Ch 6: Influences on Climate
About This Chapter
Influences on Climate - Chapter Summary and Learning Objectives
There are several factors that determine the long-term weather patterns in your part of the country. Instructors teaching this chapter can help you examine many of them, from the humidity and temperature associated with a region's location to its landforms and atmospheric effects. You can also use these lessons to look at the global climate change resulting from alterations to greenhouse gases, solar output and land configuration. By the time you finish this chapter, you should be familiar with the following:
- Factors influencing weather and climate
- Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere
- Causes of global warming and climate change
- Importance of the ozone layer
| Video | Objectives |
|---|---|
| Weather vs. Climate: Definition, Differences & Effects | Learn to differentiate between weather and a region's climate. Explore how these two atmospheric conditions are related. |
| Weather Variables: Air Pressure, Temperature & Density | Study the relationship between these three variables to learn how they influence weather. |
| Climate Classifications & Their Global Distribution | Pinpoint the locations of the five major climate classifications based on humidity and temperature. |
| Identifying the Factors Involved in Climate Change | Find out why variables like solar output, land configuration and atmospheric turbidity affect climate change. |
| Natural Factors That Determine A Region's Climate | Learn how atmospheric effects, heat distribution and landforms determine a region's climate. |
| Global Warming: Atmospheric Causes and Effect on Climate | List natural and human causes of greenhouse gases. Describe their effect on the average temperature of the Earth's atmosphere. |
| The Ozone Layer: Importance and the Harmful Effects of Thinning | Discover the benefits of the ozone. Explore causes of its depletion along with legislation designed to help protect it. |
| Greenhouse Gases and the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect | Take a closer look at the different types of greenhouse gases and their current concentrations in the atmosphere. |
1. Weather vs. Climate: Definition, Differences & Effects
This video lesson will guide you in understanding the difference between climate and weather. Discover how they are different but related and how they are the ways you can describe atmospheric conditions on Earth.
2. Weather Variables: Air Pressure, Temperature & Density
Weather is influenced by a number of factors. In this lesson, you will learn about three key variables that control weather and how they work together to do so.
3. Climate Classifications & Their Global Distribution
Earth has many climates, but we can categorize them based on common characteristics. In this video lesson you will identify the 5 major climate classifications on Earth, as well as where on Earth these climates are found.
4. Factors Involved in Climate Change
Our Earth's climate has changed many times in her 4.5 billion year lifetime. Discover the multiple factors that influence these changes and test your understanding with a short quiz.
5. Natural Factors That Determine a Region's Climate
Climate is influenced by factors like atmosphere, ocean currents, landforms and plate tectonics. This lesson explains how these effects affect our weather patterns, which determine climate.
6. Global Warming: Atmospheric Causes and Effect on Climate
Global warming is a multifaceted, complex issue. It involves both natural and human causes that can increase the amount of greenhouse gases. This lesson looks at some of the facts about global warming and how they could contribute to climate change.
7. The Ozone Layer: Importance and the Harmful Effects of Thinning
In this lesson, you will learn the importance of the ozone layer and how it is depleted. You will also study the research and policy that has been instrumental in its recovery.
8. Greenhouse Gases and the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect
In this video lesson, you will learn about the five main greenhouse gases and how their unnaturally high concentrations are leading to the enhanced greenhouse effect and global climate change on Earth.
9. Causes of Glaciation
Glaciation refers to being covered with glaciers. Learn about the theories behind glaciation, including the changing continental positions and the Milankovitch theory, which points to three orbital variations: eccentricity, obliquity and precession, in this lesson.
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Other Chapters
Other chapters within the Basics of Astronomy course
- Celestial Navigation & Timekeeping
- Characteristics of Our Solar System's Planets
- Earth's Spheres and Astronomy
- Galaxies: Properties & Characteristics
- How Scientists Think and Work
- Life in the Universe
- Light in Astronomy
- Matter in Astronomy
- Measurement of Star Qualities
- Momentum, Energy, Pressure, Temperature & Gas
- Newton's Laws in Astronomy
- Relativity in Time and Space
- Rotational Motion in Physics
- Small Celestial Bodies & Satellites in Our Solar System
- Star Death and Stellar Remnants
- Star Types and Significance
- Telescopes
- The Atmosphere on Earth and Other Planets
- The Birth and Life of Stars
- The Earth, Sky, and Moon
- The History of Astronomy
- The Milky Way Galaxy
- The Moon: Formation & Phases
- The Orbits of Celestial Bodies
- The Solar System: Layout, Formation & Dating
- The Sun's Structure & Components
- The Universe: Key Concepts & Theories
