Unit 4: Energy Flow in Global Systems

Chapters: Chapter 10: Solar Energy and Climates Chapter 11: Climates and Biomes Chapter 12: Climate Change and Humans

Ch 1: Solar Energy and Climates The Biosphere

Defining Systems: Three classes of systems are defined by the following: 1. Open system 2. Closed system 3. Isolated system

Allows energy and matter to cross the systems boundary Open System: Allows energy and matter to cross the systems boundary Examples:

Allows only energy but NOT matter to cross the boundary Closed System Allows only energy but NOT matter to cross the boundary Examples:

Allows NEITHER energy nor matter to cross the boundary Isolated System Allows NEITHER energy nor matter to cross the boundary Examples:

The Biosphere

Layers of the Biosphere There are 3 layers that make up the biosphere: 1. Lithosphere 2. Hydrosphere 3. Atmosphere

Lithosphere The Earth’s crust that forms land above sea level, at the ocean bottom, as well as the Earth’s mantel

Hydrosphere Water on or near the Earth’s surface Includes, oceans, rivers, lakes as well as water in the atmosphere (clouds) Cryosphere: water that is frozen in icecaps and permafrost

Atmosphere A mixture of nitrogen, oxygen and other gases that extends 800km above the Earth’s surface

Atmospheric Layers

1. Troposphere Layer of gases from 0 km to 10 km from the surface Temp decreases as altitude increases (from 170C to -600C) Contains 80% of the atmosphere’s gases Location weather occurs

2. Stratosphere Above the troposphere from 10 km to 50 km above the surface Temperature increases to 0 degrees Planes fly in this layer due to its stability Contains no life forms Contains the ozone layer

3. Mesosphere Above the stratosphere Reaches 85 km above the Earth Temperature decreases to -1000C degrees

4. Thermosphere Farthest layer from the Earth’s surface Location of Northern Lights & space shuttle orbit Temperature increases to 15000C degrees! Very little gas in this layer

Atmospheric Layers

Earths Radiation Budget What is Radiation? The mechanism of energy transfer in which in which atoms or molecules emit electromagnetic waves

Earth’s Radiation Budget The earth maintains an energy balance of these waves known as its radiation budget

Welcome to the Family Feud!! We surveyed 100 scientists and the top 4 answers are on the board: What is the most common obstruction that effects solar radiation coming into or leaving the earth?

Survey says: Ozone layer Clouds 3. Albedo (surface reflection) 4. Dust

Climate Vs. Weather Climate - long-term trend in atmospheric pressure, humidity, temperature and precipitation Weather - the above conditions at one time in one place

What do you know? With a partner answer the following: 1. What determines the lengths of days and nights at different latitudes? 2. Why are days of daylight and darkness not equal? 3. Why do the seasons have unequal # of days? 4. What is significance about March 21th and September 23rd? 5. Explain why the warming of the earth is unequal?

What determines the lengths of days and nights at different latitudes?

Why are days of daylight and darkness not equal?

Why do the seasons have unequal # of days?

What is significance about March 21st and September 23rd?

Explain why the warming of the earth is unequal?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DuiQvPLWziQ

The Earths Tilted Axis Angle of Inclination: the angle of the equator with respect of the the plane of the earths surface around the sun

Earth’s Rotation Around the Sun

Seasons and Sunlight

Uneven Distribution of Radiation

Uneven Distribution of Radiation

All of these factors lead to 3 major climate zones Polar Temperate Tropical