3.6 Polar climates

3.6 Polar climates (vwo)
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AardrijkskundeMiddelbare schoolhavo, vwoLeerjaar 3

This lesson contains 18 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 1 video.

time-iconLesson duration is: 30 min

Items in this lesson

3.6 Polar climates (vwo)

Slide 1 - Slide

Learning objectives
After studying this section, you will be able to:
  • Describe the polar climates
  • Explain the location of the polar climates

Slide 2 - Slide

Polar climates and landscapes
Three types of polar climate: 
  • Tundra climate (ET)
  • Ice cap climates (EF) > high latitude
  • Mountain ranges (EH) > high altitudes
The tundra climate has at least one month in which the temperatures are higher than 0 °C, but none of the months is warmer than 10 °C. In the ice cap climate, the temperature never exceeds 0 °C. The tundra climate does experience precipitation, but the ice cap climate is quite arid.

Slide 3 - Slide

The tundra climate has at least one month in which the temperatures are higher than 0 °C, but none of the months is warmer than 10 °C.

Slide 4 - Slide

A tundra pond in the summer months - surface snow melts, forming a freshwater pond.

Slide 5 - Slide

In the ice cap climate, the temperature never exceeds 0 °C and it's quite arid.

Slide 6 - Slide

Which climate does the graph show?
A
Tundra climate (ET)
B
Ice cap climate (EF)

Slide 7 - Quiz

Which climate does the graph show?
A
Tundra climate (ET)
B
Ice cap climate (EF)

Slide 8 - Quiz

Which climate does the graph show?
A
Tundra climate (ET)
B
Ice cap climate (EF)

Slide 9 - Quiz

Tundra climate (ET)
Ice cap climate (EF or EH)

Slide 10 - Slide

High latitudes
At high latitudes, the cold temperatures can be explained by the small amount of sunlight that reaches the Earth. In fact, during the winter season the sunlight does not reach the polar regions at all, because the hemisphere is turned away from the Sun. The solar energy that does reach the Earth’s surface is spread out over a large area (see section 3.2).

Slide 11 - Slide

The Albedo Effect
The Earth’s albedo, or reflectivity, is another reason why temperatures in the polar regions are low: white snow is a good reflector of sunlight, so not much gets absorbed. As a result, the temperature in the region does not increase significantly when sunlight does reach the polar region in the summer season.

Slide 12 - Slide

Slide 13 - Video

High altitudes
  •  The temperature drops around 1 °C per 100 metres of altitude rise, if the air is dry. In humid air the air temperature drops more slowly at 0.6 °C per 100 metres.
  • High in the mountains, the low temperature is explained by the lower air pressure. As you are higher up in the mountains, less air is pressing down on you: the air pressure drops. As the air pressure decreases, the air temperature decreases as well.

Slide 14 - Slide

Slide 15 - Link

The changing polar climate
  • Temperatures in the Arctic and Antarctic are increasing faster than in other regions. 
  • Effect on a regional scale: melting permafrost > buildings that were built on the once frozen soil have slowly started sinking, leading to cracks in the buildings.
  • On a global scale, melting permafrost impacts the climate: scientists have found that the permafrost stores large quantities of methane. Methane is a greenhouse gas. More greenhouse gases in the atmosphere will warm the climate even further.

Slide 16 - Slide

Essence
Polar climates are characterised by very low temperatures. There are two types of polar climate: the tundra climate and the colder ice cap climate. Both climates can be found at high latitudes, around the poles. The ice cap climate can also be found on the top of mountains. As a result of the polar climate, landscapes are often covered in snow. In regions with an ice cap climate, it is too cold for plants to grow. Nevertheless, people inhabit these cold areas: they have adapted their lifestyle to the freezing temperatures.

Slide 17 - Slide

Look at the planner in Teams for the homework!

Slide 18 - Slide