Environmental Science 12

1.3 Atmosphere Seasons Wind Climate

Name:Date:Block:

The atmosphere is mainly made of _____________________________, with trace amounts of argon, water vapour, carbon dioxide, methane, neon and helium.

It is also divided into five layers:

1._______________________________2. _______________________________3. _______________________________4. _______________________________5. _______________________________

The troposphere is the closest layer to Earth’s surface and it is where all _______________ occurs. The stratosphere contains the ______________________ that protects us from harmful UV radiation. The mesosphere protects Earth’s surface from being hit by most ____________________________. The thermosphere contains charged particles that interact with the solar wind from the sun to create the _________________. The exosphere does not have a clear limit

and simply _____________________________________

Solar Radiation & Earth’s Seasons

The Earth is heated by _________________________________________ (insolation), but not all insolation reaches the Earth’s surface – some is reflected back into space by gases, dust and clouds. Some insolation is reflected by Earth’s surface. This is called _________________________

Ice and snow have a ____________ albedo Land and water have a _________ albedo

Insolation is most intense when it hits the Earth’s surface at a ______ angle. The highest solar radiation per unit area is received at the ____________________ and decreases toward the ____________. Solar radiation also varies ______________________ with most radiation received during the location’s longest summer day and the least on the shortest winter day.

Activity: Where on Earth? Warm Up

Seasons are a result of the Earth being tilted at an angle of 23.5o. The part of the Earth tilted towards the sun experiences __________________ while the part of the Earth tilted away from the sun experiences _____________________

Wind

Air in the atmosphere circulates because of differences in ___________________________ Warm air is ________________ than cool air Moist air is ________________ than dry air

Practice1. Where on Earth is air warmest and wet?

2. Where on Earth is air coolest and dry?

3. Where on Earth does air rise?

4. Where on Earth does air sink?

Air that is warm and wet _________, while air that is cool and dry _______. This creates a global circulation pattern of air that rises at the ____________________ and sinks at the ________________

However, surface winds are not this simple! Because the Earth is constantly spinning, the ____________________________ deflects the surface air (to the right in the northern hemisphere and to the left in the southern hemisphere) and creates 3 rotation cells

_________________: between equator and 30o

_________________: between 30o and 60o

_________________: between 60o and poles

Video: Coriolis Effect

This results in a global wind pattern called the ________________________________________.

_______________________: between equator and 30o

_____________________: between 30o and 60o

__________________________: between 60o and poles

Other vocabulary: Horse latitudes

Doldrums

Equatorial low

Subtropical high

Subpolar low

Polar high

Climate

Climate is the long-term weather conditions in an area, specifically the average ____________________________________ ___________________. Climate can be expressed visually with a climate graph where the average monthly temperature is shown with a ________, and the average monthly precipitation is shown with ______________

Practice:1. What is the temperature in January?

2. What is the precipitation in July?

3. Would this be a suitable climate for agriculture? Why or why not?

4. What is significant about the dashed 6.0oC line?

Weather and climate are affected not only by the sun’s energy but by geologic and geographic factors, such as mountains and proximity to oceans. There are 7 factors that influence climate:

1. _________________________2. _________________________3. ____________________________________________4. _______________________________5. _________________________6. _______________________________7. _________________________

Activity: Climate Scramble

This results in 5 broad categories of climate:1. Tropical: ____________________________________________________________________________________________

Includes rainforest, monsoon and savanna2. Dry: ________________________________________________________

Includes both hot and cold deserts3. Temperate: ____________________________________________________________________________

Often coastal regions like the Pacific Northwest, New Zealand and Mediterranean4. Continental: _______________________________________________________________________________________

Often inland regions like the Prairies5. Polar: ______________________________________________________

Includes tundra and ice cap regions

A dry climate, or _______________________, can develop on the __________________________ of mountain ranges. This is because the mountain range blocks the precipitation from reaching the back side of the mountain. Conversely, the ___________________ ________ of the mountain range has a ____________ climate.

Activity: Climate Practice

El Niño and La Niña are global changes to weather as a result of changing __________________________ _________________________ in the _____________________________________________________. In a typical year, the _______________________________ push surface water west from South America towards Australia. This allows cold, deep water to ___________________ along the west coast of South America bringing nutrients to support fish populations.

In an El Nino year, the ______________________________________________________________________________________ off the west coast of South America. This suppresses the upwelling of nutrients and reduces fish populations. It also _________________________________________ throughout the world

Pacific Northwest: warmer and wetter winters Africa & Southeast Asia: warmer and drier Southeast USA: cooler and wetter

In a _________________ year, the trade winds are stronger than normal and more upwelling occurs.

Video: El Nino and La Nina Explained (Ocean Today)