Transcript Earth-Sun Relationships

EARTH-SUN
RELATIONSHIPS (3.1)
CLIMATE VS. WEATHER
•Weather: condition of
atmosphere in 1 place during
a limited time
CLIMATE VS. WEATHER
• Climate: weather patterns of an
area over a long period of time
THE MOST IMPORTANT
FACTOR OF CLIMATE IS
EARTH’S POSITION IN
RELATION TO THE SUN
EARTH’S TILT
• Axis: imaginary line runs from pole
to pole, through center
• Tilted at 23 ½ º angle
• Places receive diff. amounts of
light at diff. times
EARTH’S TILT
• Areas with direct sunlight warmer
temps. (Tropics, Equator)
• Areas with indirect sunlight cooler
temps. (High latitudes/ mid-lat)
EARTH’S ROTATION
• Earth rotates on its axis
• One complete
rotation = 24 hours
• From west to east,
one hemisphere at a
time
EARTH’S REVOLUTION
• As it rotates, Earth revolves around the sun
(365 days)
• Tilt + revolution = seasons
• Changes in length of days and
temperature
• Reversed for N & S hemispheres
EQUINOXES & SOLSTICES
• Equinox: Spring and Fall
• Equal days and nights
• Solstice: Summer and Winter
• Longer day; shorter day
EQUINOXES & SOLSTICES
• Spring equinox March 21- rays hit Equator
directly…nearly equal day/night (~12 hours)
• Summer solstice June 22- rays hit Tropic of
Cancer…longest daylight (US)
• Fall equinox Sept. 23- rays hit Equator
directly…equal day/night
• Winter solstice December 22- rays hit Tropic of
Capricorn…shortest day (US)
EQUINOXES & SOLSTICES
• So if it is summer in Houston, what
season is it in South Africa?
• If we are wearing long sleeves and
jackets, what are they wearing in
China?
THE POLES
• For 6 months one pole is pointed
toward sun  constant sunlight
• Other is pointed away little to no
sunlight
“lands of the midnight sun”
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
• Atmosphere traps some heat from
the sun and keeps it from escaping
back into space too quickly
• The perfect balance must be kept:
• Too much heat escapes freeze
• Too much heat is trapped dry
out
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT
• Problem: more gases (CO2) from fossil fuels are
causing more heat to be trapped
• Global Warming: Theory that a rise in atmospheric
CO2 levels has caused a rise in global temperatures
• More fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are burned 
• Greenhouse gases (CO2, O3, water vapor) trap
more heat
GLOBAL WARMING..?
• Some scientists predict that global warming
will make weather patterns more extreme
• Water will evaporate more rapidly from oceans 
increase in humidity & rainfall
• Water evaporation from soil will cause land to dry out
quicker between rains
• Other scientists do not agree with the theory
of global warming:
• Some say it’s a natural cycle that’s causing the rise in
temps
• Some say there’s not enough conclusive evidence & it’s
way too early to predict this.