UNIT 4

ATMOSPHERE,
WEATHER AND
CLIMATE

IN THIS UNIT YOU

WILL

INDENTIFY THE DIFFERENT LAYERS OF THE

ATMOSPHERE

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEATHER AND

CLIMATE
STUDY THE MAIN FEATURES OF CLIMATE, AND THE
FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE IT
IDENTIFY THE EARTHS MAIN CLIMATES

Respond to the following

questions in your group
What do you know about the sky
above your head?
What is weather and why does it
change?
Why is it hot at the equator and cold
at the poles?

4 MINUTES TO THINK AND WRITE THE

ANSWERS

ATMOSPHERE
The atmosphere
is a layer of gases
that surrounds
earth and protects
it from solar
radiation.

Atmosphere makes life

possible because:

It contains vital gases

for life.
It regulates the Earths
temperature.
The ozone layer is a
barrier against ultraviolet
radiation.
It protects the Earth
from meteorites.

THE
ATHMOSPHEREITS LAYERS

TROPOSPHER
E

METEOROLOGI
CAL

PHENOMENA
SUCH AS
CLAUDS AND
PRECIPITATIO
N

STRATOSPHER
E

MESOSPHER
E

IT CONTAINS
THE OZONE
LAYER THAT
TEMPERATURE
ABSORBS
S ARE VERY
ULTRAVIOLET
LOW. THE TOP
RAYS FROM THE
PART OF THIS
SUN. THIS
PREVENT
LAYER IS THE
HARMFUL
COLDEST
RADIATION
PART OF THE
FROM
ATMOSPHERE
REACHING THE
HUMAN
EARTHS
PRODUCTION OF
SURFACE
GASES (AEROSOLS)
HAS CREATED A
HOLE IN THE OZONE
LAYER

TERMOSPHE
RE

EXOSPHERE

THE POLAR
AURORAS
OCCUR IN
THIS LAYER.
TEMPERATURE
S ARE VERY
HIGH

IT IS THE LAST
LAYER BEFORE
OUTER SPACE.
ARTIFICIAL
SATELLITES
ORBIT IN THE
EXOSPHERE.
TEMPERATURES
ARE EXTREMELY
HIGH

WEATHER

Weather is the

condition of the
atmosphere at a given
time and place.
Continuous
movement of the air
in the atmosphere
causes the changes
The weather
in the weather
is
changeable

Meteorology is the scientific study of

the weather and meteorologists use
satellites and weather stations to make
predictions

HE
A U SE T
C
E
B
S
IE
HE
ER VAR
IR IN T
WEATH
A
F
O
S
MASSE
RE A RE ,
E
H
P
ATMOS
OVING
M
Y
L
T
AS
AN
CONST IRCUIT KNOWN
PHERIC
ING A C
FORM ENERAL ATMOS
THE G CIRCULATION

Pressure: high and

low pressure systems

Temperature: cold
when air comes from
the poles, or warm
when air comes from
the tropics
Humidity: humid if
they come from the
sea, or dry if they
come from continents

Characteristics of air
currents:

THE CLIMATE
Climate is the average state of the atmosphere in a
region during a long period of time
be
n
ca
the
e
t
y
a
b
ELEMENTS
Clim ined :
erm owing
t
e
d
foll
Temperature
Precipitation
Air Pressure
Wind

FACTORS

That
influenc
e these
element
s

Latitude
Altitude
Distance from
the sea

Climatology is
the scientific
study of climate

TEMPERATURE
Temperature is the degree of warmth in the air. It is
measured with a thermometer and often expressed
in C or F. It is measured by a thermoter
Latitude
temperatures
decrease as we
move away from the
equator
Altitude:
temperature drops
6,4 C for every
100m increase in
height
Distance from the
sea: the sea
moderates changes
in temperature

Influence
d by

PRECIPITATION
Precipitation is the amount the water that falls into theEarths
surface. Precipitation is measured by a pluviometer
Precipit
expressed in millimeter or liters per square meter
atio
Influence
d by
Latitude. Less
precipitation further
away from the equator

ion can
take dif
erent
forms

RAIN

Altitude: precipitation
is more frequent at
higher altitudes

HAIL
Distance from the
sea: precipitation is
usually more abundant
in coastal areas

SNOW

ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE
Atmospheric pressure is the weight of air on the Earth. A
barometer measures atmospheric pressure in millibars (mb)
Influenced
by
Altitude: pressure
decreases with
altitude
Air temperature
warm air rises
causing
depressions and
cool air falls
resulting in
anticyclones

Anticyclones
areas where pressure
is higher than 1,013

Depressions areas
of low pressure

WIND

Wind is the
horizontal movement
of air

Wind strength is measured by

an anemometer, expressed in
kilometers/hour. Wind direction
Is indicated by a weather
vane.

Climate Zones

UNIT REVIEW

THE
ATHMOSPHERE
DEFINITIO
N
The atmosphere is the layer of gases (mainly oxygen and
nitrogen) that surrounds the Earth and protect it from solar
radiation. It is about 1.000km wide and is divided into layers.

4
O
AS
E
R
NS

WHY DOES THE

ATMOSPHERE MAKE LIFE ON
EARTH POSSIBLE?
IT CONTAINS GASES THAT ARE VITAL
FOR LIVING CREATURES
THE OZONE LAYER FILTERS
ULTRAVIOLET RAYS THAT ARE
DAMAGING FOR LIVING THINGS.
IT REGULATES THE TEMPERATURE OF
THE EARTH, PREVENTING IT FROM
GETTING TOO HOT DURING THE DAY AND
TOO COOL DURING THE NIGHT.
IT MINIMISES THE IMPACT OF
METEORITES AND OTHER PARTICLES
FROM OUTER SPACE

THE WEATHER
DEFINITIO
N

IT IS THE CONDITION OF THE ATMOSPHERE AT A GIVEN TIME

AND PLACE.
WHY DOES THE WEATHER
VARY ?
WEATHER VARIES BECAUSE THE
MASSES OF AIR IN THE
ATMOSPHERE ARE
CONSTANTLY MOVING,
FORMING A CIRCUIT KNOWN AS
THE GENERAL ATMOSPHERIC
CIRCULATION

BUT, WHY ARE

MASSES OF
AIR
CONSTANTLY
MOVING?

BECAUSE THEY HAVE DIFFERENT

CHARACTERISTICS DEPENDING ON THE
REGIONS WHERE THEY ARE FORMED.
THEY CAN BE CHARACTERIZADED BY
THEIR PRESSURE, TEMPERATURE
AND HUMIDITY

THERE ARE
HIGH AND
LOW
PRESSURE
SYSTEMS

CURRENTS ARE
COLD WHEN THE
AIR COMES FROM
THE POLES OR
WARM IF IT COMES
FROM TROPICAL
AREAS

CURRENTS CAN BE
HUMID IF THEY HAVE
COME FROM OR
TRAVEL OVER THE
SEA, OR DRY IF THEY
COME FROM OR
TRAVEL OVER
CONTINENTS

THE CLIMATE
DEFINITIO
N
THE CLIMATE IS THE AVERAGE STATE OF THE ATMOSPHERE IN
A REGION DURING A LONG PERIOD OF TIME (BETWEEN THIRTY
AND FORTY YEARS)
HOW CAN A CLIMATE
BE DETERMINED?

BY STUDYING
THEIR
ELEMENTS
AND FACTORS

ELEMENTS

FACTORS

THE ELEMENTS OF THE CLIMATE ARE

MEASURABLE COMPONENTS OF THE
ATMOSPHERE, THEIR SET OF
ACTIONS DEFINE THE CLIMATE OF A
PLACE.

THE FACTORS OF A CLIMATE ARE THE

AGENTS WHICH PERMANENTLY
INFLUENCE AND MODIFY ITS
ELEMENTS.

TEMPERATU
RE

LATITUDE

PRECIPITATI
ON

ALTITUDE

DISTANCE
FROM
THE SEA

AIR
PRESSURE

WIND

WHICH OF THESE ARE

FACTORS AND WHICH
ARE ELEMENTS?

ELEMENTS

FACTORS

TEMPERATUR
E
PRECIPITATIO
N
ATMOSPHERI
C PRESSURE
WIND

LATITUDE
ALTITUDE
DISTANCE
FROM THE
SEA

TEMPERATURE
DEFINITION

It is the degree of warmth

in the air.

INSTRUMENT It is measured with a

of
thermometer
MEASURE
MEASURE
It is expressed in degrees
(oC)
REPRESENT
ATION

F
ALATITUD
CE
T
O
RALTITUD
SE

We use isotherms to
represent the
temperature in a map.
Temperatures decrease as
we move away from the
equator.

CLIMATE ELEMENTS
PRECIPITATION

ATMOSPHERIC
WIND
PRESSURE
It is the water that falls It is the weight of the Wind is the air horizontal
from the clouds onto
air on the Earth.
in
the surface of the
movement.
Earth.
It is measured with a
It is measured with a Its strength is measured
pluviometer
barometer
with an
anemometer.
It is expressed in
It is expressed in
It is expressed in
millimetres (mm) or
millibars (mb).
kilometers per
l/m2
hour.
We use isohyets to
We use isobars to
Its direction is
represent the
represent the
represented by a
temperature on a map. temperature on a
weather vane.
map.
There is less
precipitation as we
move further away
from the equator.
WEATHER
Precipitation is more
Pressure decreases
CHARTS SHOW
frequent the higher the the higher the
ATMOSPHERIC
altitude.
altitude

The temperature falls

0.64oC for
every 100 metre increase
THE LETTER L
in height (adiabatic
gradient)
SHOWS LOW
T
Precipitation
is usually
HDISTANC The sea moderates the
PRESSURE
temperature because the more abundant in
AE
AREAS,OR
water in seas and oceans coastal areas.
TFROM
THE
changes temperature more DEPRESSIONS. IN
THESE AREAS
slowly
ISEA
than the surface of the
THERE MAY BE RAIN
N
Earth does.
AND STORMS
F

PRESSURE AND
ARE USED TO
MAKE WEATHER
THE LETTER H IS USED
FORECAST

FOR HIGH PRESSURE

AREAS OR ANTICYCLONS.
IN THESE AREAS THE
WEATHER IS DRY AND
STABLE

CLIMATE ZONES

AS A RESULT OF THE
EARTHS ROTATIONAL
TILT, DIFFERENT
CLIMATE ZONES
RECEIVE DIFFERENT
AMOUNTS OF SOLAR
RADIATION

THE EARTH HAS

COLD, TEMPERATE
AND TROPICAL
ZONES

METEOROLOGY

IT IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY

OF THE WEATHER

HAILSTONE

SMALL BALLS OF ICE THAT

FALL LIKE RAIN FROM THE
SKY

TEMPERATE
ZONE

LOCATED BETWEEN THE TWO

TROPICS AND THE POLAR
CIRCLES. TEMPERATE CLIMATE
AND FOUR SEASONS.

DEPRESSIONS

AREAS WHERE THE PRESSURE

IS LOWER THAN 1013 MB

ANTICYCLONES

AREAS WHERE THE PRESSURE

IS HIGHER THAN 1013 MB

CLIMATOLOGY

IT IS THE SCIENTIFIC STUDY OF

CLIMATE

TORNADO

IT IS A VIOLENT WIND STORM

CONSISTING OF A TALL COLUMN OF
AIR WHICH SPINS AROUND VERY
FAST AND CAUSES A LOT OF DAMAGE

HUMUS LAYER

It is the part of soil which

consists of dead plants that
have begun to decay.

SCRUBLAND

It is an area of land covered

with low trees and bushes, no
taller than 4 meters.

OZONE LAYER

It is the part of the Earth's

atmosphere that has the most ozone
in it. It protects living things from
the harmful radiation of sun.

PARENT ROCK

Rock under the soil .

WEATHER VANE

A device that indicates the

direction of the wind.

THE
ATHMOSPHER
E
its
layers
EXOSPHER
E
IONOSPHE
RE

where we
find
THE
CLIMATE

THE
WEATHER
determined
by

determined
by

afecting

MESOPHER
E

PRESSURE

ELEMENT
S

FACTORS

CLIMATE
ZONES

LIVING
THINGS

STRATOSPH
ERE

HUMIDITY

LATITUDE

TEMPERATU
RE

WARM

VEGETATIO
N

TROPOSPHE
RE

TEMPERATU
RE

ALTITUDE

PRECIPITATI
ON

COLD

FAUNA

DISTANCE
FROM THE
SEA

ATMOSPHERI
C PRESSURE

TEMPERATE

HUMAN
BEINGS

WIND

SOIL

?
S
N
O
I
T
S
E
U
Q
Y
N
A

CLIMATE ELEMENTS
TEMPERATURE
DEFINITION

It is the degree of warmth in the

air.

PRECIPITATION
It is the water that falls
from the clouds
onto the surface of the
Earth.
It takes different forms:
rain, snow and
hail.

ATMOSPHE
PRESSURE
It is the weight of the air on
the Earth.

INSTRUMENT of It is measured with a

MEASURE
thermometer
MEASURE
It is expressed in degrees (oC)

It is measured with a
pluviometer
It is expressed in
milimitres (mm) or litres
per square metre (l/m2)

REPRESENTATIO We use isotherms to represent

N
the
temperature in a map.
F
Temperature decrease as we
ALATITUDE move
C
away from the equator.
T
The temperature falls 0.64oC for
O
RALTITUDE every 100 metre increase in
height
S
(adiabatic gradient)
DISTANCE
The sea moderates the
T
FROM
THE
temperature
H
because the water in seas and
ASEA
oceans
T
changes temperature more
slowly
I
than the surface of the Earth
N
does.
F

We use isohyets to
represent the
temperature in a map.
There is less precipitation
as we move
Further away from the
equator.
Precipitation is more
Pressure decreases the
frequent the higher
higher the altitude
the altitude.
Precipitation is usually
more abundant in
coastal areas.

WIND
Wind is the air horizontal in
movement. The wind takes
warm
air into cold areas and cold air
into
warm areas. This is how the
tempe
rature of the Earth maintains
an equilibrium.
Its strength is measured with an
anemometer.
It is expressed in kilometers per
hour.

It is measured with a
barometer
It is expressed in millibars
(mb). When they
are higher than 1.013 mb
are called
anticyclones and when
they are lower,
depressions.
We use isobars to represent Its direction is represented by a
the
weather vane.
temperature in a map.