Big Idea 7 Earth Systems and Patterns

Florida Next Generation Sunshine State Standards:

SC.5.E.7.1 – Create a model to explain the parts of the water cycle. Water can be a gas, a liquid, or a solid and can go back and forth from one state to another.

SC.5.E.7.3 – Recognize how air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation determine the weather in a particular place and time.

Terms

English Spanish Haitian Creole1. air pressure presión del aire presyon lè2. climate clima klima3. condensation condensación kondansasyon4. evaporation evaporación evaporasyon5. hail granizo lagrel6. humidity humedad imidite7. polar zone zona polar polè zòn8. precipitation precipitación presipitasyon/lapli9. rain lluvia lapli

10.sleet aguanieve grezil11.snow nieve nej12. temperate zone zona templada tanpere zòn13. tropical zone zona tropical twopikal zòn14.water cycle ciclo del agua sik dlo15.water vapor vapor de agua vapè dlo16.weather tiempo (atmosférico) klima/tan17.wind viento van

Does This Matter to Me?

Have you ever thought about what it would be like if you didn’t have clean water to drink? Where does the water you drink come from? There is water all around us, in a lot of places. With your group, think about all of the places you see water in one week. Make a list.

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What should I wear today? Will it be hot or cold? Will I be able to play outside this weekend? Weather is important because it affects our lives every day. How does the weather affect your life?

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Water Cycle(SC.5.E.7.1)

Water, Water, Everywhere

Water is found nearly everywhere on Earth. It is found in the air, on land, and in all living things. Water is stored in oceans, lakes, rivers, streams, icebergs, and ponds. Over two thirds of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. When astronauts look down on the Earth from space, they see a planet that is largely water.

An abundant supply of water can also be found below the ground in the form of groundwater. Most people in the United States get their drinking water from groundwater. In Florida, much of the water is found in marshes, swamps, and wetlands. One of the major wetlands in Florida is the Everglades. Florida also has a unique underground water system called the Florida aquifer.

On average, Florida receives about 54 inches of rain per year. Where does all that water go?

8 inches flow over the land and into streams, rivers, or lakes 10 inches are absorbed into the ground 36 inches evaporate back into the air

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The Water Cycle

People use water for swimming, drinking, washing, and many other purposes. If you are like most young people, you probably do some of the chores around the house. One of those chores may include washing the dishes. Some people wash dishes by hand. Others use an automatic dishwasher.

Just like your dishes are reused, so is the water you use to wash them. The water that was on Earth during prehistoric times is the same water that is on Earth today. Since the beginning of time, water has been reused, or recycled, from one generation to the next. How is this possible?

Water goes around and around in a process known as the water cycle. Water can be in the form of a gas, liquid or solid. This change of state can go back and forth depending on the temperature of the water. There are four major steps in the water cycle: evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection.

Evaporation occurs when liquid water turns from a liquid to a gas called water vapor. Energy is needed for this to happen, but it can happen at any temperature. Even frozen water (ice) can evaporate directly into water vapor. But the warmer the water is, the easier it is for evaporation to occur. An example of evaporation is when a puddle on the sidewalk evaporates into water vapor. The puddle will evaporate when it is cloudy outside. When the Sun comes out and warms the water, the puddle will evaporate more quickly because more energy is being added from the Sun’s heat.

As liquid water turns into water vapor (gas), it then rises up in the air. As the water vapor goes higher in the air, it begins to cool.

Have you ever had a cold glass of juice on a hot day? What happens when you leave the glass sitting on the table?

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If you said that water forms on the outside of the glass and drips down to the table, that is correct. How did the water get there? Did the water leak through the glass? No, it actually came from the air. Water vapor in the air surrounds the glass; water vapor (gas) turns back into liquid when it is cooled by the cold glass. This is an example of condensation. This process is also how clouds are formed. As this water vapor enters cooler air, it changes from a gas back into a liquid.

When water droplets in the air condense around particles of dust or other solids, they begin to gather together and form clouds. When conditions are right, the water falls back to the earth as precipitation.

Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are examples of precipitation. When water changes from a solid (ice) to a liquid (water), we call this melting. When water changes phase from a liquid (water) to a solid (ice), we call this freezing.

Which type or types of precipitation in the picture are a solid?

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Which type or types of precipitation in the picture are a liquid?

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When water falls back to the earth as precipitation, it lands in oceans, rivers, lakes, or on land. When the precipitation occurs, one of three things happens. First, the water may be absorbed by the earth and become part of the groundwater that plants or animals use. Second, it may run over the soil, as runoff, and collect in the oceans, rivers, and lakes. This process is called collection. Third, the water evaporates back into the air where the cycle starts all over again.

Earth’s largest bodies of water are the oceans. Our oceans are an essential part of the water cycle. They are connected to all of Earth’s lakes, rivers, and ponds through the processes of evaporation and precipitation.

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Why do you think the water cycle is called a “cycle”? Describe other cycles that you know of in science or that you have observed at home or in the world.

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In Inquiry 8 below, you will simulate the

Inquiry 8: Water Cycle Model(SC.5.E.7.1)

Inquiry Framework1. Questioning State the problem

What happens to hot water when it meets cold air and a cold surface?

Make a prediction

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2. Planning Read the materials and procedures Do I have all of the necessary materials?

Yes No

Have I read the procedures?Yes No

Summarize the procedures in your own words.

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3. Implementing Gather the materials (per group) 3 clear plastic cups hot water ice cubes food coloring masking tape

Follow the procedures1. Pour hot water carefully in one clear plastic cup.2. Immediately cover this cup with another cup turned upside

down.3. Using masking tape, seal the two cups tightly.4. Place a handful of ice cubes in another cup on top of the

middle cup. Note: Your teacher will come around to add food coloring to

your ice cubes.5. Observe what happens inside the bottom and middle cups.

Make sure you look at the top of the inside of the middle cup.6. Record your observations in the Data Table when you first

construct your model, after waiting 20 minutes, and after waiting one day.

Observe and record the resultsInitial

ObservationsAfter 20Minutes

After 24Hours

TopCup

MiddleCup

BottomCup

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4. Concluding Draw a conclusionWhat did you find out?

The water cycle model looks like this graphic. First, using the arrows, identify if the process you’re observing in each cup is evaporation, condensation, or precipitation. Second, explain which state of matter the water is in during each process. Finally, make observations and describe what you see happening in your model.

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5. Reporting Share your resultsWhat do you want to tell others about the activity?Talk with your group members about what you did and what you observed.

Produce a reportRecord what you did so others can learn. Write the answer to the following question:

What happened to the hot water in the bottom cup when it met cool air in the middle cup and then a cold surface on the bottom of the top cup?

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1. What role do the ice cubes in the top cup play in the water cycle model?

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2. Think about the following statement: The water droplets in the middle cup come from the ice water in the top cup.

a. Based on what you observed, do you think this statement is accurate or inaccurate?

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b.If you think this statement is accurate, use your observational data to support your position.

If you think this statement is inaccurate, use your observational data to support your position.

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3. After precipitation occurs, what would you expect to happen next?

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4. Which cup represents an ocean or other body of water? ______________________

What is the role of the ocean in the water cycle?

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5. Why do you think a model was used for this science investigation?

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6. Inquiry Extension Reflect on your results If I did this activity again, how would I improve it? What would be a good follow-up experiment based on

what I learned?

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7. Application Make connections How does this activity relate to what happens in the real

world? How could I apply the results in new situations?

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Weather and Climate(SC.5.E.7.3)

Weather is the variety of events in the atmosphere that we observe on a daily basis. For example, it could be hot, dry, and sunny where you live, but in other parts of the country it could be cloudy, rainy, or snowy. Weather includes lots of different events like hurricanes, tornadoes, thunderstorms, and blizzards.

A Hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico

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Climate is the large pattern of weather that occurs over a large area and over a long period of time. It is the average weather in a location over time. For example, Florida gets large amounts of rain nearly every year and on average over many years. Therefore, it is considered to have a wet climate. Nevada, which gets very little rain, has a dry climate. Alaska, where it stays cold for most of the year, has a cold climate.

Factors Affecting Weather

Air temperature, air pressure, humidity, wind speed and direction, and precipitation all play a role in determining the weather in a particular place at a given time.

Air Pressure

The weight of the air pressing down on the Earth is called air pressure. Air pressure decreases as you move higher and higher away from land since there is less air above you pressing down.

Air pressure also increases and decreases depending on weather conditions. High pressure is generally associated with good weather and low pressure is generally associated with deteriorating weather conditions. Look at the weather map below.

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Air pressure can be measured using a barometer. Based on the map on the previous page, what type of weather is associated with low pressure? What type of weather is associated with high pressure?

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Air Temperature

Air temperature influences the weather by determining what type of precipitation will fall to the ground, for example, rain or snow. Climate can also be described based on average annual air temperature. For example, we have a warm-to-hot climate in Florida because air temperatures are relatively high all year long. In the polar zones, the climate is described as cold because they have relatively low temperatures all year long. Air temperature can be measured using a thermometer.

What type of precipitation would you most likely see if the air temperature was very low (for example, 20 °F)?

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Humidity

Humidity is the measure of how much water vapor is in the air. Air temperature can affect how much water vapor the air can hold. Warmer air can hold much more water vapor than cooler air. Environments that are very hot during the day will have higher humidity. During the day, the Sun warms the Earth and a large amount of water vapor enters the air around us. At night, when the air temperature drops, water vapor in the air condenses to water droplets that can be seen as dew the next morning. Humidity can be measured using a hygrometer.

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Barometer

Thermometer

Hygrometer

Clouds

The type of clouds you see in the sky can help you predict the weather. The four main types of clouds are cirrus, stratus, cumulus and cumulonimbus. Each type of cloud is associated with a different type of weather.

Cloud Types Chart

Name Graphic Description Weather Conditions

Cirrusthin, feather-like or curling patches, high in the sky

clear, sunny, dry days

Stratusthick, gray sheets; little sunlight can pass through them

light rain or fog

Cumulusbright white, fluffy; sometimes like animals and other shapes

fair weather, partly sunny or partly cloudy

Cumulonimbus

tall, towers with low, dark gray bottoms; sometimes almost entirely dark, black

heavy showers, thunderstorms

Precipitation

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As the humidity becomes greater, there is more moisture in the air. Water vapor in the air tends to rise since it begins close to the earth which is warmed by the Sun. Warmer air is lighter and rises. In order for precipitation to occur, water droplets in the air must first form around particles of dust or smoke in the air and collide to form larger particles. These gather to form clouds. When conditions allow, the enlarged particles fall as precipitation. Precipitation comes in many forms, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail, depending on the air temperature and wind.

Precipitation Types Chart

Name Picture Description Weather Conditions

Rain Liquid precipitation Forms when water droplets

within a cloud become bigger and fall as rain drops

Low pressure, temperature varies, cloudy and wet

Sleet Mixture of rain and snow Forms when raindrops fall

through cold air and quickly freeze into ice pellets

Cold and cloudy

Snow Solid precipitation Forms when the temperature

between the ground and the clouds is freezing

Rain turns into ice crystals and falls as snow

Cold temperatures

Hail Solid precipitation Forms when water droplets

freeze in the air, get blown higher into the clouds by the wind, and gather more frozen water as they fall; this cycle repeats until they fall to the ground as hail stones

Severe weather, thunderstorms, temperature varies

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If you see many dark heavy clouds low to the ground, what is likely to happen with the weather soon?

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What types of clouds have you seen in the past week, and what was the weather like when you saw them?

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A rain gauge is used to measure the amount of rain that falls to the ground in a particular location at a certain time.

Describe a typical summer day in Florida using the words “temperature” and “humidity.”

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Describe how rain forms in the water cycle.

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Wind Speed and Direction

When air is heated, it expands, becomes lighter and rises. Cooler, heavier air falls back toward the earth and replaces the warmer, rising air. The cooler air is heated at the earth’s surface and rises again as it is warmed. The movement of warmer, lighter air and cooler, heavier air forms a cycle of air movement. This cycle is called wind.

Air is in constant motion. Weather changes as wind moves large bodies of air from one location to another. Large bodies of air share about the same temperature, humidity, and pressure throughout. If there was no wind, then weather would stay the same. We depend on the wind to bring large bodies of air with precipitation across the different environments.

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Rain Gauge

We can measure the direction of the wind using a weather vane and the wind speed using an anemometer.

Geographical Factors Affecting Weather and Climate

Geographical factors also influence the everyday weather and the climate of a region. These factors include proximity to bodies of water, elevation, and proximity to the equator (latitude).

Proximity to Bodies of Water

In climate zones, the air in areas that are near large lakes or an ocean will be cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. This is why people like to go near lakes and oceans in the summertime to get cool. In the wintertime, being around a large body of water will mean it will be mostly warmer than in areas that are farther inland. We say that large bodies of water have a moderating effect on air temperatures and climate; they cool warm air masses and warm cool air masses.

Have you ever gone to the beach on a hot summer day? You may have noticed that it became cooler as you traveled closer to the water. Large bodies of water also influence the climate of a region. Water absorbs and releases heat more slowly than land does. As a result, during the summer in Florida, the air above water is cooler than the air above land, making it cooler near the beach. During the winter in Florida, the beach feels warmer because the ocean releases heat more slowly, warming the air for a longer period of time.

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AnemometerWeather Vane

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to b

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evit

Dilm

an

Elevation

Air temperature decreases as you move farther away from land. The higher you go, the farther away you get from the heat being absorbed by the Earth’s surface.

Air temperature changes with altitude mostly due to the distance from the relatively hot surface of the Earth. For example, even though Ecuador is on the equator, it has a cool climate due to its elevation. Near the surface of the Earth, the air is warmer and there is

more evaporation of water. The higher the air goes, the colder it gets, and the water vapor in the air condenses and forms clouds. As the clouds pass over mountain tops, precipitation tends to fall. This precipitation causes snow caps on mountains.

Proximity to the Equator

Proximity to the equator affects the weather and climate of a region. The Earth has three main climate zones: tropical, temperate, and polar. A region’s climate describes the average weather in a location over a long period of time.

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Snow Cap

The climate regions near the equator are known as the tropical zones. In the tropical zones, the average temperature in the coldest month is 18 °C (64 °F). The tropical zones are made up of mostly warm temperatures.

The North and South poles have climates that are very cold because of their distance from the equator. In the polar zones, the average temperature in the warmest months is below 10 °C (50 °F). The polar zones have freezing temperatures and very little precipitation.

The temperate zones are located between the tropical zones and the polar zones. The climate is considered mild, so it can be either warm or cold depending on varying conditions. The temperate zones tend to have the most varied types of environments, like mountains with forests, river valleys, and deserts.

There are different environments within each climate zone. You can find deserts, swamps and mountains all over the world. For example, a desert can be hot or cold depending on where it is located.

Climate Activity: Climate Zones(SC.5.E.7.3)

Procedures: Examine the Climate Zone map (located after the questions).

1. Complete a-d:a. Find and circle Florida.b. Locate and label the two tropical zones.c. Locate and label the two temperate zones.d. Locate and label the two polar zones.

2. What is the climate zone of the tip of Florida?

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What is the environment type of the tip of Florida?

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3. Are the polar zones closer to or farther from the equator than other climate zones?

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4. How is the equator related to the amount of sunlight a climate zone receives?

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5. Can you locate any mountains in the tropical zones?

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6. What would you expect the temperature to be at the top of a mountain in the tropical zones?

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7. What type of weather do you think usually occurs in tundra regions?

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8. In which climate zone do you typically find rainforests?

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Why do you think this is true?

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Climate Zone Map

In this chapter you learned that the water on Earth today is the same water that was on Earth millions of years ago. This is because water is continually recycled through the process of the water cycle. The water cycle is a four-step process of evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and collection. Water can go back and forth from a gas to a liquid to a solid and back again.

Weather is the variety of conditions we observe on a daily basis – if it is hot or cold and if it is rainy or sunny. Climate is the average weather in a location over a long period of time. Understanding the climate of an area can help to predict the weather in that area.

Some of the factors affecting weather and climate include: Air pressure is the weight of the air pressing down on the Earth. High pressure is

generally associated with good weather and low pressure is generally associated with deteriorating weather conditions.

Air temperature affects weather by influencing what type of precipitation (rain, snow, sleet, or hail) falls to the ground. We also use average annual air temperature to describe a region’s climate.

Humidity is a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air.

Four main types of clouds are associated with different types of weather: Cirrus clouds are generally found in fair, dry weather. Stratus clouds are low in the sky and sometimes bring light rain. Cumulus clouds indicate partly cloudy or partly sunny weather. Cumulonimbus clouds indicate stormy weather.

Precipitation forms when water vapor in the air condenses. Depending on the air temperature, it falls to the ground as rain, snow, sleet or hail. Wind speed and direction influence the weather by moving large bodies of air from one place to another. These meteorological factors work together to influence both weather and climate.

Geographical factors affecting weather and climate include: Proximity to bodies of water – Large bodies of water create warming and cooling

effects that moderate the surrounding area. Water absorbs and releases heat more slowly than land does.

Elevation – Elevation influences weather and climate because the higher you go, the farther away you get from the heat being absorbed by the Earth’s surface. Mountains force air to rise and pass over the mountaintops. As the air rises, it cools and forms clouds. As the clouds pass over, precipitation tends to fall in the mountains. This precipitation causes snow caps on mountains.

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Earth Systems andEarth Systems and PatternsPatterns

Proximity to the equator (latitude) – In general, the closer you are to the equator, the higher the average daily temperature. As you move farther away from the equator, the average daily temperature decreases.

Assessment

1. Which location on Earth receives the most direct sunlight?

a. The desertsb. The South Polec. The equatord. The Western Hemisphere

2. Florida receives about 54 inches of rainfall a year. What would happen if all this rain were to fall in one day?

a. Condensationb. Floodingc. Evaporationd. Absorption

3. Where does the precipitation go after it falls to Earth?

a. Evaporates into the airb. Flows over the landc. Absorbed by the groundd. All of the above

4. A certain day in Miami has a temperature of 85 °F. Weather forecasters are predicting that the air pressure and temperature will drop during the day. Which type of weather is most likely in the late afternoon?

a. Rainyb. Sunnyc. Snowy

Explain your reasoning.

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5. Which part of the water cycle is seen in the circled part here?

a. Condensation b. Evaporation c. Precipitation d. Runoff

6. Earth has many types of climate zones. The map below shows the tundra climate zones of the Northern Hemisphere.

Which of the following best describes this type of climate zone?

a. It is very hot because it is on the coastline.b. It is very wet because it is below sea level.c. It receives very little snowfall because it is close to the ocean.d. It has very cold temperatures because it is far from the equator.

7. Oksana looks up and notices clouds looking like the ones in this picture. What type of weather is she and her family likely to have for their cookout today?

a. Very windy and coldb. Partly cloudy and dryc. Thunderstorms and raind. Snow

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