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WEATHER and CLIMATE are two different things.WEATHER refers to the atmospheric conditions in a specific area at a specific time.CLIMATE refers to the typical weather in a region for a long period of time.
WEATHER can change
from day to day
or at different
times, even on the same
day. It can be:
THE ELEMENTS OF WEATHER1-The WIND: it’s the movement of air in the atmosphere.We measure it with the WEATHER VANE (direction)and ANEMOMETER (speed in km/hour).
2-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE: it’s the weight of air in the atmosphere.We measure it with the BAROMETER in millibars.
3-TEMPERATURE: this is how hot or cold the air is.We measure it with a THERMOMETER in degrees.
4-PRECIPITATION: it’s the water that falls from clouds (rain)We measure it with the RAIN GAUGE in millilitres.
5-HUMIDITY: it’s the amount of water vapour in the air.We measure it with the HYGROMETER in percentage (%)
CLIMATIC FACTORSTo study climate, scientists study the precipitations and temperatures of an area for at least thirty years.
The information for each year is put on a CLIMATE GRAPH:
a) LATITUDE: the Sun’s rays are stronger at the Equator. That’s why Equatorial regions are warmer than polar regions.
b) ALTITUDE: the higher a place is above the sea level, the colder is.That is why it is colder on the mountains than on the coast.
c) DISTANCE FROM THE SEA: the sea water heats up and cools down more slowly than land.
That’s why coastal areas are cooler in summer and warmer in winter.
CLIMATE ZONES-POLAR ZONES: they are near the poles and in the mountains. They have low temperatures all year round. The little precipitation they get is in the form of snow.
-TROPICAL ZONES: they are near the Equator. They all have high temperatures, but different precipitations. For example, jungles, savannahs and deserts.
-TEMPERATE ZONES: there are two of them on either side of the tropical zone. Their temperatures are between 0ºC and 20ºC, depending on whether it is winter or summer. Europe is in a temperate zone with many forests.
GLOBAL WARMINGIn the last few decades, human activities have increased the amount of heat-trapping gases. This causes the atmosphere to store (keep) more heat than usual, raising Earth’s temperatures.
1-The warming of the EARTH’S POLES makes the ice melt, which raises the level of our oceans.
The higher sea levels will flood our coasts.
SIGNS & CONSEQUENCES of Global Warming
2-Rising temperatures create DROUGHT and DESERTIFICATION.
Plants and animals will not adapt to it and will die out (disappear).
CAUSES & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS to Climate ChangeDecreasing some of our negative activities can
help stop climate change.-FOSSIL FUELS. Factories and means of transport burn them, adding extra heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.
-WASTE & RUBBISH. They create enormous amounts of methane (gas) when they descompone.
-DEFORESTATION. Trees help turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. Cutting them down increases the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.-INTENSIVE FARMING. Crop fertilisers and the gases created by farm animals when they digest food are also dangerous to the atmosphere.
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