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1. Chapter Introduction Lesson 1 Climates of Earth Lesson 2 Climate Cycles Lesson 3Recent Climate Change Chapter Wrap-Up Chapter Menu

2. What is climate and how does it impact life on Earth? Chapter Introduction

3. Climates of Earth • What is climate? • Why is one climate different from another? • How are climates classified? Lesson 1 Reading Guide - KC

4. Climates of Earth • climate • rain shadow • specific heat • microclimate Lesson 1 Reading Guide - Vocab

5. What is climate? • Climateis the long-term average weather conditions that occur in a particular region. • A region’s climate depends on average temperature and precipitation, as well as how these variables change throughout the year. Lesson 1-1

6. What affects climate? The latitude of a location affects climate. Lesson 1-1

7. What affects climate?(cont.) • The amount of solar energy per unit of Earth’s surface area depends on latitude. • Earth’s curved surface causes latitudes closer to the equator to receive more direct sunlight than latitudes farther north or south. Lesson 1-2

8. What affects climate?(cont.) Latitudes near the poles receive less solar energy and have lower average temperatures. Lesson 1-2

9. What affects climate?(cont.) Latitudes near the equator tend to have warmer climates than higher latitudes. Lesson 1-2

10. Climate is influenced by altitude. • Temperature decreases as altitude increases in the troposphere. Lesson 1-2

11. What affects climate?(cont.) Mountains influence climate because they are barriers to prevailing winds. Lesson 1-2

12. What affects climate?(cont.) An area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain is called a rain shadow. Lesson 1-2

13. What affects climate?(cont.) • The high specific heat of water causes the climates along coastlines to remain somewhat constant. • Specific heatis the amount of thermal energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 kg of a material by 1°C. • Prevailing winds extend the moderate temperatures farther inland. Lesson 1-3

14. What affects climate?(cont.) • Ocean currents modify climate. • The Gulf Stream is a warm, northward current along the east coast of North America. • The Gulf Stream brings warmer temperatures to portions of the United States and Europe. Lesson 1-3

15. Classifying Climates Climates are classified into five types based on their temperature, precipitation, and native vegetation. Lesson 1-4

16. Classifying Climates(cont.) • A city’s roads and buildings absorb solar radiation. • Cities are often warmer than the surrounding area. • This urban heat island is one form of microclimate. Lesson 1-4

17. Classifying Climates(cont.) A microclimateis a localized climate that is different from the climate of the larger area surrounding it. Lesson 1-4

18. How Climate Affects Living Organisms • Climate influences how humans determine the crops they grow. • Climate influences how humans design buildings. Lesson 1-4

19. Animals and plants have adapted to the climates in which they live. CORBIS Ingram Publishing/SuperStock Lesson 1-4

20. Climate is influenced by several factors including latitude, altitude, and an area’s location relative to a large body of water or mountains. Lesson 1 - VS

21. Rain shadows occur on the downwind slopeof mountains. Lesson 1 - VS

22. Microclimates can occur in urban areas, forests, and hilltops. Lesson 1 - VS

23. Climate is the long-term average weather conditions that occur where? A. around the globe B. locally C. in a particular region D. in the troposphere Lesson 1 – LR1

24. An area of low rainfall on the downwind slope of a mountain is called what? A. climate B. the Gulf Stream C. a microclimate D. a rain shadow Lesson 1 – LR2

25. Which of these describes a coastline climate compared to a continental climate? A. cooler B. more constant C. more erratic D. warmer Lesson 1 – LR3

26. Climate Cycles • How has climate varied over time? • What causes seasons? • How does the ocean affect climate? Lesson 2 Reading Guide - KC

27. Climate Cycles • ice age • interglacial • El Niño/Southern Oscillation • monsoon • drought Lesson 2 Reading Guide - Vocab

28. Long-Term Cycles Much of our knowledge about past climates comes from natural records of climate. • ice cores from glaciers and ice sheets • fossilized pollen • ocean sediments • growth rings of trees Lesson 2-1

29. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) • Ice agesare cold periods lasting from hundreds to millions of years when glaciers cover much of Earth. • Glaciers and ice sheets advance during cold periods and retreat during interglacials—the warm periods that occur during ice ages. Lesson 2-1

30. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) • The most recent ice age began about 2 million years ago. • At that time, about half the northern hemisphere was covered by ice. • About 10,000 years ago, Earth entered its current interglacial period, called the Holocene Epoch. Lesson 2-1

31. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) • Earth’s orbit varies between elliptical and circular about every 100,000 years. • As Earth’s orbit changes shape, Earth’s climates change. Lesson 2-1

32. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) When Earth’s orbit is more circular, Earth averages a greater distance from the Sun, resulting in below-average temperatures on Earth. Lesson 2-1

33. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) • Changes in the angle of Earth’s tilt affect the range of temperatures throughout the year. • The tilt of Earth’s axis changes in 41,000-year cycles. Lesson 2-1

34. Long-Term Cycles(cont.) Movement of Earth’s continents and changes in ocean circulation influence long-term climate cycles. Lesson 2-1

35. Short-Term Cycles In addition to long-term climate cycles, climate also changes in short-term cycles. Lesson 2-2

36. Short-Term Cycles(cont.) The changing seasons is an example of short-term climate change. Lesson 2-2

37. Changes in the amount of solar energy received at different latitudes during different times of the year give rise the seasons. Lesson 2-2

38. When the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, there are more daylight hours than dark hours, the temperatures are warmer, and it is summer. Lesson 2-2

39. When the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun, daylight hours are fewer than nighttime hours, temperatures are colder, and it is winter. Lesson 2-2

40. Short-Term Cycles(cont.) The seasons change as Earth makes a revolution around the Sun. Lesson 2-2

41. In the northern hemisphere, summer begins when the northern hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. Lesson 2-2

42. In the northern hemisphere, fall begins when the neither hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. Lesson 2-2

43. In the northern hemisphere, winter begins when the northern hemisphere is tilted away from the Sun. Lesson 2-2

44. In the northern hemisphere, spring begins when, once again, neither hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun. Lesson 2-2

45. The El Niño/Southern Oscillation(ENSO) causes another type of short-term climate change. Lesson 2-2

46. During ENSO, the trade winds weaken and warm water surges back toward South America. Lesson 2-2

47. Short-Term Cycles(cont.) A complete ENSO cycle occurs every three to eight years, with the following effects: • lots of precipitation along the western coast of South America • droughts in normally wet regions • increased number of violent storms in California and southern U.S. Lesson 2-2

48. Short-Term Cycles(cont.) • The North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) is another cycle that can change the climate for decades at a time. • The NAO affects the strengths of storms throughout North America and Europe by changing the position of the jet stream. Lesson 2-2

49. Short-Term Cycles(cont.) • A third short-term climate change is a monsoon. • A monsoon is a seasonal change in wind direction caused by changing temperatures over the ocean and land. Lesson 2-2

50. Other Short-term Climate Changes • A droughtis a period with below-average precipitation that can lead to crop damage and water shortages. • Droughts are often accompanied by heat waves—periods of unusually high temperatures. Lesson 2-3