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Climate and Climate Change
What Causes Climate?
Climate Regions
Long-Term Changes in Climate
Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Table of Contents
Climate and Climate Change - What Causes Climate?
World Temperature Zones
Based on latitude, Earth’s surface can be divided into a tropical zone, two temperate zones, and two polar zones.
Climate and Climate Change - What Causes Climate?
Ocean Currents
Ocean currents have a significant effect on marine climates around the world.
Climate and Climate Change - What Causes Climate?
Rain Shadow
A mountain range can form a barrier to the movement of air masses and influence where precipitation falls.
Climate and Climate Change - What Causes Climate?
Monsoons
In a summer monsoon, wind blows from the ocean onto land. In the winter, the monsoon reverses and blows from land to the ocean.
Climate and Climate Change
Light from the sun strikes Earth’s surface at different angles. An angle is made up of two lines that meet at a point. Angles are measured in degrees. A full circle has 360 degrees.When the sun is directly overhead near the equator, it is at an angle of 90º to Earth’s surface. A 90º angle is called a right angle. What percentage of a circle is it?
A 90º angle is 25% of a full circle.
Percentages
- What Causes Climate?
Climate and Climate Change
Percentages
Practice Problem
Earth’s axis is tilted at an angle of 23.5º. About what percentage of a right angle is this?
It is about 26.1 percent of a right angle.
- What Causes Climate?
Climate and Climate Change - What Causes Climate?
The Seasons
The seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth’s axis as Earth travels around the sun.
Climate and Climate Change
Seasons Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about the seasons.
- What Causes Climate?
Climate and Climate Change
Building VocabularyAfter you read the section, reread the paragraphs that contain definitions of Key Terms. Use what you have learned to write a meaningful sentence using each Key Term.
- What Causes Climate?
Key Terms: Examples:
climate Climate refers to the average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and clouds in an area.
microclimate A small area with climate conditions that differ from those around it may have its own microclimate.
tropical zone The tropical zone is the area near the equator, between about 23.5º north latitude and 23.5º south latitude.
polar zone These polar zones extend from about 66.5º to 90º north and 66.5º to 90º south latitudes.
Key Terms: Examples:
temperate zone
marine climate
continental climate
windward
Between the tropical zones and the polar zones are the temperate zones.
North America, South America, and Europe have mild marine climates, with relatively mild winters and cool summers.
Continental climates have more extreme temperatures than marine climates.
Rain or snow falls on the windward side of the mountains, the side the wind hits.
Key Terms: Examples:
leeward
monsoon
The land on the leeward side of the mountains—downwind—is in a rain shadow.
Sea and land breezes over a large region that change direction with the seasons are called monsoons.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Climate Graphs
A graph of average temperature (left) can be combined with a graph of average precipitation (middle) to form a climate graph. These graphs are for a tropical wet-and-dry region.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Climate Regions
Climate regions are classified according to a combination of temperature and precipitation. Climates in highland regions change rapidly as altitude changes.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Climate Regions
Climate regions are classified according to a combination of temperature and precipitation. Climates in highland regions change rapidly as altitude changes.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Dry Climates
Dry climates include arid and semiarid climates. Albuquerque, New Mexico, has an arid climate.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Temperate Marine Climates
There are three types of temperate marine climates: marine west coast, humid subtropical, and Mediterranean. Eugene, Oregon, has a marine west coast climate.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Temperate Marine Climates
Santa Barbara, on the coast of southern California, has a Mediterranean climate. Mild temperatures throughout the year make the area ideal for growing olives and citrus fruits.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Temperate Continental ClimatesTemperate continental climates include humid continental and subarctic climates. Subarctic climates have cool summers and cold winters. Anchorage, Alaska, has a subarctic climate.
Climate and Climate Change - Climate Regions
Polar Climates
Polar climates include ice cap and tundra climates. The tundra climate region stretches across northern Alaska, Canada, and Russia.
Climate and Climate Change
Comparing and ContrastingAs you read, compare and contrast the six main climate regions by completing a table like the one below.
Climate Region Precipitation Temperature
Tropical rainy Heavy precipitation Hot
Dry Little rainfall Hot or Cold
Temperate marineDry to rainy, depending on season and location
Cool to hot, depending on season and location
Temperate continental
Light to moderate rainfallCold to hot, depending on season and location
Polar Dry Cold
HighlandsWetter than nearby
lowlandsCooler than nearby
lowlands
- Climate Regions
Climate and Climate Change
Climate Regions
Click the Video button to watch a movie aboutclimate regions.
- Climate Regions
Climate and Climate Change
Links on Climates of the World
Click the SciLinks button for links on climates of the world.
- Climate Regions
Climate and Climate Change - Long-Term Changes in Climate
Ice Ages
The map shows the parts of North America that were covered by glaciers 18,000 years ago. On the steppe near the glaciers lived many mammals that are now extinct, including woolly mammoths.
Climate and Climate Change
Ice Ages and Temperature
The graph shows the estimated average worldwide temperature over the last 350,000 years. During this time, cold glacial periods (blue) alternated with warmer interglacial periods (pink).
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change
Ice Ages and Temperature
Number of years ago, estimated average global temperature in degrees Celsius
Reading Graphs:
What does the x-axis of the graph represent? What does the y-axis represent?
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change
Ice Ages and Temperature
Periodic ups and down in average global temperature; the temperature changes represent ice ages and warmer times in between. These changes may have been caused by changes in Earth’s position in space.
Interpreting Data:
What pattern do you see in these data? How would you explain this pattern?
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change
Ice Ages and Temperature
The pattern probably will continue. Global temperatures are relatively high now, so they may decrease in the future, all else equal. Earth eventually will have another ice age.
Predicting:
Based on the pattern over the last 350,000 years, predict how global temperature will change in the future.
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change - Long-Term Changes in Climate
Moving Continents
The continents have moved over millions of years. These movements have resulted in climate changes.
Climate and Climate Change
Continental Drift Activity
Click the Active Art button to open a browser window and access Active Art about continental drift.
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change
Identifying Supporting EvidenceAs you read, identify the evidence that is used to show that climates change.
Hypothesis
Climate change
Evidence
Tree rings
Pollen
Evidence of past glaciers
- Long-Term Changes in Climate
Climate and Climate Change - Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Greenhouse Effect
Sunlight enters a greenhouse and is absorbed. The interior of the greenhouse radiates back energy in the form of infrared radiation, or heat. Much of the heat is trapped and held inside the greenhouse, warming it.
Climate and Climate Change - Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Global Warming
Scientists think that an increase in carbon dioxide in the air is a major factor in global warming.
Climate and Climate Change - Global Changes in the Atmosphere
The Ozone Hole
Chemicals produced by humans have damaged the ozone layer. A large are of reduced ozone, or ozone hole, has been created over Antarctica.
Climate and Climate Change
Asking QuestionsBefore you read, preview the red headings. Ask a what or how question for each heading. As you read, write answers to your questions.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The process by which gases in Earth’s atmosphere trap solar energy
Why is ozone depletion a concern?
A decrease in ozone in the stratosphere causes more ultraviolet light, which is harmful, to reach Earth’s surface.
Questions Answers
- Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Climate and Climate Change
The Greenhouse Effect
Click the Video button to watch a movie aboutthe greenhouse effect.
- Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Climate and Climate Change
More on the Greenhouse Effect
Click the Planet Diary button for an activity aboutthe greenhouse effect.
- Global Changes in the Atmosphere
Climate and Climate Change
Graphic Organizer
Climate
is affected by
is determined by
Temperature Precipitation
is affected by
Latitude AltitudePrevailing
winds
Distance from water
Ocean currents
Mountain ranges