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Weather?
• Condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place
Climate?
• Condition of weather in a geographic region over a long period of time
Temperature?
• Measurement of heat
Tilt of the Earth• Axis- an imaginary line running
from the North Pole, through the center of the Earth, to the South Pole.–Located at 23 ½ degrees upon the
axis–Effects temperature depending upon
tilt of the Earth towards or away from the sun.
Rotation
• The spinning of the Earth on its axis.
• 1 rotation= 24 hours
Revolution
• Orbit of the Earth around the sun.
• 365 ¼ days in one year
The Seasons• Equinoxes- “Equal Night” 12 hrs. of day/night
• Neither Pole is pointed toward or away from sun–Autumnal Equinox (September 21/22)–Vernal Equinox (March 21/22)
Cancer and Capricorn• 23 ½ degrees North- Tropic of Cancer
–Northernmost point on Earth to receive direct sunlight
• 23 ½ degrees South- Tropic of Capricorn–Southernmost point on Earth to receive
direct sunlight
The Seasons• Summer Solstice- North pole is pointed toward the sun at 23 ½ degrees North
• Winter Solstice- South pole is pointed toward the sun at 23 ½ degrees South
The Poles• Each pole receives continuous sunlight for 6 months of the year
• When one pole receives sunlight the other receives little to no sunlight
5 Factors that Affect Climate
1. Latitude
2. Elevation
3. Wind
4. Ocean Currents
5. Landforms
LatitudeLatitude
0
30 N
60 N
90 N
30 S
60 S
90 S
High Latitude
Middle Latitude
Low Latitude
Low Latitude
Middle Latitude
High Latitude
Low Latitude–Located between 0-30 degrees
North/South–Called the “Tropics”–Receives sunlight all year–Very hot temperatures–Lush vegetation –Abundant Precipitation
Middle Latitude
• Located between 30-60 degrees North/South
• Summers Hot, Dry• Winters Cold, Rainy• Dramatic Seasons
High Latitude
• Located between 60-90 degrees North/South
• Poles located here
• Cold Temperatures year round
Elevation• As air rises it cools and dries
–Basically•As you go up from the ground, the air gets colder and drier.
ElevationUrban Heat Island- cities or urban
areas are hotter because1. Evaporation is less2. Land surface (concrete) stores
heat3. More fossil fuels add CO2 which
stores heat4. More pollution which stores heat
Global Wind Belts• What is wind?
–The horizontal flow of air
Types of Wind
• Prevailing Winds- winds which blow from the same direction
• Doldrums- Windless areas around the equator
• Westerly- Prevailing winds, in the mid latitudes, which blow from the west
• Easterly- Prevailing winds, in the mid latitudes which blow from the east
Types of Wind Con’d• Front- two air masses of widely different
temperatures and moisture levels meet• Polar Front- occurs between 40-60
degrees North/South, warm air meets cold air
• Jet Stream- Fastest westerly wind which moves heat and steer weather.
Types of Wind Con’d• Coriolis Effect- causes
prevailing winds to blow at a diagonal–Right in the northern hemisphere–Left in the southern hemisphere
Global Wind Belt Diagram90 N
60 N
0
30 N
30 S
60 S
90 S
Polar’s
Westerlies
Northeast Tradewinds
Southeast Tradewinds
Doldrums
Easterlies
Polar’s
Ocean Currents
• Water heats/cools more slowly on land
• Current- A great river of seawater which moves in a circular flow
• Upwelling- cold water from the ocean floor rises to the surface
Landforms• As warm, moist air flows from the water and
rises up the mountain it begins to cool. The cool air then evaporates which causes precipitation. The precipitation allows the windward side of the mountain to have lush vegetation.
• As the air pushes over the mountain it dries and heats up. This causes the leeward side of the mountain to be hot, dry.
Bodies of Water
• Oceans–Covers 70% of Earth
–97% of all Earth’s water
–Largest is the Pacific Ocean
Sea’s, Gulf’s, Bay’s • All Saltwater
• Usually partly enclosed by land
• Largest Mediterranean Sea
Lakes, Rivers, Streams• Lakes- a body of water which is
completely surrounded by land.– Fresh and Salt Water
– Most were made by glaciers cutting a valley into the Earth
– In Texas, all lakes are man-made
• Except Lake Caddo on the Texas-Louisiana border
Rivers• All civilizations begin near water (usually
river)– Mesopotamia- (Fertile Crescent)- the land between
the two rivers: Tigris and Euphrates Rivers
• Headwater- beginning of a river (usually a mountain)
• Mouth- end of a river (usually in a larger body of water)
• Groundwater- wells, springs, aquifers
Freshwater• 3% of Earth’s water
–2% frozen in glaciers and icecaps (melt=saltwater)
–0.5% found in aquifers- water below the Earth’s surface
–0.5% found on the surface
Desalinization
• The process of turning salt water into fresh water–Boil salt water and use
condensation as the fresh water
–Problem: expensive, very little freshwater from process
Planet Earth• 93 million miles from sun
• 8,000 miles in diameter
Atmosphere• Air which surrounds Earth; 19
miles above the surface–78% Nitrogen
–21% Oxygen
–1% other gases
Biosphere• All life on Earth
Hydrosphere• All water on Earth
–Solid- Glaciers, Icebergs
–Liquid- oceans, rivers, lakes….
–Gas- Fog • a cloud that has come to Earth’s surface
Lithosphere• Solid crust of the planet
• Continents- 7 large landmasses–Australia, Asia, Antarctica, Africa,
Europe, North and South America
North America
South America
Africa
EuropeAsia
Australia
Antarctica
Lithosphere• Highest point- Mount Everest
– Himalaya mountains in South Asia– 29,035 feet above sea level (asl)
• Lowest point- Dead Sea– Southwest Asia (Middle East)– (-)1,349 feet below sea level (bsl)
• Deepest point- Mariana Trench– Pacific Ocean– 38,827 feet
Inside the Earth• Crust- Made up of huge, plate-
like sections of rock
• Mantle- Hot dense rock
• Outer Core- melted nickel and iron
• Inner Core- solid iron and nickel
Layers of the EarthLayers of the Earth
Continental Drift
• Theory that the continents were all once joined in a super continent called “Pangaea” but slowly drifted apart
Plate Tectonics
• Movement of plates
Weathering• The chemical or physical process of
breaking down rocks
• Physical weathering- large pieces of rock are physically broken off
• Chemical weathering- changes on the rocks chemical makeup causes changes to the rock
Erosion• Wearing away of the
Earth’s surface by wind, water, glaciers
Wind Erosion•Movement of dust, sand, or soil from one place to another
Wind created alcove in Utah
Glacial Erosion•Wearing away of the Earth’s surface by moving ice
Water Erosion•Wearing away of the Earth’s surface by flowing water
Sediment•Small particles of sand and gravel flow through a body of water which aids in water erosion
Tornado•Twisting spirals of wind
–Occurs in the middle latitudes–USA has more than any other country–Does not follow a pattern–April-June usually between 3-7 pm
Tornado Con’d•Fujita Scale- measurement of the intensity of tornado
–F0- 40 to 70 mph–F1- 71 to 112 mph–F2- 113 to 157 mph–F3- 158-206 mph–F4- 207-260 mph–F5- 261+ mph
Tropical Cyclones (Hurricanes/Typhoons)
•Most powerful and destructive force of nature in the Atlantic Ocean (Hurricane) or Pacific Ocean (Typhoon)
–Tropical wave–Tropical depression (38 mph)–Tropical Storm–Hurricane (74 mph)
Cyclone Con’d• Produce powerful winds, torrential rains,
high waves and damaging storm surges• Can also produce tornadoes• Develop over large bodies of warm water• Lose strength once they move onto land• Named alphabetically, alternating
female/male by years.
Monsoon•Seasonal reversing wind accompanied by seasonal changes in precipitation.
–Rainy phase
–Drought Phase
El Nino
• Periodic change in the pattern of ocean currents and water temperature in the Pacific Ocean
• Changes in wind currents cause warm water from Indonesia to move along the South American Coast towards the US coast.
Effects of El Nino• Precipitation increases along North and
South America coasts (floods)• Precipitation decreases along SE Asia,
Australia, and East Asia (Drought)
• ***Has been linked to Global Warming/Due to Water Temperature
Greenhouse EffectEarth’s atmosphere traps heat and filters the rays
pf the sun which help keep the Earth warm.
Global WarmingThe burning of fossil fuels
(gasoline, oil, coal…) causes gases to be emitted into the atmosphere which trap and store heat which increases the greenhouse effect and causes the Earth to warm at a faster rate.
Effects of Global Warming
• Rising sea levels• Increased global temperatures• Extreme weather events (drought,
hurricanes, tsunamis)• Arctic ice shrinking• Greenland ice sheets shrinking/breaking off• Dramatic effect on future food supplies
