Earth-Sun Relationships
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Transcript Earth-Sun Relationships
Earth-Sun
Relationships
Climate vs. Weather
• Weather: condition of
atmosphere in 1 place during a
limited time
Climate vs. weather
• Climate: weather patterns of an
area over a long period of time
The most important factor of
climate is Earth’s position in
relation to the sun
Earth’s Tilt
• Axis: imaginary line runs
from pole to pole, through
center
–Tilted at 23 ½ º angle
–Places receive diff. amounts
of light at diff. times
Earth’s Tilt
• Areas with direct sunlight
warmer temps.
• Areas with indirect
sunlight cooler temps.
Earth’s Rotation
• Earth rotates on
its axis
–One complete
rotation = 24 hours
–From west to east,
one hemisphere at
a time
Earth’s Revolution
• As it rotates, Earth revolves
around the sun (365 days)
• Tilt + revolution = seasons
–Δs in length of days and
temp.
–Reversed for N & S
hemispheres
Equinoxes & Solstices
• Equinox: Spring and Fall
–Equal days and nights
• Solstice: Summer and
Winter
–Longer day or shorter day
Equinoxes & Solstices
• Spring equinox March 21rays hit Equator
directly…equal day/night
• Summer solstice June 22rays hit Tropic of Cancer
(23 ½ ºN)…longest day
Equinoxes & Solstices
• Fall equinox Sept. 23- rays
hit Equator directly…equal
day/night
• Winter solstice December
22- rays hit Tropic of
Capricorn
(23 ½ ºS)…shortest day
Equinoxes & Solstices
• So if it is summer in
Houston, what season is it
in South Africa?
• If we are wearing long
sleeves and jackets, what
are they wearing in China?
The Poles
• For 6 months one pole is
pointed toward sun
constant sunlight
• Other is pointed away little
to no sunlight
“lands of the midnight sun”
The Greenhouse Effect
• The perfect balance must
be kept:
–Too much heat escapes
freeze
–Too much heat is trapped
dry out
Greenhouse effect
Global warming
• More fossil fuels (coal, oil,
natural gas) are burned
• Greenhouse gases (CO2,
O3, water vapor) trap more
heat
Global warming
• Water evaporation , get more
rainfall
• Land dries out more quickly
Factors Affecting Climate
•
•
Divide your paper into 8 squares
Label them the following:
1.
2.
3.
4.
•
•
•
Low Latitudes
High Latitudes
Mid-Latitudes
Elevation
5. Wind Patterns
6. Ocean Currents
7. El Niño
8. Landforms
Use Ch. 3 Sec. 2
You will write at least 3 main points for each
IN YOUR OWN WORDS!
You will draw an illustration to visually
explain the factor (Must be colored)
Low Latitudes
High Latitudes
Mid-Latitudes
Elevation
Wind Patterns
Ocean Currents
El Nino
Landforms
Between the Tropic of
Cancer and Tropic of
Capricorn (includes
Equator); the “Tropics”
Receive direct rays from
Sun
Warm to hot climates year
round
Move clockwise in N.
Hem. and counterclockwise
in S. Hem.
Cool air flows in to
replaces rising warm air
(Polar front), distributing
Sun’s heat
Low latitudes have trade
winds; mid-latitudes have
westerlies; high latitudes
have polar easterlies
(named for direction they
come from)
Doldrums are a windless
band at the Equator and
Tropic lines
Polar areas= North of Arctic
Circle and south of Antarctic
Circle
Receives constant indirect
sunlight for 6 months when
pole faces Sun
March-Sept: North has
constant daylight, South is in
dark (switches for next 6
mos.)
Move clockwise in N. Hem.
and counterclockwise in S.
Hem.
Cold water moves from
poles to Equator and warms
up (warm currents), or warm
water moves from Equator to
poles and cools (cold
currents)
Currents affect the climate
on land: either cooling or
warming (ex: North Atlantic
Drift & W. Europe)
Most variable weather on
Earth
Between Tropic of Cancer
& Arctic Circle; between
Tropic of Capricorn &
Antarctic Circle
Ranges from fairly hot to
fairly cold (temperate),
dramatic changes
Summer gets warm air from
tropics, winter gets cold air
from high-latitudes
Periodic change in currents
& water temps. in midPacific region, no known
cause
Reversal of atmospheric
pressures reduce or
reverse wind patterns
brings warm water from Asia
to South America
Domino effect: precipitation
increases, flooding in S.
America; also droughts and
fires in SE Asia/Australia
At any latitude, anywhere
on Earth, elevation
influences climate
As altitude increases, the air
thins which absorbs less heat
As elevation increases,
temperature decreases
Landforms affect climates
of places at the same latitude
Bodies of water moderate
temps. b/c they take long to
change temp.
Cool air releases moisture
on windward side of
mountain; then hot, dry air
moves to leeward side
creating deserts (rain shadow
effect)
Low Latitudes
Between the the “Tropics”
Low numbers in latitude value
Receive direct rays from Sun
Equator: 6 mos. a yr.
Each Tropic: 3 mos. a yr.
Receive indirect rays from Sun
Equator: 6 mos. a yr.
Each Tropic: 6 mos. a yr.
Warm to hot climates year round
High Latitudes
Polar areas= N of Arctic Circle and S of
Antarctic Circle (high numbers in latitude
value)
Receives constant sunlight for 6 months
when pole faces Sun
March-Sept: North has constant daylight, South
is in dark (switches for next 6 mos.)
Arctic & Antarctic Circles are last point to
receive indirect rays (during summer or
winter)
Mid Latitudes
Most variable weather on Earth
Between Trop. of Cancer & Arctic Circle;
between Trop. of Capricorn & Antarctic
Circle (~30°- 60°)
Ranges from fairly hot to fairly cold
(temperate), dramatic changes, but no
extremes
Summer gets warm air from low-lats, winter
gets cold air from high-lats
Elevation
At any latitude, anywhere on Earth,
elevation influences climate
If high enough in elevation, can have snow on the
Equator!
As altitude increases, the air thins which
absorbs less heat
As elevation increases, temperature
decreases (3.5° per 1,000 ft)
Wind Patterns
Move clockwise in N. Hem. and counterclockwise
in S. Hem. (Coriolis Effect)
Cool air flows in to replace rising warm air (Polar
front), distributing Sun’s heat
Switches direction in each latitude zone
Low latitudes have trade winds (northeasterly/southeasterly)
Mid-latitudes have westerlies
High latitudes have polar easterlies
*(named for direction they come FROM)
Windless bands
Doldrums @ Equator
Horse Latitudes @ Tropics
Coriolis Effect
Doldrums: windless
area near the equator
Horse Latitudes: Historically, ships would lighten
their loads in order to take advantage of the
slightest wind such as cargo, excess supplies and
livestock…this also included horses.
Ocean Currents
Flow same directions as wind…which is??
Cold water moves from poles to Equator and
warms up (cold currents), or warm water
moves from Equator to poles and cools
(warm currents)
Currents affect the climate on land: either
cooling or warming (ex: North Atlantic Drift
& W. Europe)
El Niño
Periodic change in currents & water temps.
in mid-Pacific region
No known cause
Reversal of atmospheric pressures reduce
or reverse wind patterns brings warm
water from Asia to South America
Domino effect:
Precipitation increases, flooding in S. America
Or droughts and fires in SE Asia/Australia
El Nino
• http://www.teachersdo
main.org/resource/es
s05.sci.ess.watcyc.es
elnino/
Landforms
Landforms affect climates of places @ the same
latitude
Bodies of water moderate temps. b/c they take a
long time to change temp.
Gulf of MX is warm water keeps Houston warmer
Continentality– absence of lg. body of water means
more drastic weather changes
Nebraska can have hot summers and receive snow in the
winters (4 seasons instead of 2 )
Rainshadow effect
Cool air releases moisture on windward side of
mountain; then hot, dry air moves to leeward side
creating deserts
Ganges Plain in India
Himalaya
Arid Tibetan
Plateau
Climographs
Climographs
World Climographs webpage