Transcript WEATHER, CLIMATE, & ATMOSPHERE

Earth’s Relationship with the Sun
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Most of the Earth’s energy comes from the Sun.
This type of energy is called solar energy. Solar
energy reaches Earth in two ways:
1. Light
2. Heat
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What are some ways solar energy affects things here
on Earth?
–
The clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the foods we
grow & eat, and which sports we play
Earth’s Relationship with the Sun
(Continued)
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Three different
relationships between
Earth and the sun control
how much solar energy is
received at different
locations:
1. Rotation
2. Revolution
3. Tilt
Rotation, Revolution, & Tilt
 Rotation – the Earth rotates on its axis every 24
hours. This causes night and day.
 Revolution – the Earth revolves around the sun
every year (365 ¼ days).
 Tilt – the Earth is tilted 23 1/2˚. The tilt of the
earth’s axis determines the amount of solar energy
that different places receive during the year.
Solar Energy & Latitude
 Different places on Earth receive different amounts of
energy.
 Tropics – areas near the equator receive a lot of solar
energy and are warm all year. The tropics are in the lowlatitudes.
 Polar regions – areas at the high latitudes that receive very
little sun and are cold most of the time.
 Middle latitudes – are the areas between the polar regions
and the tropics. Temperatures vary depending on the time
of year.
The Seasons
 Season – the time of greater or
lesser heat.
 4 total – summer, fall, winter, and
spring
– Summer – daytime lasts longer
and the sun’s energy is stronger.
– Fall & Spring – daylight &
darkness are equal in length and
the Sun’s energy is more evenly
distributed
 The tilt of the Earth’s axis causes
the Northern & Southern
hemispheres to have opposite
seasons at the same time of year.
Solstice
 Occurs twice in a
year
– June 21st - summer –
the longest day of
year
– December 21st winter – the shortest
day of the year
 Earth’s poles tilt
toward or away from
the sun.
EQUINOX
 Days and nights
are equal
 The direct rays of
the sun strike the
equator.
 Sept 22 – Fall
 March 21 – spring
Difference between Weather & Climate
Weather – conditions
in the atmosphere
from day to day.
Climate –
conditions in the
atmosphere over a
long period of
time. Ex. Tropical Rain
forest
Air pressure
 Low pressure
– warm air - expands & rises
– Unstable (front)
– Found from 60N of the equator to 60S
of the equator
 High pressure
– cold air
– heavy & dense – it sinks
– STABLE
– Found from 30-90 north & south of
the equator
WEATHER MAP
WINDS
US – westerlies –
west to east
Atmosphere
Air that surrounds
the earth
GLOBAL
CLIMATES
Classified by
precipitation ,
temperature, &
vegetation
LATITUDE – most
influence
LOW LATITUDE
Desert
Savanna
Rainforest
steppe
Middle Latitude
Marine West Coast
Humid continental
Mediterranean
Humid subtropical
HC – only 1 that has 4 seasons
High latitude
Icecap
Subarctic
Tundra
Highland
TUNDRA