Atmosphere, Weather, Climate and Living Things

Atmosphere, weather, climate and living things

Is a layer of gases that surround the Earth and

protect it from solar radiation

It’s divided into layers

It contains gases that are vital for living creatures

It regulates the

temperature

It minimises the impact of

meteorites from outer space

What is weather?

Refers to the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place.

Meteorology is the scientific study of the weather

Example: Today it’s sunny or tomorrow will be raining

What is climate?

Is the average state of the atmosphere in a region during a long period of time.

Climatology is the scientific study of climate. Example: Mediterranean climate has hot and

dry summers. Is determined by studying several elements:

Temperature Humidity Pressure Winds

1.Temperature:

Is the degree of warmth in the air

Is measured with a thermometer and

expressed in degrees ºC

Is influenced by several factors

Latitude:As we get farther away from parallel zero, temperature decreases.  Distancing from parallel zero also creates seasonal differences.

The temperature fails about 0.6 degrees for each 100 metres increase in height

Altitude:

The sea acts as a thermal regulator, it heats up and cools more slowly because the

temperature changes are less extreme on the coast than inland.

Distance from the sea:

The coastal zones exposed to warm or cold currents give rise to higher

or lower temperatures, respectively, than the rest of the regions.

Sea currents:

2. Precipitation:

Is the water that falls from the clouds onto the surface of the

Earth

The amount of water that falls is measured with a pluviometer and is expressed in milimetres

or litres per square metre.

Types of precipitation

3 . Atmospheric pressure:

It is the force caused by the weight of

the air column above

the surface of the Earth

It is measured with a barometer and expressed in

milibars (mb)

Anticyclones are areas where the

pressure is higher than 1013

mb

Depressions are areas where the pressure is lower

than 1013 mb

The lines that connect points with the same pressure are called isobars

4. Wind: Wind is horizontal displacements of air creat

ed by differences in pressure.  The

displacements go from high pressure zones to low

pressure zones

 Its strength is measured with the anemometer and expressed

in kilometers per hour

 Its direction is indicated by a weather vane

Equatorial climate

Humid tropical climate

Monzonic

Hot desert climate

Mediterranean climate

Humid subtropical

Oceanic climate

Continental climate

Mountain climate

Polar climate

Living things