Geography PowerPoint on Earth’s Systems and Climates

Age Range: High School

Educational Goals:

• Basic understanding of Greenhouse Effects

• Understand the relationship between solar energy and air pressure

• Understand the importance of satellites

• Understanding of different climate zones around the world

AbstractThe information for this PowerPoint was taken from an AGS World Geography text book. The information provided in the book was difficult to understand and was not visually stimulating for students. I pulled important facts and details then added visuals. The PowerPoint also includes a hyperlink to help explain the Greenhouse Effect. This can be manipulated together as a class or individually. Upon completion, students can individually take a quiz provided on that link. The slides can also be used to help prepare students for the test. The information can be removed thus leaving only the visuals. This is especially helpful when describing different climate zones. By creating this PowerPoint, students are still able to use the text to answer section questions and they feel less overwhelmed by the information presented.

Chapter 3: The Earth’s Atmosphere and Climates

Global Energy Systems

Temperature is the measurement of heat in the atmosphere.

Everyday the sun’s rays reach the earth. Some rays are reflected back to space.Some are absorbed and changed into heat energy.

http://www.epa.gov/globalwarming/kids/global_warming_version2.html

The Greenhouse Effect

A greenhouse is a special house built to grow plants.

The earth traps energy the same way.

Who receives solar energy?

All of the earth receives solar energy.

The equator receives more solar energy than the North and South poles.

Heat energy is shared through: winds ocean currents

Air Pressure

Air pressure creates the winds and ocean currents that allows energy to be shared.

Low pressure air is warmed, expands, becomes

lighter, rises brings unstable weather

Air Pressure

High pressure- cold air

• dense (heavy)• mostly clear, dry weather

Air pressure zones - 1. Equator low pressure 2. Subpolar low

pressure 3. Subtropical high pressure 4. Polar high

pressure

Air Pressure Zones

1. Equator low pressure

2. Subpolar low pressure

3. Subtropical high pressure

4. Polar high pressure

Satellites

They collect and send back information about the earth.

2 types of light

visible light

infrared light - detects heat in clouds, water, and land

Satellite Images

Satellite ImportanceTracking weather

clouds, storms, oceans

Environment changes in vegetation (plants) moisture visible and infrared light land surface air pollution pests (bugs) monitor human activity (growth of cities)

burning of rainforests forest fires crop (farm) damage paths of oil spills animal movement ground movement of earthquakes

World Climate Zones

Classifying Regions

Low Latitudes humid tropical tropical savanna

Dry/Semiarid desert steppe

Middle Latitudes Mediterranean humid subtropical

Middle Latitude marine west coast humid continental

High Latitude subarctic tundra ice cap

Highland

Low Latitudes

Humid Tropical along equator

South AmericaZaire Basin AfricaSoutheast Asia

weather patternswarm and rainy year

round

Vegetationtropical rainforest

Low LatitudesTropical Savanna

between humid tropics and deserts

AfricaSouth AmericaCentral AmericaSouthern and

Southeast AsiaAustralia

Weatherwarm all yearrainy and dry

seasons

Vegetationtropical grassland

with few trees

Dry / SemiaridDesert

Saharan Africa southwest Asia central and western

Australia southwestern North

America

Weather Arid (low rainfall) tropics

- sunny and hot

middle latitudeshuge temperature

range

Dry / Semiarid Steppe -

bordering desertsnorthern and south

Africainterior western North

Americacentral and interior

Asia and Australiasouthern South

America

Weathersemiarid - a little rainhot summers cool winterssimilar to desert temp

Vegetation -grassland, few trees

Middle LatitudesMediterranean

middle latitudes, west coast

southern Europesouthwest AsiaCaliforniasouthwestern Australiacentral Chilesouthwestern South

Africa Weather

dry, sunny warm summers

mild, humid winters Vegetation

scrub, woodland, grassland

Middle LatitudesHumid Subtropical

east coasts in middle latitudes

southeastern United States

eastern Asiacentral southern Europesoutheastern parts of

South Africa and Australia

Weatherhot, humid summersmild, humid wintersin path of hurricanes and

typhoons

Vegetationmixed forest

Middle LatitudesMarine West Coast

upper-middle latitudes, west coast

Europe and North America

North Americasouthwestern South

America

Weathercloudy, mild summerscool, rainy wintersstrong ocean influence

Vegetationtemperate, evergreen

forest

Middle Latitudes

Humid Continental east coasts and upper

middle latitudesnortheastern North

Americanorthern and eastern

Europenortheastern Asia

Weather4 seasonslong, cold wintersshort, warm summersrain varies

Vegetationmixed forest

High LatitudesSubarctic

high latitude of interior and east coasts

northern North America, Europe, and Asia

Weatherextreme temperatures

• long cold winters• short warm summers• very little rain

Vegetationnorthern evergreen

forest

High LatitudeTundra

high latitude coastsnorthern parts of North

America, Europe, AsiaAntarcticasubantarctica islands

Weathercold all year

• long cold winters• short cool summers• little rain

Vegetationmoss, lichens, low

shrubs, permafrost bogs in summer

High Latitude

Ice Cap polar regions

AntarcticaGreenlandArctic Basin Islands

Weatherfreezing cold

• snow ice all year• little rain• temperature is not

higher than freezing

Highland

High mountain regions western North and

South America eastern Asia and

Africa southern and

central Europe and Asia

Weather determined by

elevationhigher - coolerlower - similar to

surroundings

SummaryWhat did we learn?

Global EnergyGreenhouse Effectsolar energyair pressureSatellitesWorld climate zones

ReviewWhich statements is true?

We learned there is not a real importance in understanding climates.

We learned that many factors play a role in influencing climates such as;

– ocean currents– wind– elevation– people– Earth’s surface– sun

We learned global warming is not an important issue.