Climate and Climate Change Enviro 2 Go , ,

Climate and Climate Change Objectives- You should be able to: describe the transfer of energy between atmosphere, land masses, and oceans describe differential heating and cooling describe oceanic and atmospheric circulation patterns describe climates and microclimates

Climate and Climate Change Important Vocabulary: climate climate weather weather microclimate microclimate latitude latitude differential heating and cooling differential heating and cooling

Climate Climate is the long-term prevailing conditions at a particular place taken over time and based on records taken. Includes average temperature and precipitation over time. Includes average temperature and precipitation over time.

Weather Weather is the current atmospheric conditions at a given time. Weather is the current atmospheric conditions at a given time.

1. Latitude 2. Atmospheric circulation patterns 3. Oceanic circulation patterns 4. Geography of an area 5. Solar activity Factors that Determine Climate

Latitude Latitude is the distance from the equator measured in degrees north or south.

Latitude Light rays strike the earth more directly at the equator so the equator is warmer than areas in the northern and southern hemisphere where the sun strikes the earth at an angle.

REMEMBER THIS!!! Weather is the atmospheric conditions on a given day. Climate is the long term weather conditions determined by temperature and precipitation. Weather Climate

Questions??? Question 1: What is the difference between climate and weather? Question 2: What determines the climate in an area?

Microclimate A local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area is known as a microclimate. climate A microclimate exists inside the bird of paradise flower. The temperature is very different on the inside compared to the outside of the flower.

Microclimates The term may refer to areas as small as a few square feet or as large as many square miles. gardens gardens valleys valleys

Bodies of water may cool the local atmosphere and create a microclimate. Heavily urban areas where brick, concrete, and asphalt absorb the sun's energy, heat up, and reradiate that heat to the ambient air reradiate The resulting urban heat island is a kind of microclimate. The resulting urban heat island is a kind of microclimate.urban heat islandurban heat island Microclimate on a rock More Examples of Microclimates

Questions??? Question 3: Describe a microclimate you might find in your yard.

Factors that affect Climate and Weather Land masses and oceans (nearness to oceans) Number of days and hours of sunlight Air circulation patterns (direction of winds) Differential heating and cooling Oceanic circulation patterns

Air Circulation Patterns Cold air sinks because it is more dense than warm air. - cold air sinks and then warms - warm air rises, expands and then cools. When warm air cools, water vapor may condense to form rain, snow, or fog.

Oceanic Circulation Patterns El Nino - winds in the western pacific strengthen and push warm water eastward.

Oceanic Circulation Patterns La Nina – Cool water in the eastern pacific gets pushed westward. It is the opposite phase of El Nino

Oceanic Circulation Patterns As El Nino brings in warm water eastward, and La Nina brings in cool water, the air temperature above is affected and thus affects the temperature on land.

REMEMBER THIS!!! Nearness to large bodies of water and ocean currents affects climate. Climate determines where plants grow. Climate is determined by long range temperature and precipitation patterns. Climate determines which organisms are found in a particular area.

Land Masses and Oceans Wind blowing over water creates a rainshadow effect.

Rainshadow Effect An area having relatively little precipitation due to the effect of a barrier, such as a mountain range, that causes the prevailing winds to lose their moisture before reaching it. It rains a lot on the side of the mountain near the body of water, but is dry on the inland side of the mountain.

Differential Heating and Cooling Land masses heat up more quickly and cool more quickly than large bodies of water.

Differential Heating and Cooling Have you ever taken a walk on the dry beach on a sunny day? Did you find that in the early afternoon the sand was much warmer than the water? Did you find that in the early afternoon the sand was much warmer than the water? That’s differential heating and cooling! That’s differential heating and cooling! Water is a slow conductor of heat, thus it needs to gain more energy than the sand or dry land in order for its temperature to increase. On the other hand, soil loses its heat much faster. But your toasted toes would perhaps mislead your mind! But your toasted toes would perhaps mislead your mind!

Differential Heating and Cooling Earth's oceans are far more important than the land as a source of the heat energy which drives the weather. Not only do the oceans cover more than 2/3 of the Earth's surface, they also absorb more sunlight and store more heat than land. Additionally the oceans retain heat longer. The Sun's rays also penetrate the oceans to a depth of many meters, but only heat up the top layer of the sand or soil. Water has to lose more energy than the sand (dry land) in order for the temperature to decrease.

REMEMBER THIS!!! Differential Heating and Cooling:

Questions???? Question 4: Describe the rainshadow effect. Question 5: Describe differential heating and cooling.

Test Yourself True or False ___ 1. Climate can be determined on any given day. ___ 2. Weather can be determined on any given day. ___ 3. Climate is determined by latitude. ___ 4. Latitude is the distance east or west of the equator. ___ 5. A microclimate is a local area where the climate is different from the surrounding area. ___ 6. Warm air sinks because it is more dense than cold air. ___ 7. Oceanic circulation patterns can affect air temperature. ___ 8. Water changes temperature more slowly than land. ___ 9. Air heats up more slowly than land or water. ___ 10. Rainshadow effects are often observed near mountains.

Test Yourself Matching ___ 1. differential heating and cooling ___ 2. latitude ___ 3. climate ___ 4. weather ___ 5. microclimate a.the distance north or south of the equator b.water retains its temperature longer than air or land c.long-term weather patterns determined by temperature and precipitation d.A local atmospheric zone where the climate differs from the surrounding area. e.atmospheric conditions on a given day

Test Yourself Fill in the Blank climatemicroclimateweather rainshadow effectdifferential heating and cooling The long-term weather patterns determine an areas _________________. A _______________ can be found in leaf litter on the forest floor because the temperature is very different at the top than underneath the leaves. Because of the ________________________, areas inland of mountainous regions do not get as much precipitation as along the coast. _____________ is determined by the daily atmospheric conditions. Land heating up faster than water is known as ______________________.

Test Yourself Answer the Following 1. What is climate? 2. What determines climate? 3. What is differential heating and cooling?

THE END!!!