1. 6.4.8: Explain how convection affects weather patterns and climate.

2. Essential Question
How does convection affect weather patterns and climate?

3. Convection
In the atmosphere, the air is heated by land & water (which absorbed solar energy and changed this to heat).
The warm air rises, cools in the upper troposphere and sinks back to Earth to be warmed again. This makes a current.

4. How is a lava lamp an example of convection?
The bulb in a lava lamp heats up wax (this is like land & water giving off heat). The warm wax rises, then cools as it moves away from the heat. Then it sinks where it’s warmed again.

5. Convection Areas
There are three convection areas in the northern hemisphere:
Tropical: Begins at the equator and extends to 30 degrees north latitude.
Temperate: Extends from 30 degrees to 60 degrees north latitude. We live here!
Polar: Extends from 60 degrees to the North Pole.

6. Convection areas
Polar
Temperate
Tropical

7. Convection Currents
Convection happens on a global scale in the atmosphere and causes global winds (6.4.9). These winds then move weather systems and surface ocean currents in particular directions.

8. Land and Sea Breezes
On a smaller scale, convection currents near bodies of water can cause local winds known as land and sea breezes.

11. Ocean Surface Currents
The surface currents of Earth’s oceans that circulate warm and cold ocean waters in convection patterns also influence the weather and climates of the landmasses nearby.

12. How do ocean currents work?

13. What are the types of ocean currents?

14. Gulf Stream Current This warms SC & even Great Britain.
This is like sitting near a hot tub when it’s snowing. You can get warm by just being near the warm water.

15. California Current This cools the west coast.
This is like sitting near the lake when it’s hot. You can get cool by just being near the cool water.

16. Climate Zones
Because of the unequal heating of Earth, climate zones (tropical, temperate, and polar) occur. Since temperature is a major factor in climate zones, climate is related
To the convection regions at various latitudes;
To temperature differences between the equator and the poles;
To warm and cold surface ocean currents.