Geography PowerPoint on Earth’s Systems and Climates

1. Geography PowerPoint on Earth’s Systems and Climates • Age Range: High School • Educational Goals: • Basic understanding of Greenhouse Effects • Understand the relationship between solar energy and air pressure • Understand the importance of satellites • Understanding of different climate zones around the world

2. Abstract The information for this PowerPoint was taken from an AGS World Geography text book. The information provided in the book was difficult to understand and was not visually stimulating for students. I pulled important facts and details then added visuals. The PowerPoint also includes a hyperlink to help explain the Greenhouse Effect. This can be manipulated together as a class or individually. Upon completion, students can individually take a quiz provided on that link. The slides can also be used to help prepare students for the test. The information can be removed thus leaving only the visuals. This is especially helpful when describing different climate zones. By creating this PowerPoint, students are still able to use the text to answer section questions and they feel less overwhelmed by the information presented.

3. Chapter 3: The Earth’s Atmosphere and Climates

4. Global Energy Systems • Temperature is the measurement of heat in the atmosphere. • Everyday the sun’s rays reach the earth. • Some rays are reflected back to space. • Some are absorbed and changed into heat energy. • http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/global_warming_version2.html

5. The Greenhouse Effect • A greenhouse is a special house built to grow plants. • The earth traps energy the same way.

6. Who receives solar energy? • All of the earth receives solar energy. • The equator receives more solar energy than the North and South poles. • Heat energy is shared through: • winds • ocean currents

7. Air Pressure • Air pressure creates the winds and ocean currents that allows energy to be shared. • Low pressure • air is warmed, expands, becomes lighter, rises • brings unstable weather

8. Air Pressure • High pressure- • cold air • dense (heavy) • mostly clear, dry weather • Air pressure zones - • 1. Equator low pressure 2. Subpolar lowpressure • 3. Subtropical high pressure 4. Polar high pressure

9. Air Pressure Zones • 1. Equator low pressure • 2. Subpolar lowpressure • 3. Subtropical high pressure • 4. Polar high pressure

10. Satellites • They collect and send back information about the earth.

11. 2 types of light • visible light • infrared light - detects heat in clouds, water, and land

12. Satellite Images

13. Satellite Importance • Tracking weather • clouds, storms, oceans • Environment • changes in vegetation (plants) • moisture • visible and infrared light • land surface • air pollution • pests (bugs) • monitor human activity (growth of cities)

14. burning of rainforests • forest fires • crop (farm) damage • paths of oil spills • animal movement • ground movement of earthquakes

15. World Climate Zones

16. Low Latitudes humid tropical tropical savanna Dry/Semiarid desert steppe Middle Latitudes Mediterranean humid subtropical Middle Latitude marine west coast humid continental High Latitude subarctic tundra ice cap Highland Classifying Regions

17. Low Latitudes • Humid Tropical • along equator • South America • Zaire Basin Africa • Southeast Asia • weather patterns • warm and rainy year round • Vegetation • tropical rainforest

18. Low Latitudes • Tropical Savanna • between humid tropics and deserts • Africa • South America • Central America • Southern and Southeast Asia • Australia • Weather • warm all year • rainy and dry seasons • Vegetation • tropical grassland with few trees

19. Dry / Semiarid • Desert • Saharan Africa • southwest Asia • central and western Australia • southwestern North America • Weather • Arid (low rainfall) • tropics • - sunny and hot • middle latitudes • huge temperature range

20. Dry / Semiarid • Steppe - • bordering deserts • northern and south Africa • interior western North America • central and interior Asia and Australia • southern South America • Weather • semiarid - a little rain • hot summers • cool winters • similar to desert temp • Vegetation - • grassland, few trees

21. Middle Latitudes • Mediterranean • middle latitudes, west coast • southern Europe • southwest Asia • California • southwestern Australia • central Chile • southwestern South Africa • Weather • dry, sunny warm summers • mild, humid winters • Vegetation • scrub, woodland, grassland

22. Middle Latitudes • Humid Subtropical • east coasts in middle latitudes • southeastern United States • eastern Asia • central southern Europe • southeastern parts of South Africa and Australia • Weather • hot, humid summers • mild, humid winters • in path of hurricanes and typhoons • Vegetation • mixed forest

23. Middle Latitudes • Marine West Coast • upper-middle latitudes, west coast • Europe and North America • North America • southwestern South America • Weather • cloudy, mild summers • cool, rainy winters • strong ocean influence • Vegetation • temperate, evergreen forest

24. Middle Latitudes • Humid Continental • east coasts and upper middle latitudes • northeastern North America • northern and eastern Europe • northeastern Asia • Weather • 4 seasons • long, cold winters • short, warm summers • rain varies • Vegetation • mixed forest

25. High Latitudes • Subarctic • high latitude of interior and east coasts • northern North America, Europe, and Asia • Weather • extreme temperatures • long cold winters • short warm summers • very little rain • Vegetation • northern evergreen forest

26. High Latitude • Tundra • high latitude coasts • northern parts of North America, Europe, Asia • Antarctica • subantarctica islands • Weather • cold all year • long cold winters • short cool summers • little rain • Vegetation • moss, lichens, low shrubs, permafrost bogs in summer

27. High Latitude • Ice Cap • polar regions • Antarctica • Greenland • Arctic Basin Islands • Weather • freezing cold • snow ice all year • little rain • temperature is not higher than freezing

28. Highland • High mountain regions • western North and South America • eastern Asia and Africa • southern and central Europe and Asia • Weather • determined by elevation • higher - cooler • lower - similar to surroundings

29. SummaryWhat did we learn? • Global Energy • Greenhouse Effect • solar energy • air pressure • Satellites • World climate zones

30. Review Which statements is true? • We learned there is not a real importance in understanding climates. • We learned that many factors play a role in influencing climates such as; • ocean currents • wind • elevation • people • Earth’s surface • sun • We learned global warming is not an important issue.