The
Atmosphere
Compounds
 Nitrogen (78%)
 Oxygen (21%)
Water Vapor (less than 4%)
 Carbon Dioxide (less than 1%)
Methane (less than 1%)
 Nitrous Oxide (less than 1%)
 Ozone (less than 1%)
Weather
Weather is caused by the movement or transfer of
heat energy.
 Radiation: the flow of electromagnetic radiation
(Earth receives solar energy this way).
 Conduction: energy transferred by collisions that
take place between heat-carrying molecules.
 Convection: involves the movement of warmer air
molecules to cooler areas.
LINK: http://www.wisconline.com/objects/ViewObject.aspx?ID=SCE304
Factors that Influence Climate
 Air mass
 Air Pressure
 Albedo: reflectivity
Low: ocean water
Moderate: land masses
High: snow and ice
 Altitude
 Angle of Sunlight
Carbon Cycle: the consumption of
carbon results in cooling
Clouds
Distance to oceans
Fronts
Greenhouse Effect
Heat (Convection)
Land Changes: urbanization and
deforestation
 Landmass Distribution
 Latitude
 Location
 Humidity
 Mountain Ranges
 Plate Tectonics
 Volcanoes
 Pollution
 Precession
 Rotation
 Solar Output
 Wind Patterns
 Human Activity: deforestation, urbanization,
etc.
Factors (Video):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWB2OHk
ooPI
Human Activity:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/education/pd/cli
mate/factsheets/howhuman.pdf
Questions
 What are the layers of the Atmosphere?
 What are the two most abundant compounds
in the atmosphere?
 Give three examples of factors that can
influence climate change.
 In which layer of the atmosphere is the Ozone
layer found?
 In what ways can human activity affect
climate?
Answers
 Troposphere, Stratosphere,
Mesosphere, Ionosphere
 Nitrogen and Oxygen
 Location, mountain ranges, and latitude
 Stratosphere
 Urbanization and deforestation both
negatively influence climate.