chapter 4

1.22.13

• Take home test due

• No article review this week

• Weekly reporters

• Reading: Pg. 92-98

Chapter 4Chapter 4Global Climates and BiomesGlobal Climates and Biomes

Question

• What if the Earth were not tilted?

Objectives

• List in order and describe basic characteristics of the layers of the atmosphere

• Describe why the surface of the earth heats unevenly

• Relate the formation of convection currents to Hadley Cells

Kenya

• Why are poor countries more susceptible to weather changes than rich countries?

Global Processes Determine Weather

• What is the difference between climate and weather?

• Weather - What is happening now or a couple days from now

• Climate - average weather over a long period of time

Global Processes Determine Weather

• Which has an affect on what type of animals live in a biome?

• Weather or Climate?

Earth’s Atmosphere

• What keeps the atmosphere near the surface of the Earth?

• Do you think the atmosphere becomes more or less dense with altitude?

• Why?

• What is the composition of the atmosphere?

Earth’s Atmosphere

• Troposphere

• First layer

• Most of atmosphere’s nitrogen, oxygen, and water vapor

• Weather occurs here

• Air temp decreases with altitude

Earth’s Atmosphere

• Stratosphere

• Less dense than troposphere

• Temp increases with height

• Contains UV blocking O₃ (ozone) layer

Earth’s Atmosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Blocks X-Ray radiation

• Location of Aurora

• Exosphere

• Each less dense than the last

Group Work

• 1. Draw a diagram illustrating why the equator is so much warmer than the poles.

• 2. Explain why melting icecaps decreases the albedo of the arctic and speeds global warming.

• 3. Explain why warm air has a higher saturation point than cold air.

• 4. Compare and contrast adiabatic cooling and warming.

• 5. Describe how latent heat fuels storms.

• 6. Describe the formation of a Hadley Cell.

• 7. Relate Hadley Cells to the ITCZ

Properties of air

• What happens to air as it warms?

• It becomes less dense and rises

• Cold air?

• More dense and falls

• Which hold more water?

• Why?

properties of air

• Saturation Point: The maximum amount of water that air can hold

• Varies with temperature

properties of air

• As warm air rises, pressure is released from it

• It’s volume increases

• The air cools

• Known as ADIABATIC COOLING

properties of air

• When cool air sinks the pressure on it increases

• Its volume decreases

• Its temperature rises

• ADIABATIC WARMING

properties of air

• Latent Heat Release

• When water evaporates it gains energy

• When water condenses the extra energy is released

• Causes surrounding air to be warmed

Hadley Cells

• 1. At the equator warm air rises

• 2. Rising air experiences adiabatic cooling and condenses forming rain

• 3. Rain formation releases heat which drives air higher

Hadley Cells

• 4. Air at the top of the troposphere is cool and dry

• 5. Warm air rising from below displaces it N and S

• 6. As the air falls it experiences adiabatic warming

Hadley Cells

• 7. Warmed air forms deserts where it hits earth

• 8. Flows back to the equator to replace rising air

• CALLED A HADLEY CELL

Hadley Cells

• Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

• Area that receives most intense sunlight

• Very stormy

• Varies between 23.5⁰N and 23.5⁰ S

Convection Currents

• Polar cells exist between 60⁰ and 90⁰ N and S

• Work on the same principles as the Hadley cell

• Responsible for polar conditions

Activity

• 1. Use google maps to find a picture of the surface of the earth

• 2. Make sure that it is the satellite view

• 3. Predict the latitude ranges of the Hadley Cells

• 4. Use Google to find the actual range of Hadley Cells

Activity

• Part 2

• If the Earth’s tilt were to become 13.5⁰, Which countries would be newly formed desert?

• Which countries or states would be new jungle?

1.23.13

• Weekly Reporter

• Homework: 4.2

Review

• List in order and describe basic characteristics of the layers of the atmosphere

• Describe why the surface of the earth heats unevenly

• Relate the formation of convection currents to Hadley Cells

Question

• How does a rubber ducky travel from Hawaii to Alaska?

Objectives

• Explain the effects of the Coriolis force on global wind and ocean currents.

• Detail the causes and qualities of major ocean currents.

• Compare and contrast El Nino and La Nina.

Lab

• We are going to explore Coriolis

• Get into groups of 3

• Each group will need a lab kit

• You have 35 minutes to complete the first 3 activities.

• Don’t answer the questions yet.

Lab

• Talk to me about what you learned with regard to the Coriolis force

Coriolis

• What does the coriolis force have to do with wind and ocean currents?

• What would global wind patterns look like if the earth didn’t spin?

Coriolis

• As a result of coriolis and Hadley cells the earth has characteristic wind patterns

• Easterlies, Westerlies, and Polar winds

• Who discovered prevailing winds?

• What do you remember about El Nino?

Group Work

• In the middle of the Pacific Ocean, North of Hawaii, there is a patch of garbage the size of Texas. Trash from America and China flows here and gets stuck. Why?

• How does upwelling benefit the fishing industry of South America?

• Why does global warming threaten global thermohaline ocean currents and upwelling?

• What is the role of surface ocean currents in the movement of energy?

• What would happen to the coriolis force, gyres, and el Nino if the world were to stop spinning?

Ocean Currents

• How does the flow of ocean currents relate to coriolis?

• Because tropical regions get more sun tropical waters are warmer

• What happens to warm water?

• It expands

Ocean Currents

• What do you think happens as a result of thermal expansion at the equator?

• Water always flows downhill

Ocean Currents

• What effect do you think prevailing winds have on ocean currents?

• Currents follow the winds

• Combined with Coriolis, GYRES are formed

Ocean Currents

• Gyres form in a circular pattern based on Hemisphere

• Distribute Cool water from N pole to West coasts

• Warm water from Equator to East coasts

Ocean Currents

• Upwelling

• At the west coast of most continents, surface currents split from deep currents

• Deep, cold water rises to replace the warm water

• Very nutrient rich

Ocean Currents

• Thermohaline Circulation

• Why do you think water at the poles might become more salty?

• Cold salty water sinks

• Travels towards the poles to replace warm, rising water

Ocean Currents

• El Nino

• Every 3-7 years the prevailing winds in the Pacific change directions

• What do you think is the effect on ocean currents

Ocean Currents

• El Nino

• Warm water from the Western Pacific flows towards South America

• Depresses upwelling

• What do you think is the effect on fishing production? Why?

Ocean Currents

• El Nino

• Called the El-Nino Souther Oscillation (ENSO)

• La Nina is the normal pattern

Ocean Currents

• El Nino - Globally

• Cooler and wetter conditions in the Southeast

• Dry weather in Southern Africa and Southeast Asia

1.24.13

• No article review this week

• Test next Tuesday

• Intro to Biomes Project

Review

• Explain the effects of the Coriolis force on global wind and ocean currents.

• Detail the causes and qualities of major ocean currents.

• Compare and contrast El Nino and La Nina.

Schedule

• Intro to activities 2-3

• 1. Choose habitat to sample, label cards, gather supplies, go outside.

• 2. Set bait cards (Record where you set them)

• 3. Return to tables

• 4. Prepare and set sticky traps in assigned area.

• 5. Return to first traps and take photos (If 20 minutes have elapsed)

• 6. Return to class

Activity 2

• Attracting ants with sugar and meat.

• Take 3 minutes with your group and brainstorm 4 different habitats that you would like to sample.

• Each habitat will receive two sugar cards and two meat cards.

Activity 3

• Use gloves

• Know which trap numbers you have.

• Know where your traps are going.

• Get your clips.

• Be ready to go.

Pacific Garbage Patch

• Due Monday

• Research the Pacific Garbage Patch and the Plastiki Expedition

• Create a PowerPoint, Keynote, Prezi, etc. that could be used in a public service campaign to raise awareness of the patch

1st Quarter Project

• Read over intro to the project

• Talk about requirements and rubrics

• Choose teams of 3

• You have the class period to work on your project

1.24.13

• No article review this week

• Homework: Read 5.1

• Chapter 4 and 5 test on Tuesday

Objectives

• Describe the processes that create a rain shadow

• On a map identify regions of the globe that are affected by rain shadows

• Explain how abiotic conditions determine the characteristics of a biome

Objectives

• Why is Arctic Tundra found in South Africa

Rain Shadow Effect

• From the video, give me a quick recap of rain shadow ...

• Where could you apply the terms

• Adiabatic cooling

• Adiabatic warming

• Tell me on the map where the rain shadows are

Factors that determine Vegetation

• Why do similar climates have similar plants and animals?

• All of the organisms needed similar adaptations to survive

Factors that determine Vegetation

• Plant communities in the same biome on different continents might look the same

• However, are genetically very different

• Same for animals

Factors that determine Vegetation

• Distinctive precipitation patterns and temps create conditions that benefit some plants and not others

• Why is it that plants are the organisms that dictate what lives in a biome?

Factors that determine Vegetation

• As temperature rises 10 degrees C, plants need 20 mm of additional precipitation

Factors that determine Vegetation

• In general, what happens to climate as you travel N or S of the equator?

• What if you travel up in elevation?

Factors that determine Vegetation

• Climate diagrams can be produced showing relationships between

• Temperature and precipitation

• Latitude and altitude

Factors that determine Vegetation

• Groups of 4

• Group 1: Produce all graphs and answer all questions.

• Group 2: Choose 4 of the unknowns and answer questions 1-6