Author Question: Why do different regions receive different amounts of precipitation? What will be an ideal ... (Read 70 times)

jc611

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Why do different regions receive different amounts of precipitation?
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Describe how a Hadley cell works, and explain how Earth's rotation creates the trade winds.
 
  What will be an ideal response?



jasonq

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Answer to Question 1

Different amounts of precipitation in different regions are caused by the Hadley cellswet in the tropics and dry in the subtropics and by mountains. Air is deflected upward, causing cooling and high precipitation on the windward side of the range. As the air crosses the range and descends on the other side, it becomes warmer and increases its capacity to pick up moisture. Hence, deserts occur on the leeward sides of mountain ranges.

Answer to Question 2

Hadley cell: Dry air absorbs moisture as it descends. Moist air releases moisture as it ascends. Global convection currents occur because the Sun heats Earth most intensely over and near the equator, where rays of sunlight are almost perpendicular to Earth's surface. As the air at the equator is heated, it expands, rises, and cools; condensation and precipitation occur. Rising air over the equator is just half of the convection current, however. The air must come down again, too. Pushed from beneath by more rising air, it literally spills over' to the north and south of the equator and descends over subtropical regions, resulting in subtropical deserts. . . . Earth's rotation deflects the vertical and horizontal path created by the Hadley cell, thus creating trade winds.



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