3.5 Arid climates

3.5 Arid climates
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AardrijkskundeMiddelbare schoolhavoLeerjaar 3

This lesson contains 25 slides, with interactive quizzes, text slides and 2 videos.

time-iconLesson duration is: 30 min

Items in this lesson

3.5 Arid climates

Slide 1 - Slide

Learning objectives
After studying this section, you will be able to:
  • Describe two different arid climates
  • Explain why the world’s deserts are arid

Slide 2 - Slide

Arid climates
Arid = Dry.

Desert climate (BW) = Climate zone with very little to no precipitation and high evaporation.

Steppe climate (BS) = Climate zone with some precipitation during the wet season, nearly balanced with evaporation rate.

Slide 3 - Slide

What is true about a climate graph?
A
the blue bars are about temperature
B
the blue bars are about precipitation
C
the red line is about temperature
D
the red line is about precipitation

Slide 4 - Quiz

Deserts
Daily maximum and minimum temperatures vary wildly in some deserts: there are no clouds to reflect sunlight during the day or function as “insulation” during the night.

Slide 5 - Slide

BW
A
Is a steppe climate
B
is a desert climate
C
is a arid climate
D
is a wet climate

Slide 6 - Quiz

Climate graph for Cairo, Egypt (BW).
Climate graph for Dakar, Senegal (BS).

Slide 7 - Slide

The line in a climate graph represents .....

Slide 8 - Open question

Steppe landscape
  • It has more vegetation than a desert landscape. 
  • This semi-arid climate remains too dry for most tree species to grow. 
  • Dominated by grasses and shrubs, but less than in the savannah climate.

Slide 9 - Slide

The steppe landscape in the Sahel (Senegal).

Slide 10 - Slide

The Great Green Wall is an initiative designed to stop the desertification of the semi-arid Sahel region in Africa.

Slide 11 - Slide

Slide 12 - Video

Talking point
What problems do humans face when they live in a desert climate?

Slide 13 - Slide

Slide 14 - Video

Atmospheric circulation and prevailing wind directions.

Slide 15 - Slide

Atmospheric circulation
Subtropic maximum
Area of high atmospheric pressure located in the subtropics; the air mass descends.

Polar maximum
Area of high atmospheric pressure located in the polar regions; the air mass descends.

Subpolar minimum
Area of low atmospheric pressure located in the middle latitudes; the air mass rises.

Slide 16 - Slide

Plurals of words with a Latin root
‘Minimum’, ‘maximum’ and ‘cactus’ are words that come from Latin. In Latin, a singular word that ends on ‘-um’, takes ‘-a’ in the plural, while singular words that end in ‘-us’, take ‘-i’ in the plural. So, ‘maximum’ becomes ‘maxima’ and ‘cactus’ becomes ‘cacti’. However, following normal English grammar you can instead add ‘-s’ or ‘-es’ to form a plural: ‘maximums’ and ‘cactuses’. The English language is shifting and both plural forms are now considered correct. For the word ‘maximum’, the Latin version ‘maxima’ is still preferred in science, but in less formal English usage, ‘maximums’ has become the norm.

Slide 17 - Slide

Prevailing wind direction
= most common wind direction.

Slide 18 - Slide

Prevailing wind direction
Westerlies
Most common wind direction in the middle latitudes; a wind that blows from west to east.

Slide 19 - Slide

What is a rain shadow?
A
Area that receives no rainfall on the leeward side of a mountain.
B
Area that receives rainfall on the windward side of a mountain.
C
Area that receives little rainfall on the windward side of a mountain.
D
Area that receives little rainfall on the leeward side of a mountain.

Slide 20 - Quiz

Explain the location of the Gobi Desert, use at least 15 words

Slide 21 - Open question

Sea currents
Important factor in the location of deserts:
  • Cold water evaporates less easily than warm water;
  • Wind blowing from the sea to the land carries less moisture with it.

Slide 22 - Slide

The northern Atacama Desert is located in the rain shadow of the Andes Mountains.

Slide 23 - Slide

Essence
Arid areas exist in very different parts of the world and can be both hot and cold. Köppen differentiated between the desert climate and the steppe climate. The steppe climate is located on the edge of a desert climate. Deserts can form due to zones of high air pressure, the rain shadow created by mountain ranges, prevailing wind direction and cold ocean currents.

Slide 24 - Slide

Homework 3HT
Make sure you have C3 par. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 finished before monday 25th of January

Slide 25 - Slide