TOPIC 5: SPACE DYNAMIC - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY FORM 5 & 6
Sub topics:
i. Weather and climate
ii. Weather change
iii. Climate change
iv. Climatology
SPACE DYNAMIC
Space dynamic is the study of bodies at motion in space.
What is the space?
What is the dynamic?
Dynamic is the branch of physical science that is concerned with the motion of material objects in relation to the physical factors that affect them. Dynamic means always active or changing.
In general, this topic deals with study about METEOROLOGY (WEATHER) and CLIMATOLOGY (CLIMATE).
What is the space dynamic?
A. METEOROLOGY AND CLIMATOLOGY
METEOROLOGY
What is the meteorology?
Meteorology is the scientific study of physical process constant at work in atmosphere. It deals on the pattern of weather. People specialized on meteorology are called METEOROLOGIST.
What is the weather?
Weather is the day to day conditions of the atmosphere. OR
Weather is a condition of the atmosphere, which occurs at a particular place and time from hour to hour or day to day. It is usually recorded for a short period of time. The study of weather known as meteorology.
CLIMATOLOGY
What is the climatology?
Climatology is the science seeks to explain and describe the nature of the climate and its characteristic.
OR
Climatology is the study of the varieties of climates, both past and present, and the processes that produce the different climates on Earth. OR
Is the branch of geography dealing with description of climate. Person dealing with this branch of climatology are called CLIMATOLOGIST.
What is the climate?
Climate is the average weather conditions of a place observed and recorded over a long period of time, usually over 30 years. The study of climate known as climatology.
SIMILARITIES (RELATIONSHIP) BETWEEN CLIMATE AND WEATHER
The climate and weather are similar in the following ways:
(i) Both describe atmospheric conditions of an area.
(ii) Both are determined by the same elements.
(iii) Both determine socio-economic activities of an area.
(iv) Both contribute to the survival and distribution of living organisms.
DIFFERENCES BETWEEN CLIMATE AND WEATHER
The climate and weather differ in the following ways:
(i) Weather refers to the condition of the atmosphere recorded over a short period of time (minute to minute, hour to hour and day to day) whereas climate is a condition of the atmosphere recorded over a long period of time usually 30 years or more.
(ii) Weather can change quickly whereas climate changes more gradually and takes a long time for its changes to be established.
(iii) Weather forecasting is based on short term recorded weather elements whereas climate projections require weather data that have been recorded over a long time.
(iv) The description of weather is based on a small area whereas that of climate is based on a large area.
(v) The scientific study of weather is called meteorology whereas that of climate is called climatology.
(vi) Weather may involve one or two conditions of the atmosphere whereas climate includes many conditions of the atmosphere such as temperature, precipitation, wind, humidity, cloud cover and atmospheric pressure.
(vii) Climate has distinct seasons such as hot and wet or cool and dry seasons whereas weather changes occur on a day-to-day basis.
IMPORTANCE OF WEATHER AND CLIMATE
Weather and climate are an important aspect in our environment. It affects our daily activities in one way or another.
The following statements explain why weather and climate is important to us:
(a) Weather and climate help to determines the distribution of economic activities through rainfall such as crop cultivation and livestock keeping. Lack of rainfall can lead to severe shortage of food and water for both humans and animals.
(b) Ability to predict weather enables planning for various human activities such as air, surface and water transport, crop cultivation, livestock-keeping and sports (surfing, canoeing, boat racing, football and netball).
(c) Weather and climate influences the type of clothes people wear and the type of houses people build. For example, during the hot season people wear light clothes and during cold weather people wear heavy clothes.
(d) Weather and climatic conditions influence the migration and distribution of people and animals. For example, pastoral communities in East Africa often move with their livestock from one area to another depending on the availability of pasture and water. Seasonal rains trigger the onset of wildebeest migration in the Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, and the Maasai Mara Reserve in Kenya.
(e) Weather through wind enables pollination of plants. Pollination is the process of transferring the pollen grain from an individual plant to another or within the same plant. When wind blows can transfer pollen grain from one plant to another or within the same plant. In so doing the plant achieve fertilisation.
(f) Weather and climate influences the process of soil formation through breaking down of rocks, erosion, deposition and decomposition.
TOPIC 5: SPACE DYNAMIC - PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY FORM 5 & 6