Climate and Vegetation CHAPTER 3

THE SUN AND THE EARTH THE SUN IS THE SOURCE OF ALL CLIMATES IT IS ESSENTIAL FOR ALL LIFE FORMS ONLY A SMALL AMOUNT OF ITS ENERGY REACHES THE EARTH THE EARTH'S ATMOSPHERE "TRAPS" THE SUN'S WARMTH

ROTATION AND REVOLUTION HOW OFTEN DOES THE EARTH ROTATE? EVERY 24 HOURS HOW OFTEN DOES THE EARTH REVOLVE AROUND THE SUN? EVERY 364 AND ¼ DAYS

THE TILT Because the earth is tilted on its axis, different parts of the globe receive different direct rays of the sun during different times of the year.

EARTH’S REVOLUTION AND SEASONS

http://streaming.factsonfile.com/play/PYT7H5

The Solstice and the Equinox TURN TO PAGE 49 IN YOUR TEXTBOOKS. When are the winter and summer solstices? What happens on these days? When are the spring and fall equinoxes?

Solstice and Equinox Importance Ancient calendars were set by calculating the solstice and equinox. Planting, harvesting, and storing for the winter were planned by using the calculations.

What is the difference between climate and weather? Weather is the temperature and precipitation of a certain place at a certain time---a snapshot!

Climate includes weather conditions (temperature and precipitation over a long period of time)—like a movie!

TYPES OF PRECIPITATION CONVECTIONAL OROGRAPHIC FRONTAL

CONVECTIONAL PRECIPITATION CONVECTIONAL HEATING OCCURS IN THE TROPICS AND THE RAIN FOREST WHERE THE HUMIDITY IS HIGH

OROGRAPHIC PRECIPITATION OCCURS WHERE THERE ARE MOUNTAINS THAT BLOCK THE RAIN SHOWERS

FRONTAL PRECIPITATION OCCURS WHEN TWO LARGE AIR MASSES (COLD AND WARM FRONTS) COLLIDE

WEATHER EXTREMES Define the following in your notes: hurricanes typhoons tornados blizzards drought Where is “Tornado Alley?”

CLIMATE FACTORS ELEVATION LATITUDE LOCATION TO LANDFORMS Temperature and Precipitation depend upon the following factors: ELEVATION LATITUDE LOCATION TO LANDFORMS NEARNESS TO BODIES OF WATER WINDS

As the elevation increases, TEMPERATURE DECREASES AND PRECIPITATION DECREASES

LATITUDE THE FARTHER WE MOVE AWAY FROM THE EQUATOR, THE MORE THE TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION DECREASE.

CLIMATE ZONES Polar zone Temperate zone Tropical zone Temperate zone

LATITUDES TROPICAL ZONES LOW LATITUDES 0- 23 DEGREES TEMPERATE ZONES MID LATITUDES 24-66 DEGREES POLAR ZONES HIGH LATITUDES 67-90 DEGREES

LOCATION TO LANDFORMS MOUNTAINS CAN AFFECT CLIMATE, BECAUSE PRECIPITATION IS SCARCE AS ELEVATION INCREASES. AREAS ON THE DRY SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN ARE IN THE RAIN SHADOW.

DRAW A DIAGRAM OF A MOUNTAIN AND LABEL THE FOLLOWING: WINDWARD LEEWARD RAIN SHADOW

WIND CURRENTS The transfer of heat around the globe happens because of CONVECTION. Ocean currents and wind currents move the heat from place to place.

Look on page 54. What is the CORIOLIS EFFECT? IF YOU ARE BLINDFOLDED AND TRY TO WALK IN A STRAIGHT LINE…. IN THE NORTHERN HEMISPHERE, YOUR STRAIGHT LINE WILL BEGIN TO CURVE IN A CLOCKWISE CIRCLE. IN THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE, YOUR IN A COUNTER-CLOCKWISE CIRCLE.

OCEAN CURRENTS NOTICE HOW WARM WATER FLOWS FROM THE TROPICS TO THE COLDER OCEAN AREAS

And now, a word from “El Nino::

CHANGES IN CLIMATE Look on page 57 What is El Nino, really? What is the Greenhouse Effect? What is global Warming?

THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT