Forces That Shape the earth
Climate vs Weather What is climate? -weather conditions over a long period of time. What is weather? -The current conditions of the atmosphere at a given point in time.
Climate Regions Tropical Dry Moist Subtropical Mid-Latitude Climates Temperate Polar
What Determines Climate Precipitation (Rain, Sleet, Snow, Hail) Elevation/Altitude (Height above sea level) Location from the equator -Latitude and Longitude -Tropic of Cancer (Above the equator) -Tropic of Capricorn (Below the equator) Wind Direction Ocean Currents Topography
Wind Currents Help distribute the sun’s heat from one part of the world to another through convection The winds in the Northern and Southern hemispheres flow in opposite directions. This is called the Coriolis effect.
Ocean Currents Warm waters flow away from the equator toward the poles, and cold water flows back toward the equator. Affects the temperature of an area and also the amount of precipitation (rain) received.
Types of Weather Extremes Blizzards Droughts Floods Tornadoes Hurricanes El Nino (The warming of water in the Pacific) Tsunami (Underwater Earthquakes) Monsoons(Extreme rain storms) -Usually occurs off the coast of Asia
Parts of the Earth Lithosphere Biosphere Atmosphere Hydrosphere
The Lithosphere The Layer of Rock -(Oceanic Crust) The ocean floor -(Continental Crust) The land The Continental Drift Theory -States all the continents were once conjoined (Pangaea), but slowly drifted apart.
Plate Tectonics Transform Boundaries -The plates slide past one another Divergent Boundaries -The plates spread apart Convergent Boundaries -The plates collide with each other
Weathering 2 types of Weathering: Chemical and Mechanical Chemical Weathering creates a new substance. Mechanical Weathering breaks larger rock into smaller substances. Erosion occurs during mechanical weathering.
The Biosphere The layer of Earth that consist of all living things. (Plants and Animals) What is a biome? -The community of plants, animals, and types of soil. -Tundra, Desert, Rainforest, and Grasslands. What is an ecosystem? -Smaller portions of biomes What is vegetation? -Plant Life The climate and type of soil, ALWAYS determines the type of vegetation.
The Atmosphere The layer of gases that surround the Earth. Mostly composed of Nitrogen and Oxygen. 78%Nitrogen 21%Oxygen 1%Other gases
The Hydrosphere All the water on Earth. The Earth is 75% water. Includes oceans, lakes, seas, and rivers.
Physical Features Bodies of Water Oceanic Landforms Continental Landforms
Bodies of Water Water not only supports plants and animals, it helps distribute heat on the Earth. Oceans and Seas Saltwater, covers 71% of the Earth Ocean Motion Currents, waves, and tides Lakes, Rivers, and Streams Holds 95% of the Earth’s freshwater supply. Groundwater Held in the pores of rock Hydrologic Cycle Continuous circulation of water between the atmosphere, the oceans, and the Earth.
Oceanic Landforms Continental Shelf Similar to landforms above water The Earth’s surface from the edge of a continent to the deep part of the ocean Similar to landforms above water Mountains, ridges, etc.
Continental Landforms Relief The difference in elevation of a landform from its lowest point to its highest point 4 categories: Mountains Hills Plains Plateaus Topography Combination of the surface shape and composition of the landforms and their distribution in a region.