The Earth and Climate
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The Earth and Climate
Chapter 1Unit D
Objectives distinguish between weather and climate describe the major characteristics of the
atmosphere, the hydrosphere and the lithosphere as part of the biosphere
will define inversions explain how climate affects the lives and
activity of people and other species distinguish between anecdotal and scientific
evidence
Climate: Clues to the past
Work on Activity D1 (textbook page 341) Scientists use tree cores to give us clues
about past environmental conditions
Weather vs. Climate Weather – conditions of
temperature, air pressure, cloud cover, precipitation (rain or snow), and humidity Occur at a particular place
and time
Weather vs. Climate Climate – average weather
conditions that occur in a region over a long period of time (min. 30 years) Ex. Climate of Alberta:
average temp in summer = 14 °C – 20 °C
average annual precipitation = 442 mm
Telling the difference Identify the following statements as
examples of weather or of climate: 1) today is very hot 2) we usually get a lot of rain this time of year
PICTURES
The Biosphere The biosphere –the sphere of life – was
named by Eduard Suess in 1875 but not fully described as a concept until the work of Vladimir Vernadsky in the 1920s.
The Biosphere Thin layer of Earth with conditions
suitable for supporting life Composed of all living things on
Earth and physical environment supporting them
Biotic part – living component Abiotic part – non-living component
The Biosphere Three interacting abiotic
components: Atmosphere – layer of gases
surrounding the Earth Lithosphere – solid portion of Earth
(rocks, minerals and elements) Hydrosphere – all water on Earth
(liquid, vapor, and ice) (97% salt water)
Can you think of areas in the atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere that are NOT part of the biosphere?
The Biosphere Environmental conditions arise from
interactions of these components with the Sun and interactions between the components Creates climate
The Atmosphere Rises over 500 km from surface of Earth Mixture of gases
Most abundant gas is? Second most abundant?
How are these gases used by living things?
Also contains atmospheric dust Very small Include soot, pollen, micro-organisms
Atmosphere
Modelling Atmospheres
Work on Activity D2 Will need graph paper More info about planet
atmospheres at: http://msnucleus.org/membership/html/k-6/uc/solar_system/5/ucss5_3a.html
% Composition of VenusPercentage
Carbon DioxideNitrogenOxygenArgonMethane
% Composition of 3 Atmospheres
Venus Earth Mars0
20
40
60
80
100
120
MethaneArgonOxygenNitrogenCarbon Dioxde
The Atmosphere Broken up into 4 layers (determined by
average air temperature) Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere
Found at different altitudes Distance above Earth’s surface from sea level
Check out the Interactive Atmosphere:
http://aspire.cosmic-ray.org/Labs/OurAtmosphere/atmosphere_main.html
Troposphere 0 – 10 km from Earth’s surface Average temp. = 15 °C (at surface) - 60 °C
(decreases) 80% of atmospheric gases by mass Layer which supports life Most CO2, water vapor and atmospheric dust
Layer where most weather occurs http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vqo9UhLNn04&fe
ature=related (Bill Nye)
Stratosphere Above troposphere 10 km – 50 km above surface Temperature increases away from surface
- 60 °C 0 °C
Contains most ozone (O3(g)) making the ozone layer
Ozone captures energy from Sun, increasing temp. with altitude
Mesosphere Third layer Temperature range: 0 °C - 100 °C Very little gas
Thermosphere Farthest layer Temperature range: -100 °C 1500 °C
(increases) Very little gas
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3CerJbZ-dm0&feature=related
Lithosphere Solid portion of Earth floating above semi-fluid
upper mantle Extends from Earth’s surface to 100 km below
Runs under continents and oceans
Warmed mainly by the Sun and a little bit by molten mantle
Differences in the lithosphere (i.e. amount of albedo) can affect amount of atmospheric water vapour, as well as our environmental conditions
Portion life exists on is the crust
Lithosphere
Lithosphere The crust is the part of the lithosphere that
life exists on, and is eggshell thin
Hydrosphere Water! 97% is salt water in oceans 3% fresh water can be in lakes, streams or
frozen (most fresh water is snow and glaciers, or ground water)
Amount of water stays the same Warmed mainly by Sun
Interactions How do the
atmosphere, lithosphere and hydrosphere interact?
In pairs, brainstorm some ways they interact. We will be making a class list of the interactions you came up with
Altitude and Temperature
Altitude- distance above the Earth’s surface In troposphere, tend to decrease temperature
with altitude This trend can be reversed
Inversion- reversal of normal temperature in the troposphere
May trap unusually cold air close to the ground Happens more often near mountains Can trap pollutants
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