Download 3.1 Notes

Climates of the World
Section 1
2.5 relate major climate and vegetation regions of the world
• The sun, the brightest star in our sky, is a
major factor in creating Earth’s climates.
The sun, composed of hydrogen, helium,
and other gases, rotates on an axis at
about the same angle as the earth’s axis.
Only a tiny fraction of the power
generated by the sun reaches the earth.
Sun video
Climate and Weather
•Weather is the condition of the
atmosphere in a certain place at a
specific time.
• The climate of an area is its longterm typical weather pattern.
• The climate of an area is
determined by many things; the
most important is the earth’s
position in relation to the sun.
2.6 describe factors that influence climate regions
Weather & climate
Video
Earth’s Tilt and Rotation
• Earth is currently tilted at an angle
of about 23½°. Because of the tilt
of this axis, not all places on Earth
receive the same amount of direct
sunlight at the same time.
Earth’s Revolution
• Earth travels in an orbit around the sun,
completing one trip about every 365 days.
• The seasons are caused by the earth’s
revolution around the sun and the earth’s
tilt.
• The Equator divides Earth into the Northern
and Southern Hemispheres. When one
hemisphere experiences winter, the other
experiences summer.
Tilt video
The Tropics of Cancer and
Capricorn
• The line of latitude at 23½°N is called
the Tropic of Cancer–the northernmost
latitude on the earth to receive the
sun’s direct rays.
• The line of latitude at 23½°S is called the
Tropic of Capricorn–the southernmost
latitude to receive the sun’s direct rays.
The Poles
• The North Pole and the South Pole are
located at either end of the earth’s axis.
• Each Pole receives continuous indirect
sunlight six months each year.
• While one receives continuous sunlight, the
other receives little to no sunlight.
South pole video
The Greenhouse Effect
• Part of the sun’s radiation passes through
Earth’s atmosphere.
• Like the glass in a greenhouse, the
atmosphere keeps the heat from escaping
back into space too quickly.
• Humans have altered Earth’s atmosphere by
burning fuels that release carbon dioxide and
other greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.
Greenhouse video