1. Chapter 6
Climate

2. Lesson 1
Climates On Earth

3. What is climate? The long-term average weather conditions in a region
Depends mostly on average temperature and precipitation
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4. What affects temperature?
Latitude - location based on north/south because the surface of the Earth is curved
Higher temp. near the equator
Altitude – temp. decreases with height
Large bodies of water – hold heat energy
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5. What is specific heat?
The amount of thermal energy (in joules) needed to raise the temp. of 1 kg of a material by 1° C
Water has a very high specific heat and can absorb large amounts of energy
Climate near coasts is more consistent
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6. What affects precipitation?
Higher temp. causes more evaporation
Landforms- mountains cause rain shadows
An area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain (the other side receives more)
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7. What climates are there?
DEPENDS ON TEMP. AND PRECIPITATION
A system was created by German scientist Wladimir Köppen including temp., precipitation, and vegetation (plants)
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8. What is a microclimate?
A localized climate different from the area around it
A forest or hilltop would be different from the surrounding area
A city can cause changes to local climate
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9. How does climate affect life?
Most organisms are adapted to where they live
Think of what lives in a rainforest vs. a desert
Climate affects human crops and building design
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10. Lesson 2
Climate Cycles

11. What are climate cycles?
Climate cycles are similar to weather cycles (change in weather through days, weeks, or months)
Climate cycles take much longer
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12. What is an ice age?
Cold periods lasting from hundreds to millions of years when glaciers cover much of Earth
Warm periods that occur between ice ages are called - interglacials
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13. Recent Ice Ages
The last major ice age started about two million years ago
The current interglacial started 10,000 years ago, but was interrupted by a “Little Ice Age” from 1250 to 1850
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14. What causes climate cycles?
Primarily – changes in the amount of solar energy reaching the earth
Every 100,000 years Earth’s orbit changes from oval-shaped to more circular
Earth’s axis changes its tilt every 41,000 years
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15. Short-term Cycles
Seasons occur when different latitudes get different amounts of solar energy because of Earth’s orbit and Earth’s axis always pointing the same direction
When the northern hemisphere experiences summer, the southern hemisphere experiences winter and vice versa
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16. Short-term Cycles
An equinox is when both hemispheres get 12 hours of day and 12 hours of night
A solstice is when the Earth’s axis is pointing directly towards/away from the Sun
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17. What is El Niño/Southern Oscillation?
The combined ocean and atmospheric cycle that results in weak trade winds across the Pacific Ocean
Prevents upwelling (cold water pushing upward in the ocean) and changes normal climate
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18. What is a monsoon?
A wind circulation pattern that changes direction with the season
Can also drastically change precipitation
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19. What is a drought? A period with below-average precipitation
Usually caused by or related to heat waves
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20. Lesson 3
Climate Change

21. Recent Climate Change
Average temperatures have been increasing for the last 100 years
Normally, change occurs much more slowly
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22. What is global warming? The rise in Earth’s average temperature
Most likely this increase is related to human activities that release greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
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23. What are greenhouse gases?
Gases in the atmosphere that absorb radiation and trap heat on Earth
Greenhouse gases prevent Earth from being very cold
Carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor
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24. Carbon Dioxide
Burning fossil fuels (coal, oil, and natural gas) and deforestation have caused a huge increase in CO2 in the atmosphere
This increase has been related to an increase in the greenhouse effect
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25. What is deforestation? The large-scale cutting/burning of forests
Plants, such as trees, remove CO2 from the atmosphere through photosynthesis
Burning releases carbon stored in the trees back into the atmosphere
This makes up 25% of CO2 from humans
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26. What are aerosols?
Tiny liquid/solid particles that reflect sunlight back into space
Can cause water droplets in clouds to be smaller and reflect even more light
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27. Why do we care? Heat waves/droughts affect food/water
Excess rainfall can cause floods/mudslides
Melting ice may raise sea level
Climate change means change from what is normal
We don’t know all the possible effects
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28. What can we do? Make predictions using a global climate model (GCM)
A set of complex equations used to predict future climates (computer models)
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29. What can we do? Alternate energy sources to reduce CO2
Hybrid/Alternative fuel vehicles
Green building (energy efficient)
Planting trees
Energy conservation
Recycling
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