Climate and the
Biosphere
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What is the biosphere?
► The
biosphere, (from Greek bios = life,
sphaira, sphere) is the layer of the planet
Earth where life exists.
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3 parts of the biosphere
► Atmosphere
► Hydrosphere
► Lithosphere
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What is the Atmosphere?
► Surrounds
the Earth made up of layers of
gases
► Argon , Oxygen , Nitrogen
► Exosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere,
Stratosphere, Troposphere
► Different temperatures
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What is the hydrosphere?
► all
the waters on the earth's surface and
sometimes including water over the earth's
surface, such as clouds
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What is the lithosphere?
► the
rigid outer part of the earth, consisting
of the crust and upper mantle
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► Electromagnetic
Radiation from
the Sun affects
all parts of the
biosphere
► These
interactions are
what determine
climate
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► The
atmosphere and hydrosphere (water on
earth) are essential parts of the climate
system
► Both absorb and store thermal (heat) energy
;they are heat sinks
► by absorbing the energy and storing energy,
the atmosphere and hydrosphere regulate
the temperature of the earth
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How does the atmosphere
determine climate?
► all
climate is a result of
► absorption
►Reflection
►Scattering
►Transmitting
►These factors result in a redistribution in
the atmosphere of the electromagnetic
radiation from the sun
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Atmosphere – absorption of
energy
► Water
vapor, carbon dioxide and ozone
absorb most of the EM radiation from the
sun
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► solar
radiation is
absorbed by a
substance and
converted into
heat energy
► The creation of
heat energy also
causes the
substance to emit
its own radiation
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Atmospheric Reflection of EM
radiation from sun
► energy
reflects off of a surface at the same
angle at which it initially struck the surface
► a third of the energy from the sun is
reflected
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Reflection
► Most
of the reflection in our atmosphere
occurs in clouds when light is intercepted by
particles of liquid and frozen water.
► The reflectivity of a cloud can range from 40
to 90%.
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Amount of surface reflectivity
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Transmission of Sun’s Energy
► Radiation
that does not get absorbed or
reflected by the atmosphere
► It makes it though the atmosphere and
reaches earth
► Most visible light reaches earth
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Radiation is transmitted and
eventually absorbed by
Earth’s surface
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Scattering of Sun’s energy
► sunlight
comes into the atmosphere and can
be scattered in any direction as it passes
through a medium
► This diffuses the light-- spreading it out in
all directions so it is not just a single,
straight beam
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Scattering of EM radiation in
atmosphere
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atmospheric scattering image
Energy Transfer in the
Atmosphere
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Lab
► Energy
Storage and Redistribution
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How Energy is further Redistributed
in the Atmosphere?
► Conduction,
convection, radiation
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Radiation
► when
particles or waves are transferred in a
medium or space, in the form of
electromagnetic waves
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The Sun’s Energy is Radiated to
Earth!
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Conduction
► when
heat gets transferred in solids and
fluids by molecules bumping into each other
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How conduction redistributes
energy
► the
transfer of heat through a solid, liquid
or gas by direct contact
► Air is a really poor conductor of heat
► Conduction happens in really low level of
atmosphere by the Earth’s surface (land)
► Energy
isn’t distributed very much via
Conduction
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Convection
► when
molecules (heat) moves throughout a
liquid or gas
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How convection redistributes
energy
► Convection
currents – a major mechanism
by which energy is redistributed on Earth!
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Convection Currents
► the
suns rays hit the equator with greatest intensity, the
air at the equator heats up and becomes less dense.
► The colder air moves the dense air above it, forcing the
warm air up in the atmosphere, this creates a area of low
pressure below it.
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► When
the warm air is high in the atmosphere, it
spreads out towards the poles and cools down
► the cooler air sinks back to the earths surface,
creating an area of high pressure
► These cold and warm air creates a circular current
called a convection current.
► Convection
currents generate WIND
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► WIND
- The movement of air, from high
pressure to low pressure.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
Winds
► Air
going from high pressure to low pressure
causes WIND
► Wind carries warm air from equator to poles
► Wind carries warm water from ocean to the poles
► Winds move around in a curved pattern due to
Earth’s rotation
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As air is heated, it expands and
becomes lighter, it rises, less dense,
lower in pressure
As air is cooled, it condenses, and
becomes heavier, it sinks, more
dense, higher in pressure
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Low Pressure – when hot air rises
High Pressure – when cool air falls
Wind is created when air moves
from high to low pressure areas
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► The
wind is caused by the different
temperatures (and therefore air pressure
differences) around a planet.
▪ This is caused by the Sun.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► The
wind is caused by the different
temperatures (and therefore air pressure
differences) around a planet.
▪ This is caused by the Sun.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
60N
30N
0
Equator
30S
60S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
60N
30N
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Equator
30S
60S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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30N
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30S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Doldrums-
Areas of no wind, occurs at the
equator, air here heats up fast causing low
pressure, as air rises, it loses its moisture.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
60N
30N
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Equator
30S
60S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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Equator
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► Horse
Latitudes- Areas of no wind occurs
at 30°N + 30 °S, air stops moving toward
the poles and sinks.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
When boats couldn’t find winds they
would drop their weight. Often
horses.
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
60N
30N
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Equator
30S
60S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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30N
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► Trade
Winds- Surface winds are blown
toward the equator because the horse
latitudes produce areas of high pressure.
▪ Coriolis force curves the wind.
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Coriolis Effect
Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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30N
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Equator
30S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Prevailing
Westerlies- Winds blowing
toward the pole, move from west to east,
occurs between 30°+ 60°
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
60N
30N
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Equator
30S
60S
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Polar
Easterlies- Cold air sinks and heads
toward the equator,
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► Polar
Easterlies- Cold air sinks and heads
toward the equator, Coriolis Effect curves
the winds (due to the rotation of earth)
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Copyright © 2010 Ryan P. Murphy
► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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► Activity!
Draw the globe below.
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Wind redistributes energy from
the Sun!!
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Global Circulation Part 1 and Part 2
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Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
interaction
Oceans are heated more intensely at the equator, there
is more warm water near the equator, and cold water in
the polar regions.
► The oceans have the ability to hold and move heat
► The atmospheric circulation (wind) that exists
between the equator and the poles influences the
redistribution of the ocean waters.
►
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► Wind
blowing over the ocean surface exerts
drag (friction) and starts to move the surface
waters.
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►Wind-driven
and ocean-currents move warm
water to the poles and cold water to the
equator
►Heat transfers from ocean to atmosphere at
poles
Heat
transfers to
atmosphere
Heat
transfers to
atmosphere
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A general pattern of ocean current is shown in the
map below, influenced by wind!
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Why is water able to hold and
transfer so much heat?
► HEAT
CAPACITY!
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What is heat capacity?
► the
amount of heat needed to raise the
system's temperature by one degree
► It takes a lot of heat to raise the temp of
water, in other words, water is able to store
a lot of heat
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What does this mean?
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Heat Capacity of water
►
►
Water has a higher heat capacity than land (by a factor of
five)
therefore oceans store a lot more heat than land
Heat capacity of water - balloons
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Where is the heat? Atmosphere or
Ocean?
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Heat Capacity of Water
► oceans
cover ~70% of the Earth surface
► average 3.8 km deep
► major heat sink of the planet
► Work as temperature buffers for the
ocean/atmosphere system
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► Majority
of heat energy at the Earth
surface is stored in the oceans
► Ocean’s ability to store heat is a factor in
moderating Earth's climate
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► ocean
stores more heat than land
► The
majority of energy is stored in the
ocean
► absorption
and movement of energy on
Earth is due to interaction between the
ocean-atmosphere.
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► The
Oceans - A Driving Force for Weather
and Climate
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THE BIG PICTURE
► atmosphere
is heated by
absorption of electromagnetic
radiation from the Sun, and
contact with the warm surface of
the land and water.
► The warm land and water also
radiate heat, some of which is
absorbed by the atmosphere,
adding to its thermal energy
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THE BIG PICTURE
► The
remaining heat on the
surface is sent out into space
► The unequal heating of the earth,
causes high and low pressure,
which in turn, causes wind to
blow, redistributing energy
► This wind causes the ocean water
to move, redistributing energy
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Heat Capacity Lab
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Ocean Currents and Coriolis
Force
►
►
►
Oceans are warmer near the equator than
oceans near the polar region. The
atmospheric circulation that is set up between
the equator and the poles helps in the
redistribution of water masses.
Wind that blows over the ocean surface drags
and starts to move the surface water, these
currents are influenced by the Coriolis force.
The Coriolis force is used to describe the
effect of Earth’s rotation on the motion of
moving objects.
Ocean currents are influenced by the position
of landmasses. In the Pacific currents
correspond to the patterns of the surface
winds; currents are more complex near the
Indian and Atlantic Ocean. In the North
Atlantic, the Gulfstream pushes the warm
water towards the North Pole and cold air
back towards the equator.
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Conveyor Belt and Thermohaline
Circulation
►
The region that lies between 23.5 degrees
north and 23.5 degrees south of equator is
called tropics. This region receives a large
amount of solar energy which creates a flow
of warm current, which flows towards the
poles. When the current reaches the poles it
starts its journey back towards the equator,
this process is defined by great ocean
conveyor belt. In a conveyor the currents
carrying warmer and less dense water move
in one direction while currents carrying salty
and cold water move in the opposite
direction.
►
The conveyor occurs due to two facts. First
reason is due to the variation in water
temperature, as warm water is lighter and
less dense than the cold water. Second
reason is due to the difference in amount of
salt present in the ocean water. As
freshwater is lighter and less dense than the
salty water. Due to these two factors stated
the creation of thermohaline circulation is
created.
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Latent Heat
►The
energy required to change
the phase of a substance is known
as a latent heat.
►The quantity of heat absorbed or
released by a substance
undergoing a change of state.
►Latent Heat can also be called
Heat of transformation.
►The latent heat absorbed by air
when water vapour condenses is
primarily the source of the power of
thunderstorms and hurricanes.
►EXAMPLE : The polar ice caps are
examples of latent heat .
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Solar energy and the
Oceans.
►The
Earth receives 174 petawatts
of solar radiation at the upper
atmosphere.
►30% of that light is reflected back
to space. And the other 70% is
absorbed by oceans, clouds, and
other land masses.
►Solar energy warms up the air and
the latent energy makes the clouds
rain .
►Solar energy keeps the surface
level of the Earth at 14 degrees
Celsius
►Water in general is evaporated due
to solar energy, which eventually
leads to condensation and
precipitation.
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Effects of energy
transfer
►Due
to Energy transfer we get
form solar energy and other forms
we get different weathers.
►The Effects of the energy
transfers in the future could result
in melting Ice caps, higher sea
levels , flooding, and warmer
climate .
► The Polar Ice Caps absorb a lot
of the CO2 and solar radiation.
►If these melt then there will be
nothing to reflect the harmful
radiation and to absorb CO2 .
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