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Mountain Effect

507.8.2- How Mountains affect Climate. Mountain Effect. Agenda: None- Happy Valentine’s Day! Bellwork: What do you notice about the graph below? Where does the most precipitation occur? The least? Why do you think this is so?. What is climate?. 1. Mountains.

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Mountain Effect

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  1. 507.8.2- How Mountains affect Climate Mountain Effect Agenda: None- Happy Valentine’s Day! Bellwork: What do you notice about the graph below? Where does the most precipitation occur? The least? Why do you think this is so?

  2. What is climate? 1 Mountains • At the same latitude, the climate is colder in the mountains than at sea level. • When radiation from the Sun is absorbed by Earth’s surface, it heats the land.

  3. What is climate? • Because Earth’s atmosphere gets thinner at higher altitudes, the air in the mountains has fewer molecules to absorb heat. 1 Mountains • Heat from Earth then warms the atmosphere.

  4. Elevation • The higher the elevation, the lower the temperature becomes. • The rate at which the temperature drops is known as the lapse rate. On average, the lapse rate is 3.6 degrees per 1,000 feet.

  5. Mountain City has the highest elevation of any city in Tennessee at 2350 feet above sea level. The highest point in Johnson County is Snake Mountain at an elevation of 5574 feet above sea level.

  6. Elevation Differences • With Snake Mountain over 2000 feet higher in elevation than Mountain City, the temperature on top of Snake Mountain could easily be 7 degrees cooler.

  7. Seattle, WA moist climate, lots of trees/forests Las Vegas, NV desert

  8. What’s the reason for a moist, lush area in Washington and a dry, desert area in Las Vegas? It’s all about the Mountain or Rain Shadow Effect!

  9. Why does it rain more in certain places than others? • Mountains near the ocean hold part of the answer. • When water evaporates from the ocean, it becomes water vapor in the air. • The warm, moist air rises and moves over land.

  10. Air that meets mountains is forced to go higher, where temperatures are colder. • As air cools, it condenses forming clouds/fog. • These clouds become so dense that they drop rain or snow on one side of the mountain. • This side is called the windward side (closest to the ocean/ wind). • This lower area where the ocean and mountain meet has a warm, moist climate. • Some of the wettest places on Earth are on the windward side of mountains.

  11. After the clouds have dissipated, the air finally crosses to the other side of the mountain. There is usually very little moisture left making the air less dense. • Because there is not much moisture left, clouds are not likely to form. This leaves the back side of the mountains often dry and desert-like. This is known as the leeward side.

  12. Why is there little moisture left in the air by the time it reaches the leeward side of a mountain? Most of the moisture has already fallen as precipitation.

  13. Sierra Nevada Mountain Range The Sierra Nevada Mountains span 400 miles across CA.

  14. Example – Rain Shadow Death Valley in the United States is behind the Pacific Coast Ranges of California and the Sierra Nevada range.

  15. Death Valley– The area is very hot, dry, and desert-like.

  16. The windward side (eastern side) of the Sierra Nevada Mountains receive much precipitation and are lush with vegetation. The leeward side (western side), however, is a very dry desert region.

  17. Why does more rain and snow fall at the top of a mountain than at its base? At the base of a mountain, the air is warmer. The air needs to cool to form fog and clouds that drop precipitation.

  18. If you chose J, you are correct! • The air cools as it rises, causing fog to form.

  19. Notes: • Water evaporates from the ocean, and it becomes water vapor. • This warm, moist air rises and moves over land. • Clouds form that can drop rain or snow on one side of the mountain. • The clouds dissipate, and the air crosses to the other side of the mountain. There is usually very little moisture left. *** In your notes, draw a diagram of a mountain and the mountain effect.

  20. What is climate? 1 Rain Shadows • On the windward side of a mountain range, air rises, cools, and drops its moisture. • On the leeward side of a mountain range air descends, heats up, and dries the land.

  21. Windward Vs. Leeward • Rainfall occurs on the windward side of the mountain where the air is rising. • Cool & Wet • It is dry on the leeward side of the mountain where the air is sinking. • Warm & Dry

  22. Review

  23. If you chose J, you are correct. The land on the leeward side of the mountain receives air with the least amount of moisture, making it hotter.

  24. The correct answer is G. The air is drier at Y than at X. There is more moisture in the air at point X, on the top of the mountain. All of the moisture will be lost on the mountain, making the air at Y drier.

  25. Animations • http://www.mhhe.com/biosci/genbio/tlw3/eBridge/Chp29/animations/ch29/rain_shadow_formation.swf • http://bio1100b.nicerweb.com/med/Vid/Discover2e/ch39a04_RainShadow.swf • http://www.uky.edu/AS/Geology/howell/goodies/elearning/module07swf.swf • http://www.mrphome.net/mrp/rainshadow.swf

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