Unit 7: Climate ©Mark Place, 2007-2008 www.LearnEarthScience.com Revised 2010

Climate Vocabulary Abundant- means a lot of Climate-the average weather conditions of an area for a long period of time Deforestation-the removal of trees, forests Depleted-means lack of or not enough of Evapotranspiration-the evaporation of moisture from trees Greenhouse Effect-the trapping of heat within the atmosphere Orographic Effect-the effect of mountains on climate Ozone-a layer in the Earth’s atmosphere which contains relatively high concentrations of oxygen(O3). Ozone absorbs 93–99% of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet light

Identify five factors that affect climate and explain how each affects climate.

Latitude

As latitude ________, the average annual temperature _________. How does latitude affect climate? As latitude ________, the average annual temperature _________. increases decreases Temperature 0° Latitude 90°

Closeness to Large Bodies of Water Inland Coastal

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Inland Coastal

Water __________ the temperature. _______ summers. _______ winters. How does closeness to a large body of water affect climate? Water __________ the temperature. _______ summers. _______ winters. moderates Cooler Warmer Cities A & B are located at the same latitude. City B is closer to a large body of water. How can you tell? Its temperature line is flatter (moderated).

Orographic Effect Mountains

Orographic Effect

The leeward sides of the Adirondacks & Catskills receive much less precipitation The windward sides of the Adirondacks & Catskills receive a great deal more precipitation

Windward Side: ___________ Leeward Side: _____________ How does the Orographic Effect affect climate? Windward Side: ___________ Leeward Side: _____________ cool, moist warm, dry

Elevation

We live in the troposphere. Temperature decreases Elevation Page 14 of the ESRTs We live in the troposphere. Temperature decreases with elevation.

During summer, temperature is strongly controlled by elevation -- cold at the higher reaches of the Alaska and Brooks Ranges, and warmer in the lowlands.

As elevation _________, the average annual temperature __________. How does elevation affect climate? As elevation _________, the average annual temperature __________. increases decreases Temperature Elevation

Ocean Currents

The Gulf Stream

Warm Currents: warmer climate Cold Currents: cooler climate How do ocean currents affect climate? Warm Currents: warmer climate Cold Currents: cooler climate

Sun's Energy & Climate climate notes page 3

According to the graph below, what wavelength of energy does the Earth Sun's Energy & Climate According to the graph below, what wavelength of energy does the Earth receive in the greatest intensity? visible light

which absorbs ultraviolet (UV) Sun's Energy & Climate Name the primary gas which absorbs ultraviolet (UV) from the sun. ozone

Name the three primary gases which absorb infrared (IR) energy Sun's Energy & Climate Name the three primary gases which absorb infrared (IR) energy CO 2 methane water vapor

It absorbs harmful Ultra-Violet Radiation from the sun Sun's Energy & Climate Why is the ozone layer important? It absorbs harmful Ultra-Violet Radiation from the sun

Why is it warmer on a cloudy night than on a clear night? Sun's Energy & Climate Why is it warmer on a cloudy night than on a clear night? Clouds (H2O vapor) absorb IR energy radiated by the Earth. On a clear night, the IR energy escapes back into space.

Explain the greenhouse effect. Include a diagram which shows the change in wavelength. Draw in Arrows on Diagram

Water Cycle & Climate Hydrology Page 4 Notes

The water cycle is also called the cycle. hydrological

Water that is stored in the oceans and lakes can and become a gas. evaporate

As the water rises through the atmosphere, it cools, condenses and becomes clouds

When the water gets heavy enough it can fall to the ground in the form of different types of precipitation

and flow directly into streams, rivers, or lakes. If the lithosphere (ground) is saturated, the water that has fallen can become and flow directly into streams, rivers, or lakes. runoff

If the lithosphere is not saturated, the water will the lithosphere and move into the zone of or the zone of infiltrate aeration saturation

The interface (boundary) between these two zones is called the water table

The roots of plants can reach into the zone of soak up the water, and the water can then re-enter the atmosphere through the process of saturation transpiration

runoff runoff water table impermeable bedrock zone of saturation transpiration condensation precipitation runoff zone of aeration evaporation runoff evaporation water table infiltration zone of saturation impermeable bedrock

Porosity, Capillarity & Permeability Click on above for animation Soil & Climate

Porosity

Total volume of empty space Porosity = Total volume of empty space ÷ total volume of soil What materials would you need to calculate the porosity of a sample of soil? graduated cylinder water

***Particle size alone does not determine porosity***

Which is more porous, a container of: POROSITY- the amount of pore space between particles in soil Which is more porous, a container of: round particles or angular particles tightly packed particles or loosely packed particles c. well-sorted particles or unsorted particles d. large beads or small beads * Particle Size does NOT affect porosity as long as the shape of the particles is uniform!

the ability of a soil to draw up water Capillarity the ability of a soil to draw up water

Indirect Relationship Capillarity Indirect Relationship capillarity The smaller the particle size the greater the capillarity Particle Size

A, because the particles are largest PERMEABILITY Which column would allow water to flow through fastest? Why? A, because the particles are largest

PERMEABILITY Particle Size

If you join sediment from A and D, PERMEABILITY If you join sediment from A and D, what would happen to the permeability? Why? Decreases because the small particles fill in the spaces

Which is more permeable? PERMEABILITY Which is more permeable? a. small particles or large particles b. frozen ground or unfrozen ground

RUNOFF AND STREAM DISCHARGE FACTORS AFFECTING RUNOFF AND STREAM DISCHARGE Which will result in greater runoff and stream discharge? an area that is vegetated or an area that is barren an area that has a steep slope or an area that is flat ground that is frozen or ground that is unfrozen d. ground that is saturated or ground that unsaturated

Global Climate Change

Ice Ages

what triggers an ice age Ice Ages Ice Ages are cyclic. The last one occurred ~12,000 year ago The exact causes of what triggers an ice age are not known

El Niño A warming of the Pacific Ocean. Winters: West = Stormy South = Cold, wet Northeast = warmer

A cooling of the Pacific Ocean. La Niña A cooling of the Pacific Ocean. Dry in southeast. Cool, wet in northwest.

Average global temperatures are increasing. Glaciers are melting. Global Warming Average global temperatures are increasing. Glaciers are melting. Ocean levels are rising. Warming is natural. Humans are speeding up the process through increased levels of carbon dioxide (CO2)

Mountain Glaciers