El Nino!

Unit 2 - Climate, Insolation, and Seasons

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    Things for Unit 2 you should UNDERSTAND, KNOW, and be able to DO...
     
    Understand:
    • Many of the phenomena that we observe on Earth involve interactions among components of air, water and land. 

    • What determines the climate of a region.

    • How humans affect climate.

    • How incoming solar radiation, ocean currents, and land masses affect climate.

    Know:
    • Transfer of heat energy within the atmosphere, hydrosphere and land occurs as the result of radiation, convection and conduction. 
    • Density differences, wind and the Coriolis Effect cause ocean currents.
    • There is a direct relationship between the relationship between global wind patterns and dominant ocean currents.
    • Six geographic factors that determine a location’s climate are vegetative cover, latitude, orographic effect, proximity to large bodies of water, elevation, ocean currents temperature and precipitation patterns are altered by natural events (El Nino and volcanic eruptions) and human influences (deforestation, desertification, production of greenhouse gasses).
    • Common greenhouse gasses affect climate change.
    • Angle of insolation determines seasonal changes.  These changes include the shifting of global temperature zones, jet stream, precipitation belts, planetary wind patterns, and ocean currents. These changes result in the occurrence of monsoons, hurricanes and other severe climate phenomena. 
     
    Vocab Terms: arid, atmosphere, climate, conduction, convection, Coriolis effect, energy transfer, climate change, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gas, convection, radiation, ozone, land breeze, sea breeze, leeward, windward, orographic effect, adiabatic cooling, ocean currents, planetary winds, abundant, depleted, prevailing winds, angle of insolation
     
    Extended Vocabulary: doldrums, horse latitudes, monsoon, El Nino, La Nina, halocline, thermocline, deforestation, jet stream, rain shadow, desertification
     
    Do:
    • Explain the greenhouse effect.
    • Interpret and correlate Ocean Currents (ESRT pg. 4) and Planetary Wind and Moisture Belts in the Troposphere (ESRT pg. 14).
    • Explain the climate effects of warm and cold ocean currents (El Nino and Gulf Stream).
    • Explain the differences between windward and leeward climates.
    • Compare and contrast surfaces which absorb or reflect insolation.
    • Define insolation and explain how its intensity and duration affects seasonal temperature.
    • Explain the relationship between climate and the factors that affect it including simple relationship graphs.
    • Determine the effect on climate when given illustrations of natural and human influence.
    • Analyze climate data (temperature and precipitation) and relate it to insolation and geographic location.