1. Unit 5 Global Circulation, Climate, Weather, and Biogeochemical Cycles

2. Pressure Changes in the Atmosphere Observe the diagram showing atmospheric pressure vs. altitude What conclusions can be made about the relationship between pressure and altitude?

3. Where in the atmosphere is the majority of “air” molecules located? What does that mean about the air as altitude is increased?

4. Thermal Structure of the Atmosphere What do these graphs tell you about the thermal structure of the atmosphere?

5. Height and Structure of the Atmosphere Atmosphere can be divided vertically into four layers based on temperature Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Study the diagrams on the next few pages to infer what you know about each layer…

10. Troposphere: – weather phenomena – Thickness varies with latitude and season – Temperature decreases as altitude increases Stratosphere: – Temperature begins gradual increase with altitude increase – Ozone layer concentrated here – Since Ozone layer absorbs UV radiation from sun, stratosphere is heated – Commercial Planes Fly

11. Mesosphere: – Temperature decrease with altitude – Meteors burn up Thermosphere – Contains tiny fraction of atmosphere’s mass – Temperatures increase because oxygen and nitrogen absorb short-wave, high energy solar radiation.

13. Think, Pair, Share 1.List the four layers of the atmosphere in order from lowest to highest. 2.Where is the ozone layer located in the atmosphere? 3.Describe the thermal structure of the atmosphere (i.e. how does temperature change as you move away from Earth’s surface?) 4.Explain how pressure changes as altitude increases.

14. 1.Weather occurs in the? 2.Propeller aircraft and commercial jets fly in the? 3.Special air force jets can even fly in the? 4.Meteors generally burn up in the? 5.Auroras (Northern Lights) occur in the? 6.The troposphere is the only layer in which humans can live without using special equipment for existence. Why? 7.Describe the temperature change in each layer as the altitude increases:

15. Ocean Temperature Variation Water temperature varies with the amount of solar radiation received. Function of Latitude (depends on where located on Earth) Where would you find highest temp? Lowest temp? Why?

17. Ocean Circulation What powers ocean circulation? 1.Winds 2.Density Differences Ocean Currents = Masses of ocean water that flow from one place to another (convection) Can be: – Large or small – Surface or deep – Simple or complex

18. Ocean Surface Currents

20. Surface Currents Horizontal Movements in upper part of ocean surface What causes them? Friction between ocean and wind that blows across surface Can be in small areas for short time to almost permanent, covering vast areas Related to general circulation pattern of atmosphere.

21. Gyres Gyros = a circle Huge, circular moving current systems 5 main ocean gyres: 1) North Pacific 2) South Pacific 3) North Atlantic 4) South Atlantic 5) Indian Ocean

22. Coriolis Effect -- Deflection of currents away from their original course as a result of Earth’s rotation Because of Earth’s rotation, currents are deflected clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

24. Ocean Currents and Climate Currents have important effect on climates When currents from low-latitude regions move into higher latitudes, they transfer heat from warmer to cooler areas on Earth (convection) EX: Gulf stream carrying heat to Europe making their winter temps warmer than expected. As cold water currents travel toward the equator, they help moderate the warm temperatures of adjacent land areas.

26. Effects of warm currents felt mostly in mid latitudes in winter. Cold currents felt mostly in tropics (or) mid latitudes during summer Warm currents begin in low latitude while cold currents begin in high latitude Key Ideas to remember: Heat flows from warmer objects to cooler objects Ocean currents account for ¼ of Earth’s heat transport.

27. Think, Pair, Share… 1.How do surface currents develop? 2.How do ocean currents affect climate? 3.What is the Coriolis effect? How does it influence the direction of surface currents flowing in the ocean?

28. Critically Thinking: The average surface water temperature off of the coast of Ecuador is 21 o C while it is 27 o C off the coast of Brazil at about the same latitude. Explain why there is such a difference in water temperature between these areas at the same latitude.

29. Explanatory Paragraph During the 1700s, mail ships sailed back and forth between England and America. It was noted that it took the ships two weeks longer to go from England to America than to travel the same route from America to England. It was determined that the Gulf Stream was delaying the ships. Write a paragraph explaining why this is true. Use the figure above to explain how sailors could avoid the Gulf Stream when sailing to America

30. RAFT Project with picture Write a trip diary or travel journal from the point of view of a water molecule writing to his family about his trip around a gyre. Be sure to include his movement as well as how his temperature has changed. Role = Water Molecule Audience = Family Format = Trip Diary/ Journal Topic = Trip around a gyre

32. Now that we are done looking at heating oceans and ocean currents, it is time to begin looking at the atmosphere… You’ll probably find that there isn’t a lot of difference between the two.

33. Temperature Inversions

34. A layer in the atmosphere where the temperature increases rather than decreases with height Cool Air becomes trapped below warm air. What types of things can cause this? What would be the effects of this?

36. Understanding Air Pressure Pressure exerted by the weight of air. Measured by a barometer Exerted in all directions Air pressure pushing down on an object balances the air pressure pushing up on the object.

37. Understanding Air Pressure Using the ideas of air pressure, explain why the column of mercury rises when air pressure increases.

38. Understanding Earth’s Wind Wind is the result of horizontal differences in air pressure Air flows from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure. (diffusion) Unequal heating of Earth’s surface generates pressure differences Solar energy is the ultimate energy source for most wind.

39. Factors Affecting Wind 1.Pressure Differences 2.Coriolis Effect 3.Friction

40. Pressure Differences Isobars – lines on a map that connecting places of equal pressure. Spacing indicates pressure changes Pressure changes are expressed as Pressure Gradient. Wind generated when air moves from places of high pressure to low pressure

41. Looking at Isobars Closely spaced isobars indicate steep pressure gradient (High Winds) Widely spaced isobars indicate weak pressure gradient (Light Winds)

42. Coriolis Effect

45. Describes how Earth’s rotation affects moving objects Free-moving objects (water, wind, etc) are deflected clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and to the counter-clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.

46. Think, Pair, Share… 1.Why don’t objects such as a table collapse under the weight of air above them? 2.Suppose the height of a column in a mercury barometer is decreasing. Explain what is happening in the surroundings? 3.What is the ultimate energy source for most winds? 4.Explain how the Coriolis effect influences motion of free-moving objects. 5.Describe an example of unequal heating of Earth’s atmosphere that could lead to air pressure differences that ultimately influence wind.

47. Pressure Centers and Winds Winds move clockwise & away from High Pressure Winds move counter clockwise & towards Low Pressure Opposite circling is true for the Southern Hemisphere

49. Weather and Air Pressure

51. Rising air is associated with cloud formation Sinking air produces clear skies Air being drawn in to Low Pressure Center is pushed upward (as pressure increases) Air is pushed away aloft as it converges in a High Pressure Center where it drops and is then pushed outward away from the High pressure Center.

52. Barometer Rising and Falling…

53. Circulation if Earth didn’t Rotate

54. Circulation on Rotating Earth

55. Complex Global Circulation

56. Local Winds and Sea Breezes

57. Why is there a difference in movement of air in the day vs. the night?

58. Local Winds Clouds form over mountains in afternoon when it may be clear in the morning

59. Think, Pair, Share 1.Describe how winds blow around pressure centers in the Northern Hemisphere. 2.Describe how the atmosphere balances the unequal heating of Earth’s surface. 3.In general, what type of weather can you expect if a low pressure system is moving into your area? 4.Explain how Local Breezes work at the beach. 5.Explain how Local Breezes work in the Mountains.

60. How does global Circulation affect types of Biomes around the Globe?

61. World’s Biomes

62. What connections can you see? What type of climate is by “sinking air”? What type of climate is by “rising air”?

63. Global Distribution of Biomes Rainforests are located at specific latitudes on Earth (rising air) 0 o and 60 o Deserts are distributed at specific latitudes on Earth (sinking air) 30 o and 90 o

65. Think, Pair, Share 1.What are local winds, and how are they caused? 2.Explain how global circulation patterns are connected to global biome distribution. 3.What type of pressure zone is associated with deserts? 4.What type of pressure zone is associated with rain forests? 5.When do sea breezes typically originate?

66. Heating the atmosphere Heat is the energy transferred from one object to another because of a difference in their temperatures. Three mechanisms of energy transfer as heat are conduction, convection, and radiation What does your group know about those terms?

69. Radiation While conduction and convection need material to travel through, radiant energy can travel through the vacuum of space. All objects emit radiant energy Hotter objects radiate more total energy per unit area than colder objects do. Hottest radiating bodies produce the shortest wavelengths of maximum radiation Objects that are good absorbers of radiation are good emitters as well

70. Energy enters the Earth system primarily as solar radiation and eventually escapes as heat 70% absorbed by earth or the atmosphere 30% reflected back into space

71. What Happens to Solar Radiation?

72. What happens to solar radiation? When radiation strikes an object, there are three different results: 1.Some energy is absorbed by object 2.Some substances (air & water) are transparent to certain wavelengths of radiation (energy is transmitted right through) 3.Some radiation may bounce off the object without being absorbed or transmitted.

73. What Happens to Solar Radiation?

74. Reflection vs. Scattering What is the difference between reflection and scattering of light? How might they effect the surroundings differently?

75. Fate of incoming solar radiation Reflection: – Where does light go that is reflected? – How does reflected light effect the surroundings? Absorption: – Why would an object absorb solar radiation? – What happens to an object that absorbs solar radiation? – Objects that absorb energy reradiate it Photosynthesis: – Plants use energy (sunlight) to produce energy storage molecule (glucose) – Energy is absorbed, but not reradiated

76. Think, Pair, Share 1.List and explain the three mechanisms of energy transfer as heat. 2.Explain what happens to solar radiation. 3.Describe the terms reflection, absorption, and photosynthesis and how they relate to solar radiation.

77. Climate vs. Weather What are they? What’s the difference? Weather: Condition of atmosphere in terms of temperature, atmospheric pressure, wind, and precipitation (short term) EX: Rain, Sunny, Windy, etc Climate: Long-term average of a region’s weather temperature, precipitation, and wind EX: Rainforest, Desert, etc

78. Why is there a need to transfer energy on Earth? Earth receives unequal amounts of energy from the sun Creates unbalance so currents are used to balance out energy What is the ultimate cause of “wind” on Earth? Unequal absorption of energy from the sun

79. What factors affect a region’s weather?

80. Climate and Weather Involves transfer of energy into and out of the atmosphere What is ultimate source of Earth’s Energy? The Sun What is utilized in transferring energy? Ocean and Air Currents Explain in what direction air travels in our atmosphere. Travels from High to Low Pressure

81. Explain how Earth attempts to balance the unequal amount of energy shown below.

82. Earth’s Changing Climate How do you think Earth’s climate has changed over time? What types of events could have caused these changes? Know how Earth’s climate has changed over time corresponding to changes in Earth’s geography, atmospheric composition, and other factors, such as solar radiation and plate movement

83. Earth’s Changing Geography Explain how this movement Might affect the continental climates

84. Earth’s Changing Climate What types of natural processes can change Earth’s climate: Volcanic Eruptions Ocean Circulation Solar Activity Earth Motions What human impacts can change Earth’s Climate? Greenhouse Effect Global Warming

85. Volcanic Eruptions Releases aerosols (volcanic ash, dust, and sulfur-based gases) Aerosols increase amount of solar radiation reflected back into space What would impact on Earth be? Lower Atmosphere would cool

86. Ocean Circulation How does ocean circulation affect climates? Changes can occur in ocean circulation, that can result in short-term climate fluctuations (El Nino, La Nina, …)

87. Solar Activity Formation of sunspots corresponds with warm periods in Europe and North America May cause short-term climatic change Why?

88. Rain Shadow Effect Mountain Ranges create Rain Shadow Effect. Wet Side and a Dry Side Huge affect on the climate

89. Earth Motions Cause Long Term Changes Geographic changes in land and water bodies cause climate change Earth’s tilt and rotation affect climates as well

90. Greenhouse Effect Natural Warming of Earth’s Lower Atmosphere and Earth’s surface

92. Global Warming Increases in Carbon Dioxide levels (and other greenhouse gases) has caused global temperatures to increase Makes a thicker “blanket” over Earth

93. Computer models are used to predict the effects of the increase in Greenhouse gases on climate for the planet as a whole and for specific regions

94. America’s Changing Landscape What effect does this have on Earth’s atmosphere? Explain

95. Greenhouse Gases Carbon Dioxide (CO 2 ), Methane (CH 4 ), and Water Vapor (H 2 O) help maintain a warm temperature near Earth’s surface. These gases help absorb heat from the sun and then reemits that energy to Earth.

96. What is the Greenhouse Effect?

97. Global Warming?? Why would human action enhance Greenhouse Effect??

98. How is temperature and CO 2 levels related?

99. Human impact on Climate Changes Greenhouse Effect Natural warming of both Earth’s lower atmosphere and Earth’s surface Global Warming Global temperatures have increased as a result of increases in carbon dioxide levels, as well as other greenhouse gases.

100. Human impact on Climate Changes Greenhouse Effect Natural warming of both Earth’s lower atmosphere and Earth’s surface Global Warming Global temperatures have increased as a result of increases in carbon dioxide levels, as well as other greenhouse gases.

101. What’s happened to CO2 levels over the last 150+ years? Why did it seem constant for so long and then suddenly begin to spike? What do you believe would cause it?

102. America’s Changing Landscape What effect does this have on Earth’s atmosphere? Explain

103. Think, Pair, Share 1.Describe how the greenhouse effect works and impacts Earth. 2.Explain some causes for global warming. 3.Describe how the greenhouse effect can have an impact on global warming based on human activity. 4.Which atmospheric gases absorb the Earth’s thermal radiation? What collective name do scientists give these gases?

104. What will result if this continues?

105. During 20 th century (1900s), Earth’s average surface temperatures increased about 0.6 o C Scientists predict that by the year 2100, temperatures will increase by 1.4 o C to 5.8 o C. Explain why increased atmospheric CO 2 could cause increase to Earth’s average temperature.

106. Think, Pair, Share 1.Explain the terms climate and weather. 2.What is the ultimate cause for wind on Earth? 3.Explain how the following can change Earth’s climate: – Atmospheric composition – Plate Movement – Solar radiation – Geography 4.Describe natural causes that can affect climate 5.Describe human causes that can affect climate

107. Each element on Earth moves among reservoirs, which exist in earth, in oceans, in the atmosphere, and within organisms as part of biogeochemical cycles

108. Focus Questions for Diagrams: Analyze the atmosphere, oceans, biomass and inner earth to study the following: 1.What are the major reservoirs of the element? 2.Trace the movement of the element between at least 3 reservoirs.

109. The Carbon Cycle

110. The “Basic” Carbon Cycle 1.Plants use carbon during photosynthesis to produce Oxygen and Sugar 2.Animals take in oxygen and sugar during respiration to produce Carbon Dioxide

111. The “Global” Carbon Cycle

112. Analyze the atmosphere, oceans, and inner earth to study the following: 1.What are the physical forms of Carbon from the picture? 2.What are the chemical forms of Carbon from the picture? 3.What are 3 major reservoirs of Carbon on our planet? 4.Trace the movement of carbon between at least 3 reservoirs.

114. The Water Cycle

115. Analyze the atmosphere, oceans, and inner earth to study the following: 1.What are the physical forms of water from the picture? 2.What are the chemical forms of water from the picture? 3.What are major reservoirs of water on our planet? 4.Trace the movement of water between at least 3 reservoirs.

116. Why does matter cycle between reservoirs? Many elements are essential for survival Organisms can’t create them on their own. Cycling of nutrients allows organisms to obtain what is necessary for life. Movement of matter between reservoirs is driven by Earth’s internal and external sources of energy.

117. Why should we care? Discuss with your group why each of the cycles are important for your life (Carbon, Water)