4.1 Climate

POINT > Distinguish between weather and climate POINT > Describe the Greenhouse Effect POINT > Identify factors that affect climate

Weather describes day-to-day conditions of Earth’s atmosphere

Climate describes average conditions over long periods of time (usually year-after-year patterns)

Microclimate – Tall buildings (different amounts of light, winds) Small areas (gardens) & larger areas (urban places) Zone where climate differs from the surrounding area

WB CHECK: What is climate? Give an example of a microclimate. What is weather?

 Solar Energy & the Greenhouse Effect ~ 30% reflected

The primary greenhouse gases are CO 2, H 2 O, and CH 4 The greenhouse effect is a natural phenomenon, but… As greenhouse gas concentrations rise, more heat is trapped, warming Earth Without any greenhouse effect, Earth would be about 30°C cooler

Latitude & Solar Energy Moving north & south of equator results in increasingly less direct (and less intense) amounts of solar energy

Heat Transport in the Biosphere Wind & ocean currents move heat & moisture throughout the biosphere

WB CHECK: What are the 3 primary greenhouse gases? Give are 2 factors that affect climate? What percentage of the sun’s energy is reflected back into space?

Read Ch. 4.1 pages Assess #1-2 page 98 Workbook pages