away from it. South America is home to the world's tallest waterfall - Angel, its total height is 979 meters.
Rice. 38. Angel Falls ()
It seems as if it is shrouded in fog - a curtain of tiny particles of water that sprays, falling from such a great height. The most powerful waterfall in the world is located on the same continent Iguazu.
Rice. 39. Iguazu Falls ()
Although in reality it is the whole complex of 270 individual waterfalls, which is about 2.7 km wide. South America has the most dry place the world is a desert Atacama.
Rice. 40. Atacama Desert ()
In some places in this desert, rain falls once every few decades.
Australia- the fifth continent, which is smaller than all the others. The Pacific Ocean washes the northern and east coast, Indian Ocean - western and southern.
Rice. 41. Physical map of Australia
Most of the continent is occupied by deserts and semi-deserts, there are very few rivers, which is why Australia is considered the driest continent on Earth. Common here screams(English creek - rivulet) - rivers that exist only during the rainy season and completely dry up most of the year.
A physical map of the world allows you to see the relief of the earth's surface and the location of the main continents. The physical card gives general idea about the location of seas, oceans, complex terrain and elevation changes in different parts of the planet. On a physical map of the world, you can clearly see mountains, plains, and systems of ridges and highlands. What is the surface of the Earth? The concept of surface has the same meaning as the concept of geographic envelope and the concept of biosphere proposed by geochemists... Before this, connections between the peoples of both hemispheres existed mainly only in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Measuring distances on a globe
This is a real problem. Some cannot buy because their parents do not have money for textbooks, others cannot buy because their small town The store doesn't have the required textbook. But sometimes it’s the other way around: there are so many textbooks that it’s hard to carry them all to school every day, especially when the school is far away. Or, for example, he mixed up the schedule and left the required textbook at home. In all these cases, of course, the Internet can help.
The coordinates of any place on the earth's surface can be determined from a globe or a map. And vice versa, knowing the coordinates geographical feature, you can find its place on a map or globe.
At the same distance from the poles, a circle is drawn around the globe, which is called the Equator.
Lines of the tropics and polar circles
The Eastern Hemisphere includes most of Africa, about half of Antarctica, all of Asia, Australia and Oceania, and most of Europe. There are exceptions when some continents (countries on these continents) located in the region of the equator and the Prime Meridian are part of both hemispheres.
Twice a year, on March 21 and September 23, the rays of the Sun fall vertically down over the equator and uniformly illuminate the Earth from pole to pole.
On globes and maps, conventional lines of the poles, equator, tropics and polar circles are also drawn.
On the map you can see all the continents, seas and oceans existing on the planet, and two hemispheres are visible at once. And on a plane you can depict the Earth either on a map or using hemispheres. Using the map of the hemispheres you can find out the location of the most high places on the planet and the location of lowlands can be determined geographical coordinates straits and bays. Using a map of the hemispheres, you can find out the sizes of the continents relative to each other. It is better to learn the colors of the map, because the land areas that are located on different heights. A map of the hemispheres gives a general idea of geographical features of our planet.
Considering the physical map of the hemispheres, first of all, let's pay attention to the degree grid. It is known to be formed by meridians and parallels. Parallels, unlike meridians, are all different from each other. The further from the pole, the longer they will be. The greatest parallel is the equator - a line equidistant from the poles. On other parallels, the distance on the ground, which corresponds to 1 ° on the map, decreases in the direction from the equator to the poles.
If you take a map of the hemispheres and a globe, the first thing that will catch your eye is the different outlines of the continents. They will differ (slightly near the equator and extremely significantly closer to the poles). Both the map and the globe serve for orientation - determining coordinates, location, and landscape features.
Physical map of the world allows you to see the relief of the earth's surface and the location of the main continents. A physical map gives a general idea of the location of seas, oceans, complex terrain and elevation changes in different parts of the planet. On a physical map of the world, you can clearly see mountains, plains, and systems of ridges and highlands. Physical maps of the world are widely used in schools when studying geography, as they are basic for understanding the main natural features various parts Sveta.
Physical map of the world in Russian - relief
PHYSICAL MAP OF THE WORLD displays the surface of the Earth. The space of the earth's surface contains everything Natural resources and the wealth of humanity. The configuration of the earth's surface determines the entire course human history. Change the boundaries of the continents, stretch the direction of the main mountain ranges differently, change the direction of the rivers, remove this or that strait or bay, and the whole history of mankind will become different.
“What is the surface of the Earth? The concept of surface has the same meaning as the concept of geographic envelope and the concept of biosphere proposed by geochemists... The earth's surface is three-dimensional - three-dimensional, and by accepting the geographical envelope as an unambiguous biosphere, we emphasize the paramount importance of living matter for geography. Geographical envelope ends where living matter ends.”
Physical map of the Earth's hemispheres in Russian
Physical map of the world in English from National Geographic
Physical map of the world in Russian
Good physical map of the world in English
Physical map of the world in Ukrainian
Physical map of the Earth in English
Detailed physical map of the Earth with main currents
Physical world map with state borders
Map of the world's geological regions - Geological map of the world's regions
A physical map of the world with the ice and clouds
Physical map of the Earth
A physical map of the world - Wikiwand A physical map of the world
The great importance of the structure of continents for the fate of mankind is indisputable. The gap between the eastern and western hemispheres disappeared only 500 years ago with the voyages of the Spaniards and Portuguese to America. Before this, connections between the peoples of both hemispheres existed mainly only in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean.
Deep implementation northern continents to the Arctic for a long time made the routes around them inaccessible northern shores. Close convergence of three major oceans in an area of three Mediterranean seas created the possibility of connecting them with each other naturally (Strait of Malacca) or artificially (Suez Canal, Panama Canal). The chains of mountains and their location predetermined the movement of peoples. Vast plains led to the unification of people under one state will, strongly dissected spaces contributed to maintaining state fragmentation.
The dismemberment of America by rivers, lakes and mountains led to the formation of Indian peoples who, due to their isolation, could not resist the Europeans. Seas, continents, mountain ranges and rivers form natural boundaries between countries and peoples (F. Fatzel, 1909).
The climate is formed under the influence of several factors that provide the atmosphere with heat and moisture and determine the dynamics air currents. Main climate-forming factors – the position of the Earth relative to the Sun, the distribution of land and sea, the general circulation of the atmosphere, sea currents, as well as the topography of the earth's surface.
Earth position . When the Earth orbits the Sun, the angle between the polar axis and the perpendicular to the orbital plane remains constant and amounts to 23°30. This movement explains the change in the angle of incidence sun rays on the earth's surface at noon at a certain latitude during the year. The greater the angle of incidence of the sun's rays on the Earth. this place, the more efficiently the Sun heats the surface. Only between the Northern and Southern tropics (from 23°30°N to 23°30°S) the sun's rays in certain time years fall vertically onto the Earth, and here the Sun at noon always rises high above the horizon. Therefore, the tropics are usually warm at any time of the year. At higher latitudes, where the Sun is lower above the horizon, the heating of the earth's surface is less. There are significant seasonal changes temperature (which does not happen in the tropics), and in winter the angle of incidence of the sun's rays is relatively small and the days are significantly shorter. At the equator, day and night always have equal duration, while at the poles the day lasts throughout the summer half of the year, and in winter the Sun never rises above the horizon. Duration polar day only partly compensates for the low position of the Sun above the horizon, and as a result, summers here are cool. IN dark winters Polar regions quickly lose heat and become very cold.
Distribution of land and sea . Water heats up and cools down more slowly than land. Therefore, the air temperature over the oceans has smaller daily and seasonal changes than over the continents. In coastal areas, where winds blow from the sea, summers are generally cooler and winters warmer than in the interior of continents at the same latitude. The climate of such windward coasts is called maritime. Hinterland continents in temperate latitudes ah are characterized by significant differences between summer and winter temperatures. In such cases they speak of a continental climate.
Water areas are the main source of atmospheric moisture . When winds blow from the warm oceans onto land, there is a lot of precipitation. On windward coasts it is usually higher relative humidity and cloudiness and more days with fogs than in inland regions.
Atmospheric circulation . Character pressure field and the rotation of the Earth determine the general circulation of the atmosphere, due to which heat and moisture are constantly redistributed over the earth's surface. Winds blow from the regions high pressure in area low pressure. High pressure is usually associated with cold, dense air, while low pressure is associated with warm, less dense air. The rotation of the Earth causes air currents to deviate to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. This deviation is called the “Coriolis effect”.
Both in the North and in Southern Hemisphere in the surface layers of the atmosphere there are three main wind zones. In the intertropical convergence zone near the equator, the northeast trade wind approaches the southeast. Trade winds originate in subtropical high pressure areas, most developed over the oceans. Air flows moving towards the poles and deflecting under the influence of the Coriolis force form the predominant westerly transport. In the region of the polar fronts of temperate latitudes, the westerly transport meets the cold air of high latitudes, forming a zone pressure systems with low pressure in the center (cyclones) moving from west to east. Although air currents in polar regions are not so pronounced; sometimes they highlight the polar eastern transfer. These winds blow mainly from the northeast in the Northern Hemisphere and from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere. Masses of cold air often penetrate into temperate latitudes.
Winds in areas of convergence of air currents form upward currents of air, which cools with height. In this case, cloud formation is possible, often accompanied by precipitation. Therefore, in the intertropical convergence zone and frontal zones In the zone of predominant westerly transport there is a lot of precipitation.
Winds blowing in higher layers of the atmosphere, close the circulation system in both hemispheres. Air rising in convergence zones rushes into areas of high pressure and sinks there. At the same time, as pressure increases, it heats up, which leads to the formation of a dry climate, especially on land. Such downward air currents determine the climate of the Sahara, located in subtropical zone high pressure in North Africa.
Seasonal changes in heating and cooling determine the seasonal movements of major pressure formations and wind systems. Wind zones in summer shift towards the poles, which leads to changes weather conditions at this latitude. Yes, for African savannas, covered with herbaceous vegetation with sparsely growing trees, are characteristic rainy summer(due to the influence of the intertropical convergence zone) and dry winter, when a high pressure area with downward air flows moves into this area.
On seasonal changes in the general circulation of the atmosphere also affects the distribution of land and sea . In summer, when the Asian continent warms up and an area of lower pressure is established over it than over the surrounding oceans, the coastal southern and southeastern regions experience the effects of humid air flow, directed from the sea to the land and bringing heavy rains. In winter, air flows from cold surface continent to the oceans, and much less rain falls. Such winds, which change direction depending on the season, are called monsoons.
Ocean currents are formed under the influence of near-surface winds and differences in water density caused by changes in its salinity and temperature. The direction of currents is influenced by the Coriolis force, the shape of sea basins and the contours of the coast. In general, the circulation of ocean currents is similar to the distribution of air currents over the oceans and occurs clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
Crossing heading towards the poles warm currents, the air becomes warmer and more humid and has a corresponding effect on the climate. Heading towards the equator ocean currents carry cool waters. Passing along the western edges of the continents, they lower the temperature and moisture capacity of the air, and, accordingly, the climate under their influence becomes cooler and drier. Due to moisture condensation near the cold surface of the sea, fog often occurs in such areas.
Relief of the earth's surface . Large forms relief render significant influence on the climate, which changes depending on the altitude of the area and the interaction of air flows with orographic obstacles. Air temperature usually decreases with height, which leads to the formation of a cooler climate in the mountains and plateaus than in the adjacent lowlands. In addition, hills and mountains create obstacles that force the air to rise and expand. As it expands it cools. This cooling, called adiabatic cooling, often leads to moisture condensation and the formation of clouds and precipitation. Most of the precipitation due to the barrier effect of mountains falls on their windward side, while the leeward side remains in the “rain shadow”. Air descending on leeward slopes heats up when compressed, forming a warm, dry wind known as a foehn.
Usually, in Everyday life, we call all the changing climate factors of a given area the word “weather”. Depending on our subjective attitude to the entire complex of weather-forming factors, we say: the weather is good or the weather is bad. At the same time, we evaluate not just one weather element, for example air humidity, but the entire complex of elements. This is explained by the fact that different combinations of values of individual weather-forming elements ultimately give the same subjective feeling. So, for example, a complex: air temperature +21°, humidity - 80%, wind speed - 0.5 m/sec - and a complex: air temperature +24°, humidity - 35%, wind speed - 1.0 m/sec - have the same effect. Thus we see that different meanings in total they give same effect in terms of general effects on the human body.
Weather , the whole complex of weather-forming factors, has a significant and every second impact on a person. Almost everyone has experienced this or witnessed similar facts.
Even in ancient times, the idea arose that this or that weather is not at all indifferent to a person, that it has certain influence, changing a person’s well-being. Already in Ancient Greece And Ancient Rome The first treatises on the influence of weather on humans appeared.
It is widely known that pain occurs at the sites of healed wounds in bad weather. “Old wounds ache,” they say in such cases. Already in some legislation of the 9th century, wounds are listed, after healing of which pain persists in bad weather. Therefore, Frisian laws imposed a high fine on people guilty of causing bodily harm if the wound left behind weather-sensitive scars.
One of the elements that form the weather complex and have a significant impact on the human body is air temperature.
Can I influence the climate? Of course yes. But actions individual person, like groups, cannot be considered among the main factors that determine the climate on the planet. The main factors are global and work everywhere.
Solar radiation and climate
Solar radiation is the first major factor shaping climate. Places under the Sun on the entire planet are fixed and almost unchanged; the amount of heat received is determined by the latitude at which a piece of land is located.
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Atmospheric circulation and climate
The second climate-forming factor is considered to be atmospheric circulation. Air masses direct clouds, which in turn carry precipitation, and as a result humidity, pressure, and temperature. It would seem that the wind is the freest, but it also obeys laws. In each hemisphere there are three circulation cells:
- Hadley cell;
- Ferrell cell;
- polar cell.
The pattern is due to the fact that the wind blows from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure. Since our planet constantly rotates around its axis, the currents cannot keep up with it and deviate to the west.
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Terrain and climate
This is the third factor. Plains, as well as water surfaces, almost do not distort either solar radiation, nor streams air masses. But the mountains change them to a large extent. Mountain ranges reflect a lot solar energy, while creating large-scale shaded areas. Also, mountains, like walls, impede the movement of air. Because of this, there are areas on the planet where there is either a lot of precipitation or little precipitation.
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Climate of Russia
Our country is predominantly located at high and middle latitudes. That's why our climate is harsh. Of course, there is also the Black Sea coast, but the main area is in colder lands. The west of the country is warmer than the eastern part due to the influence of the Atlantic Ocean. His warm air thanks to the plains of the European part of Russia and Western Siberia goes far inland. But I can name a plus of our location. Almost everywhere in Russia all four seasons are clearly expressed; not every country can boast of this.