Israel Desir

Geography
(a) (i)  State TWO characteristics of the temperature and TWO characteristics of the
rainfall of equatorial regions.
Temperature –
 In the equatorial regions, the temperature is usually high (22 to 31 degrees
Celsius)
 Moreover, the high temperature promotes evaporation which causes the winds

near sources of water to become humid.

Rainfall –

 Rainfall is frequent and its intensity is seasonal

 Rainfall may be of three main types: Convectional, Relief, and Frontal. Convection

rainfall is the main type in the equatorial regions due to the high temperatures

(ii) List FOUR characteristics of the trees of tropical continental regions.

 Trees are clumped closer together than in other regions

 Trees are of similar types, variety between them is few.

 Tree leaves are broader to promote ample transpiration due to the high rainfall

 These trees form a thick canopy in their forests

(b) (I) Accounts for the development of relief rainfall in the Caribbean

Step 1 – Moisture-filled winds meet a wide mountain

Step 2 – Without a way to move around, these winds climb the cliff
 Step 3 – As the winds climb the cliff, they become heavier and cool down due to

the elevation cooling rate (0.6 degrees Celsius per 100 m)

Step 4 – Eventually- usually around the peak of the mountain- the winds become

too cool to retain their water content. Thus, they condense and precipitate.

Step 5 – The drier winds finally reach the leeward side of the mountain.

Step 6 – The winds release their remaining moisture upon this leeward side, as

they reheat once more. This area is referred to as the “rain shadow.”

(ii) Explain why air flows downhill at night in mountainous areas

Mountain and valley breezes are caused by differences in the heating rate of the two

bodies. Valley breezes occur during the day. The mountain heats up faster than its

relative valley, creating a convention current which causes its hot wind to rise and cool

winds to descend into the valley floor.

Therefore, at night the inverse is true. Since the mountain cools faster than its relative

valley, this cool wind will sink along the slope of the mountain creating a convention

current which causes the hot winds of the valley to rise. This is called a Mountain

breeze.
(iii) Explain why winds at the same elevation are warmer on the leeward side

than on the windward side.

Winds on the leeward side of a mountain are warmer than those at the windward

side because the slope shields the leeward side from moist sea-breezes. To

illustrate, this principle is observed in relief rainfall. When the windward breezes

meet a towering and wide slope, the wind is forced to climb this slope. This climb

causes the wind to become dense and unable to retain their moisture. Thus, they

condense and release this moisture upon the windward side of the slope.

Therefore, when these winds finally overcome this slope and reach the leeward

side, most of their moisture has been released. This causes the humidity of the

leeward side to be less than the windward side, which creates a difference in

temperature.