SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Components of the Climate System
There are four components of the climate system: 1) Atmosphere,
2) Lithosphere, 3) Hydrosphere and 4) Living Things. These
components interact to affect our climate.
The atmosphere is the layer of gases
that surrounds Earth. Water vapour and
carbon dioxide in the atmosphere absorb
sunlight and retain the Sun’s energy as
heat, warming the planet to temperatures
suitable for life. The lower atmosphere
contains oxygen, which many organisms need to survive, while
the upper atmosphere contains a different form of oxygen called
ozone. Ozone protects organisms in the biosphere from the
Sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
The lithosphere is Earth’s solid, outer layer. It
includes the rigid crust and the upper mantle, which
lies directly below the crust. The lithosphere extends
100km down from the surface and runs under the
continents and oceans. It includes the soil, which is
home to many micro-organisms, plants, animals, and fungi.
The hydrosphere is all the water on Earth. About 97
percent of this water is salt water in Earth’s oceans.
The other 3 percent is fresh water and includes water
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
in lakes and streams, and the ice and snow in glaciers. All living
organisms need water, and so they depend on the hydrosphere.
Living things consist of all life on our planet.
Through various processes (such as photosynthesis
and cellular respiration), plants and animals change the
relative amounts of gasses in the atmosphere. Also,
some animals, such as cows and sheep, produce
methane gas as they digest their food.
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
1. It evens out temperatures
 Acts as a heat sink: it absorbs and stores heat so
that temperatures change gradually over a 24 hour
day.
 There are long seasons in Canada because the
temperature changes gradually between summer and
winter.
2. It transfers heat around the world
 Hot air rises and cold air falls. This creates a
convection current.
 Earth’s atmosphere heats up close to the equator.
Areas farther from the equator, such as Canada, are
generally cooler. This uneven heating causes air to
move in the form of winds.
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Hydrosphere
1. It helps to moderate (control) air temperatures
 hydrosphere can absorb a lot of heat without causing
a major increase in temperature
2. It transfers heat
 Ocean water moves as a result of differences in
temperature.
o In the poles: The water is cold and salty -both of
which makes the water very dense and causes the
water to sink to the ocean floor and travel to the
equator.
o Warmer surface water (and less salty water) at
the equator takes its place.
 Ocean currents around the world act like an
enormous conveyor belt slowly moving water
and energy from the equator to the poles.
*Note: Ocean water also moves due to winds!
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
There is also energy transfer BETWEEN the atmosphere and the
hydrosphere.
The exchange of thermal energy between ocean currents and the
atmosphere has a major influence on climates around the world and on
climate change. The atmosphere is primarily heated at the equator
causing that air to move and create currents of water. Also, heat is
exchanged directly from the air to the surface of the water. There is
also heat that is exchanged between the water, the air and surface ice
in the oceans. All of the interactions create feedback loops that warm
and cool our climate.
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Components of the Climate System
There are four components of the climate system: 1) Atmosphere, 2) Lithosphere,
3) Hydrosphere and 4) Living Things. These components interact to affect our climate.
The atmosphere is the layer of __________ that surrounds
Earth. ______________ and ______________ in the atmosphere
absorb sunlight and retain the Sun’s energy as _________, warming the
planet to ___________ suitable for life. The lower atmosphere
contains ______________, which many organisms need to survive,
while the ______________ atmosphere contains a different form of
oxygen called _____________. Ozone protects organisms in the
biosphere from the Sun’s harmful ultraviolet ___________.
The lithosphere is Earth’s __________, outer layer. It includes the rigid
__________ and the upper mantle, which lies directly ____________ the crust.
The lithosphere extends 100km down from the surface and runs __________
the continents and oceans. It includes the ________, which is home to many
micro-organisms, plants, animals, and fungi.
The hydrosphere is all the _________ on Earth. About 97 percent
this water is ________ water in Earth’s oceans. The other 3 percent is
_________ water and includes water in lakes and __________, and the ice
and snow in ____________. All ___________ organisms need water, and
they depend on the hydrosphere.
of
so
Living things consist of all _______ on our planet. Through various
processes (such as _____________ and _____________), plants and animals
change the relative amounts of _______ in the atmosphere. Also, some
animals, such as cows and sheep, produce _________ gas as they digest their
food.
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere and Hydrosphere
Atmosphere
1. It ____________ out temperatures
 Acts as a ____________: it absorbs and stores heat so that temperatures change ____________ over a
24 hour day.
 There are long seasons in Canada because the ___________changes gradually between summer and winter.
2. It transfers heat around the world
 Hot air ____________ and cold air ____________. This creates a ____________ current.
 Earth’s atmosphere heats up close to the ___________. Areas ___________ from the equator, such as
Canada, are generally ___________. This uneven heating causes air to move in the form of ___________.
Hydrosphere
1. It helps to ____________ (control) air temperatures
 hydrosphere can absorb a lot of ____________ without causing a major ____________ in temperature
2. It ____________ heat
 Ocean water __________ as a result of differences in temperature.
o In the ___________: The water is ________ and ________ -both of which makes the water
very _________ and causes the water to _________ to the ocean floor and travel to the
_____________.
o Warmer surface water (and less salty water) at the ____________ takes its place.
 Ocean currents around the world act like an enormous _______________ belt
__________ moving water and energy from the ________________ to the __________.
*Note: Ocean water also moves due to ___________!
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
There is also energy transfer BETWEEN the atmosphere and the hydrosphere.
The exchange of thermal energy between ocean currents and the atmosphere has a major
influence on climates around the world and on climate change. The atmosphere is primarily
heated at the equator causing that air to move and create currents of water. Also, heat is
exchanged directly from the air to the surface of the water. There is also heat that is
exchanged between the water, the air and surface ice in the oceans. All of the interactions
create feedback loops that warm and cool our climate.
SNC2P1 – Climate Change
Homework Questions:
1. How does permanent ice on Earth’s surface affect Earth’s climate?
2. What role do large bodies of water play in Earth’s climate system and the flow of thermal
energy?
3. How does each of the following affect a region’s climate?
a.) Altitude
b.) Nearness to a mountain range
c.) Which side of a large lake a location is on
4. What effect would each type of prevailing wind have on the land it crosses?