HW: Factors Affecting Climate Divide your paper into 4* squares. Label them the following (4 front, 4 back): Low Latitudes 5. Wind Patterns High Latitudes 6. Ocean Currents Mid-Latitudes 7. El Niño Elevation 8. Landforms Use Ch. 3, Lesson 2 You will write at least 3 main points for each IN YOUR OWN WORDS! Illustrations; highlight vocab Leave room for extra notes I may have!  Due tomorrow

Earth-Sun Relationships (3.1)

Weather: condition of atmosphere in 1 place during a limited time Climate vs. Weather Weather: condition of atmosphere in 1 place during a limited time

Climate: weather patterns of an area over a long period of 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 different amounts of light at different times Areas with direct sunlight warmer temps. (Tropics, Equator) Areas with indirect sunlight cooler temps. (High latitudes/ mid-lat)

Earth rotates on its axis 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 Changes in length of days and temp. Reversed for N & S hemispheres

Equinoxes & Solstices Equinox: Spring and Fall Equal days and nights Spring equinox March 21- rays hit Equator directly…equal day/night Fall equinox Sept. 23ish- rays hit Equator directly…equal day/night

Equinoxes & Solstices Solstice: Summer and Winter Longer day or shorter day Summer solstice June 22- rays hit Tropic of Cancer…longest day (Northern Hemisphere) Winter solstice December 22- rays hit Tropic of Capricorn…shortest day (US)

Equinoxes & Solstices Winter 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? Winter The same thing!  (China is also in the Northern Hemisphere)

“lands of the midnight sun” 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”

Describes the warming of the Earth when the sun’s radiation passes through the atmosphere Allows for life on the planet!  A delicate balance must be kept

Climate Change: Warming Basic Theory Theory that the overall temp. of the Earth is rising due to a thinning in the atmosphere caused by human activity (CO2)

Climate Change: Cooling/Cyclical Theory that global temps are actually COOLING, not warming up—some believe it could be natural, others believe it’s due to human activity