Earth-Sun Relationships
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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
Δs in length of days and temp.
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…equal day/night
Summer
solstice June 22- rays hit Tropic of
Cancer…longest day (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
The
perfect balance must be kept:
Too much heat escapes freeze
Too much heat is trapped dry out
Greenhouse effect
Global Warming
More
fossil fuels (coal, oil, natural gas) are
burned
Greenhouse gases (CO2, O3, water vapor)
trap more heat
Global warming..?
Water
evaporation
, get more
rainfall (worse storms?)
But land dries out more quickly
roots can’t soak up water
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oJAbATJCugs