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