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WEATHER, CLIMATE, & ATMOSPHERE. Earth’s Relationship with the Sun. Most of the Earth’s energy comes from the Sun. This type of energy is called solar energy . Solar energy reaches Earth in two ways: Light Heat What are some ways solar energy affects things here on Earth?
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WEATHER, CLIMATE, & ATMOSPHERE
Earth’s Relationship with the Sun • Most of the Earth’s energy comes from the Sun. • This type of energy is called solar energy. Solar energy reaches Earth in two ways: • Light • Heat • What are some ways solar energy affects things here on Earth? • The clothes we wear, the homes we live in, the foods we grow & eat, and which sports we play
Earth’s Relationship with the Sun (Continued) • Three different relationships between Earth and the sun control how much solar energy is received at different locations: • Rotation • Revolution • Tilt
Rotation, Revolution, & Tilt • Rotation – the Earth rotates on its axis every 24 hours. This causes night and day. • Revolution – the Earth revolves around the sun every year (365 ¼ days). • Tilt – the Earth is tilted 23 1/2˚. The tilt of the earth’s axis determines the amount of solar energy that different places receive during the year.
Solar Energy & Latitude • Different places on Earth receive different amounts of energy. • Tropics – areas near the equator receive a lot of solar energy and are warm all year. The tropics are in the low-latitudes. • Polar regions – areas at the high latitudes that receive very little sun and are cold most of the time. • Middle latitudes – are the areas between the polar regions and the tropics. Temperatures vary depending on the time of year.
The Seasons • Season – the time of greater or lesser heat. • 4 total – summer, fall, winter, and spring • Summer – daytime lasts longer and the sun’s energy is stronger. • Fall & Spring – daylight & darkness are equal in length and the Sun’s energy is more evenly distributed • The tilt of the Earth’s axis causes the Northern & Southern hemispheres to have opposite seasons at the same time of year.
Solstice • Occurs twice in a year • June 21st - summer – the longest day of year • December 21st - winter – the shortest day of the year • Earth’s poles tilt toward or away from the sun.
EQUINOX • Days and nights are equal • The direct rays of the sun strike the equator. • Sept 22 – Fall • March 21 – spring
Difference between Weather & Climate Weather – conditions in the atmosphere from day to day. Climate – conditions in the atmosphere over a long period of time. Ex. -Tropical Rain forest
Air pressure • Low pressure • warm air - expands & rises • Unstable (front) • Found from 60N of the equator to 60S of the equator • High pressure • cold air • heavy & dense – it sinks • STABLE • Found from 30-90 north & south of the equator
WINDS • US – westerlies – west to east
Atmosphere • Air that surrounds the earth
GLOBAL CLIMATES • Classified by precipitation , temperature, & vegetation • LATITUDE – most influence
LOW LATITUDE • Desert • Savanna • Rainforest • steppe
Middle Latitude • Marine West Coast • Humid continental • Mediterranean • Humid subtropical
High latitude • Icecap • Subarctic • Tundra • Highland