Atmosphere, Weather and Climate June 1 to 15

Warm-ups

- List factors that effect the type of climate you would have in an area.

- Describe patterns you see in the two graphs below.

- Explain how a lava lamp works using the following terms: Conduction, Convection, Radiation

- Describe how Convection might produce wind.

- What are causes of High and Low pressure areas? In what direction does wind flow?

- How does density relate to pressure in the atmosphere?

-Make a Venn diagram of Weather and Climate.

- (1) Turn the Cyclone Simulator upside down. Make at least three observations. Hypothesis: Why is the water flowing so slowly? (2) Do it again. This time experiment with ways to make it flow faster by shaking, sloshing and twirling the Cyclone Simulator. What did you do to make it flow better? Make at least 3 observations now that it is flowing.

- Read pgs. 2-3 of ScienceWorld 3/3/14

Explain the clouds in the Grand Canyon picture.

What's an inversion layer?

- Summarize a way to find dewpoint temperature with a glass, thermometer and ice.

- Summarize a way to make a psychrometer. You may used a labelled picture as part of the explanation

-What types of clouds are produced by quickly rising warm air?

What type of cloud doesn't require rising air?

-If wind is traveling at 10 mph, how many miles will a cold front travel in 12 hrs?

Objectives

Atmosphere

• Identify the four lowest layers of the atmosphere and what defines those layers.

• Describe the effects of the ozone layer and greenhouse effect on the atmosphere and global warming.

• Summarize the three methods of heat transfer.

  • Explain how energy provided by the sun causes atmospheric movement called wind.

• Explain the key factors that cause global winds

• Describe how convection causes sea breezes, land breezes,

  • Create Isotherm and Isobar map weather maps from data.

Weather

• Describe the function of each instrument at a ground weather station

• Calculate Relative Humidity from wet bulb/dry bulb measurements.

• Identify the major shapes and altitude of clouds.

• Describe how rising air can form different types of clouds.

• Create and interpret Isobar maps from barometer readings in an area.

• Interpret weather from weather maps.

  • Make predictions of future weather using maps showing isobars, cloud cover, fronts and precipitation.

Climate

• Describe the effects of latitude, topography, elevation, global winds, large bodies of water, and ocean currents on climate

  • Predict the different climate conditions on any shape of continent, on a planet otherwise just like earth.

• List and explain the main forcings of climate change.

• Describe possible human forcings of climate change.

Global CO₂ and temperature change over the past 800,000 years.