The Earth and Climate Change - PBworksbancejscience.pbworks.com/f/climate-change1-wiki.docx · Web...

Climate Change and Solar Energy SNC 2D

The most important factor that affects the climate on Earth is the Sun.

Solar energy travels through space as ____________ and ____________. The intensity of the energy that reaches Earth’s surface affects the ____________________ of air, water and land on the planet. Heat produces winds, rain and other features of _______________.

The amount of solar energy that reaches Earth depends on ______________ _________________ activity, the shape of the Earth and the ___________ of the Earth.

Changes in Solar Activity

The Sun produces a _________________ amount of energy. When the number of sunspots is ___________, the Sun emits __________________ amounts of solar radiation. Some scientists believe that changes in solar ________________ are the main cause of climate change in the past.

The Earth and Climate Change

Movements of Earth in Space

Rotation vs Revolution• Earth _____________ once every

_____ hours around its axis, an _________________ line that goes from the North Pole to the South Pole through the center of the Earth.

• The Earth also _______________ (orbits) around the _______ over a 365 day period (1 year).

• Another important detail is that the Earth’s axis of rotation is _____________ at an angle of about _______ perpendicular to the orbital plane.

Earth’s Seasons

The seasons are created by Earth’s _____________________ and its tilted ___________.

Changes in Rotation, Orbit & Tilt

Variations in Earth’s _____________, tilt and rotation occur over __________, which can explain large patterns of _____________ ________________ over a long time. It does not explain all of the recent changes that have been ________________ and ____________________.

Eccentricity

Earth’s orbit fluctuates due to the _____________________ attraction of other planets in the solar system. Its path around the Sun ________________ very slowly from elliptical to circular. This affects the _________________ of the seasons.

elliptical orbit – planet receives ________ solar radiation when __________ the Sun than it does when it is ________________ from the Sun

circular orbit – amount of solar radiation varies _____________ throughout the year

Earth’s Tilt

The Earth’s tilt changes __________ over time. The greater the tilt the greater the differences in ________________ between summer and winter.

Wobble

Earth is not a perfect ______________. It wobbles slightly as it _________________ on its axis. The wobble affects the intensity of ______________ ____________ energy that is received by the northern and southern hemispheres at ___________________ times of the year. The variation decides if the two hemispheres have ____________ temperature differences between seasons or whether one hemisphere has ________________ temperature differences between seasons than the other.

Effect of Latitude on Climate and Seasons

The sun’s rays are most ___________________ at the equator, where they hit the Earth _______________ to its surface.

As the Sun’s position in the sky lowers the sunlight received _______________________.

At latitude of 45 o south, the Sun’s rays strike the Earth’s surface at an ____________ and as a result the rays are spread over a larger area. The Earth here receives ____________ solar energy because it is more ____________ ____________.

At the poles, the Sun’s rays are ____________ _____ over an even larger area.

Winds and Energy SNC 2D

___________ is the movement of air from an area of ________ pressure to an area of ____________ pressure. The air moves as wind transfers ______________ ______________ around the world from ________ areas to ______________ areas.

The movement of air affects: • _________________ currents • ___________________ patterns

Wind is caused by ______________ heating of Earth’s surface.

wind moves energy from ________ à _______ areas air moves from ______ pressureà _____ pressure air moves from _________ à _________ areas

*** Winds disperse _____________ through the atmosphere.

Winds and Ocean Currents

When winds blow, ______________ is transferred to the surface of the ocean and causes the water to move in surface ocean ________________. Since oceans absorb energy from the Sun, the movement of water transfers ____________ around the Earth’s surface.

Prevailing Winds

Winds blow in fairly _____________ directions around the world. These are known as ________________ ________.

Winds Affect Precipitation

As air masses of different _____________________ move across the Earth’s surface, they _______________. When air masses meet (called a ___________), one air mass usually ___________ over the other. The rising air cools and any water vapour in the air __________________ to form ________________________.

Winds also affect precipitation through _____ ________________. Jet streams are high-altitude _________ that travel long distances at very high ____________.

These winds may carry ___________, moist air, which can produce _____________________ in areas from the origin of the jet stream. They may also carry ____________, cool air, which causes dry weather in areas affected by the jet stream. Canada’s weather is mostly influenced by the _____________ jet stream.

How Moving Contients Affect Climate SNC 2D

• Earth’s outer layer is made of massive pieces of solid rock, called ________________ ____________. Earth has about ____ major plates that move at a rate of a few centimeters per year.

• The plates carry the ________________ with them as they move. This means that the shape of the oceans and continents is always __________________.

• Patterns of ______ and __________ circulation are affected which in turn affects the ____________ ______________ around the world. The formation of mountain chains also affects the patterns of __________ and _________________ around the globe.

Upthrusting and Weathering

Upthrusting mountain ranges expose minerals to _________________. (Weathering is the ______________ down of Earth's rocks, soils and minerals through direct contact with the planet's __________________. ) The exposed ______________ change chemically into carbonates. This process removes ___________ ______________ from the atmosphere and ___________ the Earth.

Volcanic Eruptions

• Most volcanoes are located at the ______________ of tectonic plates. Plate movement affects climate by producing ______________ _______________. In these areas, molten rock and gases from below the Earth’s crust rise up through ____________ in the rock and spew into the air as volcanic ________________.

Particles called ________________ (such as ash) are released into the atmosphere

Aerosols

• reflect solar radiation and have a ________________ effect on the global climate

• scatter ______________

• Some volcanic eruptions can raise global temperatures by releasing greenhouse ___________.

SNC 2D

How the Atmosphere Affects Climate

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The Greenhouse Effect

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DATE: NAME: CLASS:

CHAPTER 7 Specific Heat Capacity of Earth’s Materials

BLM 7-6

Goal • To examine how different materials absorb and release electromagnetic radiation.

DATE: NAME: CLASS:

CHAPTER 7 Specific Heat Capacity of Earth’s Materials

BLM 7-6(continued)