1. Intro to Weather Notes

2. What is the Weather?
Important factors that determines the state of the atmosphere:
Air pressure
Wind
Temperature
Amount of water vapor in air

3. What about severe Weather?
When the previous factors are at extreme levels, the following occur:
Tornados
Hurricanes
Drought
Thunderstorms
lightning
Blizzards
Floods

4. Where does Earth get all of its energy?
Internal Energy
Comes from the Earth’s core
Very little comes from geothermal
Also, some from earthquakes and volcanoes

5. The Earth as a Furnace The Earth was hotter way long ago
3 ways it produced heat:
1. Extraterrestrial impacts
2. Gravitational contraction
3. Radioactive decay of elements

6. Extraterrestrial Impacts
Iron meteorites, stony meteorites, comets all impacted Earth
Typical velocities were 30,000-50,000km/hr
This kinetic energy was converted to heat energy upon impact

7. Gravitational Contraction
Early Earth was less compact than now
Over time has gone through accretion (compaction)
As Earth’s compaction increased, gravitational energy has been converted into heat energy

8. Decay of Radioactive Elements
Radioactive elements are unstable
They eventually breakdown into stable forms
Heat is released as they breakdown

9. External Energy The main source of external energy is the SUN!!!!!!
Solar energy – alternative energy