Do Now – Level 0
Take out a half sheet of paper number it 1 – 3 and answer the following Q’s
1. What is the primary source of energy for Earth’s climate systems?
2. Which of the following tells you the average temperature and precipitation in an
area? The Weather OR The Climate
3. Give an example of a greenhouse gas.
4. EXTRA CREDIT: Explain what El Nino is (in regards to weather)
Do Now Answers
1.
2.
3.
4.
The Sun
The Climate
Carbon Dioxide (CO2) or Methane or Water Vapor
El Nino is a weather event that occurs from time to time where the pacific
ocean is warmer than normal and causes changes in the normal
climates/weather patterns of many places on the planet.
The Sun
The Primary Source of Energy for the
Earth’s Climate Systems
Earth’s Tilt
The Earth is angled at 23.5° off the center.
• This causes uneven distribution of the
sun’s energy on the planet.
• The equator gets the most energy and
it’s constant
• The poles get the least energy and it
varies.
Seasons on Earth
•
When the South Pole is
pointing to the sun it’s
summer in the Southern
Hemisphere.
•
When the North Pole is
pointing to the sun it’s
summer in the Northern
Hemisphere.
Summer and
Winter occur at
the two points
furthest from
the sun.
Spring and Fall
occur the
closest.
Earth’s Orbit
Different amounts
of Energy cause
different climates.
Take a minute to see if
you can find any patterns
in this graphic.
Don’t worry about the
names just focus on the
colors.
Earth’s Climates often vary by Latitude
• Latitudes closer to 0° are
typically warmer and wetter.
• As you move both North and
South from the equator,
climates become colder and
often dryer.
What is Latitude?
Do Now
• Take out your WIS WIM and compare your WIMs and Summaries with your
lab partners.
• Feel free to make adjustments or re-write anything your partner wrote that
sounds good
• Anything you put that is the same put a star next to it.
Exemplar
WIS –What I see
a) 23% of the sun’s energy is
absorbed by the atmosphere
b) 51% of the sun’s energy is
absorbed by the ground/surface
c) 26% of the sun’s energy is
reflected back to space
WIM – What it Means
a) The clouds and particles in the
atmosphere hold some of the energy
from the sun.
b) This energy does many things including,
warm the surface of the Earth.
c) Therefore, not all of the energy from
the sun is able to be used by the Earth.
Summary
• This graphic is showing the ways that the sun’s energy is used or lost by
the planet. 23% of the sun’s energy stays in the atmosphere which is
mostly stored in the dust particles and water vapor and helps trap some
heat from the sun. 51% of the sun’s energy is absorbed by the ground
some of which is used to heat up the surface of the planet. The last
26% of the energy is reflected back into space and is not able to be
used by the planet.