Weather?

• Condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place

Climate?

• Condition of weather in a geographic region over a long period of time

Temperature?

• Measurement of heat

Tilt of the Earth• Axis- an imaginary line running

from the North Pole, through the center of the Earth, to the South Pole.–Located at 23 ½ degrees upon the

axis–Effects temperature depending upon

tilt of the Earth towards or away from the sun.

Rotation

• The spinning of the Earth on its axis.

• 1 rotation= 24 hours

Revolution

• Orbit of the Earth around the sun.

• 365 ¼ days in one year

The Seasons• Equinoxes- “Equal Night” 12 hrs. of day/night

• Neither Pole is pointed toward or away from sun–Autumnal Equinox (September 21/22)–Vernal Equinox (March 21/22)

Cancer and Capricorn• 23 ½ degrees North- Tropic of Cancer

–Northernmost point on Earth to receive direct sunlight

• 23 ½ degrees South- Tropic of Capricorn–Southernmost point on Earth to receive

direct sunlight

The Seasons• Summer Solstice- North pole is pointed toward the sun at 23 ½ degrees North

• Winter Solstice- South pole is pointed toward the sun at 23 ½ degrees South

The Poles• Each pole receives continuous sunlight for 6 months of the year

• When one pole receives sunlight the other receives little to no sunlight

5 Factors that Affect Climate

1. Latitude

2. Elevation

3. Wind

4. Ocean Currents

5. Landforms

LatitudeLatitude

0

30 N

60 N

90 N

30 S

60 S

90 S

High Latitude

Middle Latitude

Low Latitude

Low Latitude

Middle Latitude

High Latitude

Low Latitude–Located between 0-30 degrees

North/South–Called the “Tropics”–Receives sunlight all year–Very hot temperatures–Lush vegetation –Abundant Precipitation

Middle Latitude

• Located between 30-60 degrees North/South

• Summers Hot, Dry• Winters Cold, Rainy• Dramatic Seasons

High Latitude

• Located between 60-90 degrees North/South

• Poles located here

• Cold Temperatures year round

Elevation• As air rises it cools and dries

–Basically•As you go up from the ground, the air gets colder and drier.

ElevationUrban Heat Island- cities or urban

areas are hotter because1. Evaporation is less2. Land surface (concrete) stores

heat3. More fossil fuels add CO2 which

stores heat4. More pollution which stores heat

Global Wind Belts• What is wind?

–The horizontal flow of air

Types of Wind

• Prevailing Winds- winds which blow from the same direction

• Doldrums- Windless areas around the equator

• Westerly- Prevailing winds, in the mid latitudes, which blow from the west

• Easterly- Prevailing winds, in the mid latitudes which blow from the east

Types of Wind Con’d• Front- two air masses of widely different

temperatures and moisture levels meet• Polar Front- occurs between 40-60

degrees North/South, warm air meets cold air

• Jet Stream- Fastest westerly wind which moves heat and steer weather.

Types of Wind Con’d• Coriolis Effect- causes

prevailing winds to blow at a diagonal–Right in the northern hemisphere–Left in the southern hemisphere

Global Wind Belt Diagram90 N

60 N

0

30 N

30 S

60 S

90 S

Polar’s

Westerlies

Northeast Tradewinds

Southeast Tradewinds

Doldrums

Easterlies

Polar’s

Ocean Currents

• Water heats/cools more slowly on land

• Current- A great river of seawater which moves in a circular flow

• Upwelling- cold water from the ocean floor rises to the surface

Landforms• As warm, moist air flows from the water and

rises up the mountain it begins to cool. The cool air then evaporates which causes precipitation. The precipitation allows the windward side of the mountain to have lush vegetation.

• As the air pushes over the mountain it dries and heats up. This causes the leeward side of the mountain to be hot, dry.

Rain shadow Effect/Orographic Uplift

Bodies of Water

• Oceans–Covers 70% of Earth

–97% of all Earth’s water

–Largest is the Pacific Ocean

Sea’s, Gulf’s, Bay’s • All Saltwater

• Usually partly enclosed by land

• Largest Mediterranean Sea

Lakes, Rivers, Streams• Lakes- a body of water which is

completely surrounded by land.– Fresh and Salt Water

– Most were made by glaciers cutting a valley into the Earth

– In Texas, all lakes are man-made

• Except Lake Caddo on the Texas-Louisiana border

Rivers• All civilizations begin near water (usually

river)– Mesopotamia- (Fertile Crescent)- the land between

the two rivers: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers

• Headwater- beginning of a river (usually a mountain)

• Mouth- end of a river (usually in a larger body of water)

• Groundwater- wells, springs, aquifers

Freshwater• 3% of Earth’s water

–2% frozen in glaciers and icecaps (melt=saltwater)

–0.5% found in aquifers- water below the Earth’s surface

–0.5% found on the surface

Desalinization

• The process of turning salt water into fresh water–Boil salt water and use

condensation as the fresh water

–Problem: expensive, very little freshwater from process

Planet Earth• 93 million miles from sun

• 8,000 miles in diameter

Atmosphere• Air which surrounds Earth; 19

miles above the surface–78% Nitrogen

–21% Oxygen

–1% other gases

Biosphere• All life on Earth

Hydrosphere• All water on Earth

–Solid- Glaciers, Icebergs

–Liquid- oceans, rivers, lakes….

–Gas- Fog • a cloud that has come to Earth’s surface

Lithosphere• Solid crust of the planet

• Continents- 7 large landmasses–Australia, Asia, Antarctica, Africa,

Europe, North and South America

North America

South America

Africa

EuropeAsia

Australia

Antarctica

Lithosphere• Highest point- Mount Everest

– Himalaya mountains in South Asia– 29,035 feet above sea level (asl)

• Lowest point- Dead Sea– Southwest Asia (Middle East)– (-)1,349 feet below sea level (bsl)

• Deepest point- Mariana Trench– Pacific Ocean– 38,827 feet

Inside the Earth• Crust- Made up of huge, plate-

like sections of rock

• Mantle- Hot dense rock

• Outer Core- melted nickel and iron

• Inner Core- solid iron and nickel

Layers of the EarthLayers of the Earth

Continental Drift

• Theory that the continents were all once joined in a super continent called “Pangaea” but slowly drifted apart

Plate Tectonics

• Movement of plates

Weathering• The chemical or physical process of

breaking down rocks

• Physical weathering- large pieces of rock are physically broken off

• Chemical weathering- changes on the rocks chemical makeup causes changes to the rock

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/be/GeologicalExfoliationOfGraniteRock.jpg

Erosion• Wearing away of the

Earth’s surface by wind, water, glaciers

Wind Erosion•Movement of dust, sand, or soil from one place to another

Wind created alcove in Utah

Glacial Erosion•Wearing away of the Earth’s surface by moving ice

Water Erosion•Wearing away of the Earth’s surface by flowing water

Sediment•Small particles of sand and gravel flow through a body of water which aids in water erosion

Tornado•Twisting spirals of wind

–Occurs in the middle latitudes–USA has more than any other country–Does not follow a pattern–April-June usually between 3-7 pm

Tornado Con’d•Fujita Scale- measurement of the intensity of tornado

–F0- 40 to 70 mph–F1- 71 to 112 mph–F2- 113 to 157 mph–F3- 158-206 mph–F4- 207-260 mph–F5- 261+ mph

Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes/Typhoons)

•Most powerful and destructive force of nature in the Atlantic Ocean (Hurricane) or Pacific Ocean (Typhoon)

–Tropical wave–Tropical depression (38 mph)–Tropical Storm–Hurricane (74 mph)

Cyclone Con’d• Produce powerful winds, torrential rains,

high waves and damaging storm surges• Can also produce tornadoes• Develop over large bodies of warm water• Lose strength once they move onto land• Named alphabetically, alternating

female/male by years.

Monsoon•Seasonal reversing wind accompanied by seasonal changes in precipitation.

–Rainy phase

–Drought Phase

El Nino

• Periodic change in the pattern of ocean currents and water temperature in the Pacific Ocean

• Changes in wind currents cause warm water from Indonesia to move along the South American Coast towards the US coast.

Effects of El Nino• Precipitation increases along North and

South America coasts (floods)• Precipitation decreases along SE Asia,

Australia, and East Asia (Drought)

• ***Has been linked to Global Warming/Due to Water Temperature

Greenhouse EffectEarth’s atmosphere traps heat and filters the rays

pf the sun which help keep the Earth warm.

Global WarmingThe burning of fossil fuels

(gasoline, oil, coal…) causes gases to be emitted into the atmosphere which trap and store heat which increases the greenhouse effect and causes the Earth to warm at a faster rate.

Effects of Global Warming

• Rising sea levels• Increased global temperatures• Extreme weather events (drought,

hurricanes, tsunamis)• Arctic ice shrinking• Greenland ice sheets shrinking/breaking off• Dramatic effect on future food supplies