Transcript Document

It all begins with the sun……
Uneven Heating of the Earth
The Earth's major source of energy is the Sun. The Earth
is constantly receiving solar energy, but different areas of
Earth receive different amounts of solar energy. This
affects weather and climate.
Different areas of the Earth receive different amounts of
sunlight.
The equator receives the most sunlight because the Sun
is closer to being directly overhead year-round than it is
at any other place on the Earth. This increases the
amount of heat energy received and explains why areas
near the equator have tropical climates.
 The poles receive the least sunlight, which is why they
have cold climates.
 The solar energy received by the Earth causes ocean
currents, winds, seasons, and climate differences.
OCEAN CURRENTS
The uneven heating of the Earth's surface creates energy
flow. Winds and ocean currents flow from warmer areas
to colder areas, which means that they travel from the
equator toward the poles.
Because water has a much higher heat capacity (absorbs and
lets go of heat more) slowly than land, water temperature will
increase and decrease less than land temperature.
For example, during daytime, land temperatures might
change by tens of degrees, while water temperature change
by less than half a degree.
This means that coastal land temperatures don’t
fluctuate (go up and down) extremely (a lot) because the
ocean water nearby doesn’t fluctuate much.
Upwelling
Causes cold, nutrient rich water from the deep ocean to
rise to the surface.
El Nino and La Nina
 El Nino is a change in water temperature in the
Pacific ocean that produces a warm current.
 La Nina is a change in temperature in the Eastern
Pacific that causes surface water temperature to be
much colder than usual
 BOTH El nino and La Nina can cause flooding (too
much rain) and drought (too little rain) in different
places on Earth. Upwelling does not occur where it
normally would and this affects fish and sealife.
Coriolis Effect
Because of the coriolis effect, winds appear to deflected
to the east or west depending on the direction winds are
traveling.
 A buoy records data about surface ocean temperature
and transmits (sends) the information to a satellite in
space that then transmits(sends) the information to
scientists.
Answer the questions that
follow
Surface ocean currents are primarily formed by _______.
A. winds
B. tides
C. aquatic organisms
D. underwater volcanoes
Surface ocean currents are primarily formed by _______.
A. winds
Regions at different latitudes around the world receive
different amounts of solar radiation. Polar regions receive the
least amount of solar radiation, while the equator receives the
most. How does this most likely affect the global climate?
A. polar regions experience colder climates
B. the global climate is mostly cold
C. the global climate is mostly warm
D. equatorial regions experience colder climates
Currents caused by differences in water density are most
often the result of
A. differences in salinity and wind.
B. differences in temperature and salinity.
C. uniform temperature and salinity.
D. uniform salinity and wind.
Seasonal changes in water temperature tend to remain within
a narrow range. This is opposed to air temperature, which
tends to fluctuate across a wide range. The relative stability of
ocean temperatures helps to regulate the temperatures of
coastal regions. Why can water remain within a narrow range
of temperatures?
A. It has a high heat capacity.
B. It is mobile and this allows heated water to sink.
C. It reflects heat and does not absorb heat.
D. It is only stable within a small temperature range.
Convection currents, resulting from uneven heating of
the Earth's surface, cause _________ to form.
A. wind
B. mountains
C. volcanoes
D. fossils
Ocean currents and global wind patterns, which are
caused by convection currents, most strongly affect a
region's...
A. latitude.
B. population size.
C. day length.
D. climate.
Water is cooler near the poles and warmer near the equator.
Movement of cooler and warmer water from these regions
moderates the global climate.
Which of the following describes the movement of water
between the poles and the equator?
A. tides
B. ocean currents
C. evaporation
D. gravity
Water is cooler near the poles and warmer near the
equator. Movement of cooler and warmer water from
these regions moderates the global climate. Which of
the following describes the movement of water between
the poles and the equator?
Answer:
B. ocean currents
Which property of oceans best explains why they have a
major effect on climate?
A. They contain large amounts of dissolved salt.
B. They have a constant tidal movement.
C. They absorb gases from the atmosphere.
D. They hold a large amount of heat energy.
The circulation of water in the ocean due to differences
in density between the different layers of water is mostly
responsible for
A.the ebb and flow of the tides.
B.the eruption of underwater volcanoes.
C.deep water ocean currents.
D.all of these
Convection currents, which affect weather and climate,
are created by...
A. slow, constant tectonic movement.
B. erosion of ocean beaches.
C. mining of the seafloor.
D. the uneven heating of the Earth.
How do warm water currents like the gulf current affect
the climate of the British Isles?
A. Has no effect
B. The gulf current creates a warm climate in the British
Isles
C. The gulf current creates a cold climate In the British
Isles