Download Factors that Affect Climate

What You Need To Write…
• Any notes that are in YELLOW
need to be copied down.
• Any headings in YELLOW
need to be copied down.
Factors that Affect Climate
Learning Goal
• By the end of this 2-day activity, you
should be able to
– Name the factors that affect a place’s climate
– Explain how each factor can have an effect on
climate.
Part A – Prior Knowledge
Write your answer to each in your notebook.
If you really don’t know yet, you may write “DK”. 
1. What is the difference between weather and climate?
2. What does latitude mean, and how does it affect
climate?
3. What does altitude or elevation mean, and how does it
affect climate?
4. What is the effect of topographic features on climate?
5. How do wind patterns affect climate?
Weather and Climate
• Weather refers to the daily conditions in a
place, like the temperature, winds, and air
pressure.
• Climate refers to weather conditions over
a long period of time.
Weather or Climate?
• Decide if each statement is talking about weather or
climate. Check by clicking.
– The temperature is 68 degrees Fahrenheit today.
– Weather (measured for ONE DAY).
– Phoenix area summer temperatures are over 100 degrees from
June to August.
– Climate (measured over a long time period).
– The Phoenix area receives rainfall in July and August during the
monsoon.
– Climate (measured over a long time period).
Continued
– On August 12, we received 1.25 inches of rain.
– Weather (one day)
– Low air pressure on December 16 caused a storm system to
move into the Tucson area.
– Weather (one day)
– High air pressure during the spring season brings pleasant days
with warm temperatures.
– Climate (over a longer period of time).
Part B - Latitude
• Get a sheet of white paper. On your sheet
of paper, draw a large circle to represent
the earth.
Now mark on the north and
south poles.
Add the equator, as shown
in the picture.
Discuss a definition of the
equator, based on how it looks!
• Click to check your answer, and write it
down in your notebook.
• The equator is an imaginary line that
divides the earth into a top half and bottom
half.
Write this definition.
• Latitude measures how far from the
equator a location is.
• It is measured in degrees north or south of
the equator..
Draw a large part of the sun
to the far right.
What is the effect of latitude?
• How does the latitude of a place affect
how much sun it gets?
• Predict how it will be different at the
equator, and at the poles.
• Click to get an explanation and to check
your prediction.
Now draw the sun’s rays as they
approach at the equator.
Write about the rays at the
equator.
Now draw rays approaching the
north pole.
Now add the measures of
latitude, in degrees.
Latitude at equator = 0, at north or south pole = 90,
and in between, is between 0 and 90.
Make a general statement about
latitude and climate.
• Copy this and fill in the blanks.
• As latitude gets ______________ from equator to
the poles, the climate gets ______________,
because the sun’s rays are hitting the earth at
_________ of an angle.
Make a general statement about
latitude and climate.
• Now check your answers and make corrections if
you need to.
• As latitude gets ___bigger___________ from
equator to poles, the climate gets
_colder_____________, because the sun’s rays are
hitting the earth at __more_______ of an angle.
Read about: Latitude
• As latitude increases, the intensity of
solar energy decreases
• Near the equator, the sun’s energy
strikes the planet at nearly right angles,
therefore the sun’s ray’s are more
intense here
Read about: Zones of Latitude
• Tropical Zone – region directly north and south of
the equator; sun’s rays are most intense;
generally warm year-round
• Temperate Zone – region located north and south
of the equator above the tropics. Sun’s rays
strike Earth at a smaller angle; hot summers and
cold winters
• Polar Zone – the region very close to the poles;
sun’s rays strike at a very low angle; experience
cold temperatures year-round
Make a sketch of the climate zones on
the back of your paper. Label the tropical, temperate
and polar zones.
Concept Check – Answer in
your notebook.
1. Which zone has the hottest climate, and
why?
2. Which zone has the coldest climate, and
why?
Check your answers by clicking!
Write what you missed!
1. Which zone has the hottest climate, and
why?
The tropical zone is hottest since it has a low latitude
(near equator), and the sun’s radiation hits it directly.
2. Which zone has the coldest climate, and
why?
The polar zone is coldest since it has a high latitude
(far from equator), and the sun’s radiation hits it at an
angle, lowering the intensity.
Part C - Elevation
• The lowest level of ground is SEA LEVEL.
• Elevation, or altitude, refers to how high
above sea level a location is.
• The higher the elevation is, the colder the
climate
Sketch in your notebook:
• Draw and label the change in temperature based on
elevation or altitude:
Concept Check
Answer in your notebook:
• How does elevation affect climate?
• Click to check!
• The higher the elevation, the colder the air
and therefore, the colder the climate.
Explain…
• Mount Kilimanjaro is a famous mountain
near the equator. How can it have snow
on it during the summer, and when it is in
the tropical zone near the equator?!?
• Discuss with your partner, then click for
answer.
Explain…
• Mount Kilimanjaro is a famous mountain
near the equator. How can it have snow
on it during the summer, and when it is in
the tropical zone near the equator?!?
• The climate gets colder the higher up you
go, so at the top, it could be snowing,
while at the bottom, it is hot because of the
sun’s direct rays at the equator.
Explain…
• Why do people go from Phoenix to
Flagstaff in the summer?
• Note: Elevation of Phoenix is 1,086 feet
Elevation of Flagstaff is 6,909 feet
Since Flagstaff is at a much higher
elevation, it has a cooler summer climate,
and people can leave the heat of Phoenix
behind!
Part D - Topography
• Topography refers to features of the land,
like mountains and hills, and valleys and
low points.
• Topographic features such as mountains
determine the amount of precipitation that
falls over an area.
Draw a sketch of the diagram to show why it rains more on
one side of a mountain or hill than the other.
SEE THE NEXT SLIDES for close-ups of the writing…
Concept Check – Topography
• How can mountains or hills affect climate?
• The side of a mountain near water
(WINDWARD SIDE) gets more rainfall,
and the side away (LEEWARD) is drier.
Part E – Bodies of Water
• Large bodies of water such as lakes and
oceans change the temperature of an area
nearby.
Draw this diagram.
• The next slides have CLOSE UPS OF
THE WRITING!
Concept Check
• How do large bodies of water affect
climate?
• Places downwind of a large body
of water generally have milder,
warmer seasons than places
farther inland at the same latitude.
Part F – Wind Patterns
• Global winds influence climate because
they distribute heat and moisture around
the Earth.
• Winds are constantly moving warm air
toward the poles and cool air toward the
equator
Draw this diagram and label it!
Concept Check
• What effect do wind patterns have on
climate?
• Wind patterns move heat and moisture
around Earth, which can change the
temperature and rainfall in a place.
Part G– Knowledge NOW!
Now that you have learned about factors that affect climate,
write your answer to each of these, then check and add to
your answer.
1. What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather refers to air conditions on one day, while climate
refers to weather conditions over a longer period of time.
2. What does latitude mean, and how does it affect climate?
Latitude refers to how far away a place is from the equator.
Areas near the equator are hotter, and areas far from the
equator are colder.
Knowledge Check, Continued
3. What does altitude or elevation mean, and how does it
affect climate?
Altitude or elevation refers to how high above sea level a
place is. The higher it is, the colder it will be.
4. What is the affect of topographic features on climate?
Topographic features like mountains cause some places to
get more rainfall, and some areas to be drier.
5, How do global wind patterns affect climate?
Wind patterns move heat and moisture around the earth.
Cold winds will cause a place to have a colder climate.
If you are finished…
• Discuss with your partner some places you would like to
visit. Choose one or two to research.
• Use the Internet to find out about the climate!
• Check information for:
– Temperatures in summer and winter
– Amount of rainfall
– Things to do there, and how they could be affected by the
climate and weather.
Make a travel brochure (on paper or the computer) for one of the
places, to make someone want to visit it for its climate!