Why Does Climate Change? Investigate the Causes with Erica and Sven
It would probably be good to lay out the basics HOT DAY OR GREENHOUSE Does climate change mean that there will be a flood tomorrow or that next summer will be really hot Not exactly Weather and Yeah climate are slightly different things first climate and then the change The climate is the big picture the playing field that weather events run around on How much does it rain during an ordinary year Is there a rainy season or is it always dry or wet Does it ever freeze during the winter Is there a winter at all or is the weather the same all year long 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2001 2002 1999 You can learn about the weather by walking outside You can predict the weather a couple of days in advance up to maybe a couple of weeks In places with highly variable weather even a 10 day forecast is quite a gamble However the climate is a more stable thing For example since trees don't run around chasing the rain climate conditions have to repeat All organisms rely on this for their survival The climate creates the foundation for vegetation and vegetation supports animal life The weather varies within the boundaries formed by the climate But everything starts with the star called the Sun. 2000 Weather can vary from day to day and in different years it can be a little different in the same seasons Will it be rainy or clear tomorrow Will it be below freezing or above during the winter holidays Or do we even need to think about the weather since it will always be warm and wet ITURE
If you’re outside in nature you can draw conclusions about the climate by looking around If you see a forest full of tall pine and fir trees then you’re in an area with cold winters Large expanses of sandy desert can tell you that it doesn’t rain much where you are A high canopy of leaves echoing with the cries of parrots and monkeys indicate a rain forest and a tropical climate 5
1 2 1 TROPICAL THE WORLD’S MOODS If the Earth was dry and there was no atmosphere there would be no life On the side facing the sun it would be hot and in the shadow it would be cold Places with mild temperatures would not exist But the Earth has air and flowing water Thank goodness Different climate zones are the basis for life At the poles the sun’s rays always hit the Earth at a sharp angle so there is less radiation ZONE SUBTROPICS TEMPERATE 3 SURPRISINGLY MILD Around the warm ocean currents COLD WINTERS Different climates and vegetation dot the continents depending depending to how much sunlight they receive and how heat and humidity circulate We bask in the Sun’s rays at just the right distance which gives us exactly the right amount of water in liquid form Water is necessary for life but snow ice and steam also play a role in climate patterns At the Equator direct sunlight creates a lot of heat throughout the year You can’t pile water The water that flows in the sea has to be replaced by water from somewhere else Sea currents even out temperature differences around the globe 2 3 The sun warms the surface of the sea in the tropics Warm water currents flow toward the colder regions The water releases its heat into the surrounding colder air 6 the climate is warm and wet The power of hurricanes comes from sea water heated by the sun CYCLONES HOT AND HUMID Mountains affect wind cloud formation and rainfall
Snow cover and sea ice reflect the sun’s rays and cool the climate The retreat of glaciers accelerates warming COLD ZONE 4 ARCTIC CIRCLE COLD WINTERS COLD ICE Some of the chilled water freezes The remaining cold salty water sinks to the bottom where it returns to the Equator Some of the cold water returns toward the tropics as a cold surface current Dark evergreen forests store heat until they are covered in a blanket of reflective white snow This cycle will be disrupted if the polar glaciers melt and sea ice doesn’t form TEMPERATE TEMPERATE The roots of plants influence the absorption and flow of water on land In landscapes altered by humans the risk of drought and flood often increases SUBTROPICS Because of the continents warm sea water cannot circulate at the Equator Moving air masses like wind even out temperature differences They may also transport moisture ZONE TROPICAL The larger climate pattern is also influenced by continents continents and oceans and the ways they slowly change In addition the relationship of the Earth to the Sun varies slightly The pace of change has usually been slow and steady with epochs spanning millions of years and gradual shifts between ice ages and warm periods Shorter fluctuations fluctuations are associated with things like changes in sea currents and atmospheric composition As the climate warms climatic and vegetation zones change shape The climate map of the future will be new and unprecedented 7 5 Cold water does not release rain clouds or DRY WINDS warmth onto land HOT AND DRY The vegetation of rain forests contributes to rain cloud formation Cutting down forests reduces rainfall EQUATOR HOT AND HUMID North same as in the nature work the but the laws of clockwise flow counter ocean currents In the South the
