ClimateUNIT 4

1- The atmosphereTHE LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE

What is the difference between weather and climate?

The difference between weather and climate is a measure of time. Weather is what conditions of the atmosphere are over a short period of time, and climate is how the atmosphere "behaves" over relatively long periods of time.

ActivitiesExercises 2 and 3 on page 55.

2- Temperature

What factors affect temperature?

1- Latitude:

The angle of the Sun’s rays

2- Altitude:

3- Distance from the sea:

The sea makes coastal climates more temperate. Inland climates are more extreme.

How are temperature and climate related?

With the average temperatures we can divide the Earth into different climates zones:

.Hot climate zone

.Temperate climates zones

.Cold climates zones

Activities

Exercises 1, 2 on page 56, and 5 on page 57.

3- Precipitation

PRECIPITATION -> rain, snow, hail, etc, formed by condensation of water vapour in the atmosphere.

HUMIDITY -> a measure of the amount of moisture in the air.

Factors affecting precipitation

1- Latitude - it rains more near the equator.2- Altitude - it rains more in high areas.3- Level of humidity - it rains more in the coast.

What types of rainfall are there?

Vocabulario en español

ActivitiesExercises 2 and 3 on page 59.

4- Atmospheric pressure and wind

Atmospheric pressure is the force per unit area exerted on a surface by the weight of air above that surface in the atmosphere of Earth.

What is Atmospheric Pressure?

The history of the barometer (and how it works)

Altitude affects the atmospheric pressure. It is lower in the top of the mountains.

Air pressure can change with the temperature.

Pressure affects atmospheric conditions:

ActivitiesExercise 1, 2 and 3 on page 60.

WIND

Weather vane

What types of winds are there?

Prevailing winds -> always blow in the same direction.

Periodic or seasonal winds -> change direction seasonally.

Synoptic winds -> change daily, for example sea breezes.

Local winds -> influenced by the geography at a specific area.

Weather maps

How to Read a Weather Map

ActivitiesExercise 6 on page 61.Exercises 8 on page 67.

5- The Earth’s climates

Hot climates

- It is the area between the Tropics.- Temperatures are generally high and there is little difference in temperatures in different seasons.- Sunlight reaches the Earth at a perpendicular angle all year round.-MAIN CLIMATES:

.Equatorial

.Tropical

.Hot desert

Temperate climates

- It is the area between the Tropics and the polar circles.- Temperatures change because sunlight reaches the Earth at different angles throughout the year.

- MAIN CLIMATES:.Mediterranean .Humid sub-tropical.Oceanic.Continental

Cold Climates

- It is the area between the polar circles and the poles.- Sunlight strikes the Earth at an oblique angle.- Temperatures are always very cold.

- MAIN CLIMATES:.Polar .Mountain

Exercise 1 on page 63

and 2 on page 66.

6- Climate and human activity

AIR POLLUTION

It is the contamination of the

atmosphere by pollutants, like

harmful gases, smoke and dust.

It is caused by many human

activities.

AIR POLLUTION causes health problems in human beings.

AIR POLLUTION causes harm also to the environment.

Acid rain

Activities

Exercises 1, 2 and 4 on page 65.

Exercises 1, 4, 5, 6 and 9 on pages 66-67.

The 3 R’s

Reduce, reuse, recycle song

Climate graphsClimate graphs are a combination of a bar graph and a line graph.Temperature is shown on a line graph (in red), with the figures being shown on the left side of the graph. Rainfall is shown by a bar graph (blue bars), with the figures being shown on the right side of the graph.

REALLY IMPORTANT!!!

Interpreting climate graphs

In the exam you may be asked to look at the information in a CLIMATE GRAPH and describe the area's climate.

1. Look for patterns in the temperature data:

Is the temperature the same all year round? If it is different, how many seasons

does the location experience?

Which season is the warmest?

Is it warm (10 - 20°C), hot (20 - 30°C) or very hot (above 30°C)?

Which season is the coolest?

Is it mild (0 -10°C), cold (-10 - 0°C) or very cold (below -10°C)?

What is the range of temperature? (Subtract the minimum temperature from the

maximum temperature).

You can get more info in page 68 in

your book!

1. Look for patterns in the rainfall data:

Does the rainfall occur all year round?

What is the pattern of the rainfall? Check which season(s) is/are drier or wetter than

others.

Dry months are when the bar is below the line for temperature.

What is the total annual precipitation? Add each month's total together to get the

annual total.

If it is less than 300 mm it is very dry, if it is over 1000 mm it is a humid one.

Then put the rainfall and temperature information together - what does it tell you

about this area?

Interpreting climate graphsYou can get more info

in page 68 in your book!

3. Describe the patterns in temperature and rainfall, including how they relate to each other.

- Now, look at the climate graph below. What can you deduce about the climate?

Activity

Create your own climate graph with the information on page 69.

Once you have created it, analyse the information answering the questions.