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Ecology

Ecology . Stephanie Skipper January 21,2004 Ecology. Chapter 21. Temperature, Atmosphere Circulation And Precipitation. Why do seasons exist?. WINTER dark, moody, an introvert, a nonconformist, brooding .

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Ecology

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  1. Ecology Stephanie Skipper January 21,2004 Ecology

  2. Chapter 21 Temperature, Atmosphere Circulation And Precipitation

  3. Why do seasons exist?

  4. WINTERdark, moody,an introvert,a nonconformist,brooding SPRINGlight, carefree,full of life,a "people person"energetic, athletic SUMMERfast, fun-lovingan extrovert,party animal,life to the extreme AUTUMNartistic, a loner,melacholic,nostalgic, a dreamer,full of anticipation

  5. Climate • Much of the earth’s climatic variation is caused by un even heating of its surface by the sun. • This uneven heating results from the spherical shape of the earth and the angle at which the earth rotates on its axis as it orbits the sun.

  6. Why is the climate different? • Because the earth is a sphere, the sun’s rays are most concentrated where the sun is directly overhead. • However, the latitude at which the sun is directly overhead changes with the seasons.

  7. Seasonal Changes • Seasonal changes occur because the earth axis of rotation is not perpendicular to is plane of orbit about the sun but is tilted approximately 23.5 degrees away

  8. Seasonal changes • Because this tilted angle of rotation is maintained throughout earth’s orbit about the sun, the amount of solar energy received by the Northern and Southern Hemispheres changes seasonally

  9. Seasonal Changes • During the Northern summer the Northern Hemisphere is tilted towards the sun and receives more solar energy than the Southern Hemisphere • During the Northern summer solstice on approximately June 21 the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.5 degrees north latitude • During the Northern Winter solstice on Approximately on approximately Dec 21, the sun is directly overhead at the Tropic of Cancer, at 23.5 degrees

  10. Seasonal Changes • During the northern winter, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and the Southern Hemisphere is tilted away from the sun and the Southern Hemisphere receives more solar energy • The sun is directly overhead at the equator during the spring and autumnal equinoxes, on approximately Mar. 21 and Sep 23. • On those dates, the Northern and Southern Hemispheres receive approximately equal amounts of solar radiation

  11. This Means….. • Uneven heating of the earth’s spherical surface by the sun and the tilt of the earth on its axis combine to produce predictable latitudinal variation in climate • Heating of the earth’s surface and atmosphere drives atmospheric circulation and influences global patterns of precipitation

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