2.0 SEASONS & CLIMATE 2.0 NOTES: Seasons & Climate VID CLIP: Climate Change Tetris

TILT, SEASONS, CLIMATE, CLIMATE ZONES & CLIMAGRAPHS

ROTATION The time it takes for the Earth to complete a full turn (24 hours).

REVOLUTION The time it take for the Earth to complete 1 orbit around the sun (1 YEAR)

The Earth is TILTED on a 23.5 ˚ AXIS as it ORBITS the SUN – this is what causes the SEASONS

1) TILT = SEASONS WINTER happens when a hemisphere is TILTED AWAY from the sun and only receive INDIRECT rays. SUMMER happens when a hemisphere is TILTED TOWARDS the sun and receive DIRECT rays

*2) That means that when it’s SUMMER in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, it’s WINTER in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. The hemisphere tilted towards the Sun has longer days and shorter nights.

During midwinter, WHEN A POLE IS TILTED AWAY FROM THE SUN, THERE IS NO DAYLIGHT AT ALL. The sun never rises! HOWEVER, DURING THE SUMMER, A POLE RECEIVES SUNLIGHT ALL THE TIME AND THERE IS NO NIGHT!

POLAR REGIONS: remain so COLD because they are NEVER TILTED in a DIRECT PATH of the SUN’S RAYS. Even in the summer the sun stays near the HORIZON – it never appears to be directly overhead. What’s wrong with this picture?

(spring equinox on March 20 / fall equinox is on September 22) EQUINOXES mark when the amount of DAYLIGHT hours are HALFWAY between their MAXIMUM & MINIMUM -or- EQUAL DAYLIGHT in NORTHERN & SOUTHERN Hemispheres (spring equinox on March 20 / fall equinox is on September 22)

3) WEATHER vs. CLIMATE

3) WEATHER= the condition of the atmosphere at a particular LOCATION and TIME “What is it like right now?”

4) CLIMATE: AVERAGE weather conditions at a particular location over a LONG period of TIME “What’s the weather usually like here this time of year?”

FACTORS AFFECTING CLIMATE

ATMOSPHERE = the mass of AIR surrounding the EARTH, which PROTECTS us from the SUN’S RADIATION & meteors.

5a) Like seasons, the directness of the sun’s rays differs by LATITUDE and dramatically affects temperature!

AIR CONVECTION DIAGRAM North Pole or South Pole Equator

5b) WIND CURRENTS distributes HOT / COLD AIR & moisture

5c) OCEAN CURRENTS transfers HOT / COLD WATER = affects PRECIPITATION

Sun’s Rays Create WIND & OCEAN CURRENTS

The CENTER of a continent is usually DRIER than the COASTAL areas. 5d) CONTINENTIALITY EFFECT= climatic effect caused by a continent’s INTERIOR being INSULATED from OCEAN influences. The CENTER of a continent is usually DRIER than the COASTAL areas.

5e) ELEVATION= ALTITUDE so the HIGHER you go, the COLDER it is. affects TEMPERATURE; so the HIGHER you go, the COLDER it is.

You may want to sketch this rainshadow diagram into your notes! 5f) RAINSHADOW = Mountains BLOCK the passage of RAIN-producing weather systems, casting a "SHADOW" of DRYNESS behind them. As the wind pushes air to higher ELEVATION the MOISTURE CONDENSES, causing PERCIPITATION You may want to sketch this rainshadow diagram into your notes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ztWHqUFJRTs

CLIMATE ZONES CLIMATE ZONE DECRIPTION LOCATION (Latitudes) Polar Temperate Tropical Highland

7) SKETCH & LABEL the DIAGRAM 1) POLAR 2) TEMPERATE 3) TROPICAL 6) CLIMATE ZONES & LATITUDE: POLAR (66ºN-90ºN) are COLD TEMPERATE (23ºN-66ºN) 4 SEASONS TROPICAL (0º-23ºN) are HOT TROPICAL (0º-23ºS) are HOT TEMPERATE (23ºS-66ºS) 4 SEASONS POLAR (66ºS-90ºS) are COLD

POLAR TEMPERATE TROPICAL

POLAR REGIONS COLD because of INDIRECT SUNLIGHT, w/GROWING SEASON too SHORT for AGRICULTURE. 66˚N to 90˚N = ARCTIC CIRCLE 66˚S to 90˚S = ANTARCTIC CIRCLE

TEMPERATE ZONE - 4 SEASONS & generally good for AGRICULTURE. 23ºN to 66º N 23ºS to 66º S

TROPICS gets the most DIRECT SUNLIGHT, as a result it’s HOTTER. WET & DRY SEASONS instead of summer/ fall/ winter/ spring. TROPICAL ZONE 23˚N to 23˚S

Found in LOW & MID Latitudes 8) HIGHLAND Climate Zone based on ELEVATION (same LATITUDE, different ALTITUDE). Found in LOW & MID Latitudes

9) Sketch HIGHLAND/VERTICAL zone Diagram

10) CLIMATE GRAPHS show the AVERAGE temperature & precipitation of each MONTH.

11) BARS= PRECIPITATION LINES = TEMPERATURE

BAR GRAPH = PRECIPITATION LINE GRAPH = TEMPERATURE

CLIMATE CHANGE