Climate and Climate Change 21 CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change EXIT CHAPTER 21.1 What Is Climate? 21.2 Climate Zones 21.3 Climate Change CHAPTER OUTLINE

21 21.1 What Is Climate? Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.1 What Is Climate? VOCABULARY The climate of a region is its long-term weather. The two main characteristics of climate are temperature and precipitation, which can be described by averages and ranges. climate climate controls Many other factors act together to determine Earth’s climate: latitude, elevation, distance from large bodies of water, ocean currents, topography, prevailing winds, and vegetation. SECTION OUTLINE

21 21.1 What Is Climate? Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.1 What Is Climate? VOCABULARY Some climate controls have a greater effect than others at different locations. climate climate controls Beijing, China and Valdivia, Chile had the same average temperature but different climates. SECTION OUTLINE

21 Climate and Climate Change climate CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME VOCABULARY climate climate controls climate The characteristic pattern or course of the weather that an area has over a long period of time. SECTION OUTLINE

21 Climate and Climate Change climate controls CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME VOCABULARY climate climate controls climate controls The conditions that determine the climate of an area, including but not limited to latitude, elevation, topography, and prevailing winds. SECTION OUTLINE

21 21.2 Climate Zones Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.2 Climate Zones Earth has a great diversity of climates. Scientists categorize Earth’s many climates into zones: polar, dry, humid tropical, moist mid-latitude with mild winters, and moist mid-latitude with severe winters. click here to enlarge Most climate zones are further divided into subclimates. In mountainous regions, climates can vary greatly within a small area. SECTION OUTLINE

Temperature difference (°C) 21 CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.3 Climate Change Earth’s climate is constantly changing. Antarctic Temperatures for Past 420,000 Years Thousands of years ago Temperature difference (°C) compared to present SECTION OUTLINE

21 21.3 Climate Change Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.3 Climate Change Earth’s climate is constantly changing. Global climate changes can be caused by changes in Earth’s energy budget and by the interactions among Earth’s spheres. Causes for climate change include variations in Earth’s motions, the location of the continents, variations in sunspots, and gases and ash ejected into the atmosphere by volcanoes. SECTION OUTLINE

compared to average for 1951–1980 Temperature difference (°C) 21 CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.3 Climate Change Human activities are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and there is evidence that the increase is contributing to current global warming. Global Surface Temperature Change Year compared to average for 1951–1980 Temperature difference (°C) SECTION OUTLINE

21 21.3 Climate Change Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME 21.3 Climate Change Human activities are increasing the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, and there is evidence that the increase is contributing to current global warming. The causes of climate change are complex, so predicting climate change is difficult. Scientists study past climate change by analyzing sea-floor sediments, glacier samples, tree rings, and other indirect evidence. SECTION OUTLINE

21 Climate and Climate Change I. What is Climate? CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME VOCABULARY I. What is Climate? climate A. Temperature and Precipitation climate controls B. Climate Controls KEY IDEA SUMMARY

21 Climate and Climate Change II. Climate Zones A. Polar Climates CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME II. Climate Zones A. Polar Climates B. Dry Climates C. Humid Tropical Climates D. Moist Mid-Latitude Climates 1. Mild Winters 2. Severe Winters E. Highlands KEY IDEA SUMMARY

21 Climate and Climate Change III. Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME III. Climate Change A. Causes of Climate Change 1. Earth’s Motions 2. Plate Tectonics 3. Sunspots 4. Volcanoes B. Human Effect on Climate C. Measuring Climate Change KEY IDEA SUMMARY

Climate Zone Map EXIT Polar Dry Humid Tropical Highland Tundra Icecap Desert Semiarid Humid Tropical Highland Tropical wet and dry Tropical wet Moist Mid-Latitude, Mild Winter Humid subtropical Marine west coast Mediterranean Moist Mid-Latitude, Severe Winter Humid continental Subarctic

21 Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER Climate and Climate Change CHAPTER HOME This is the end of the chapter presentation of lecture notes. Click the CHAPTER HOME button or exit the presentation.