WEATHER and CLIMATE are two different things.WEATHER refers to the atmospheric conditions in a specific area at a specific time.CLIMATE refers to the typical weather in a region for a long period of time.

WEATHER can change

from day to day

or at different

times, even on the same

day. It can be:

THE ELEMENTS OF WEATHER1-The WIND: it’s the movement of air in the atmosphere.We measure it with the WEATHER VANE (direction)and ANEMOMETER (speed in km/hour).

2-ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE: it’s the weight of air in the atmosphere.We measure it with the BAROMETER in millibars.

3-TEMPERATURE: this is how hot or cold the air is.We measure it with a THERMOMETER in degrees.

4-PRECIPITATION: it’s the water that falls from clouds (rain)We measure it with the RAIN GAUGE in millilitres.

5-HUMIDITY: it’s the amount of water vapour in the air.We measure it with the HYGROMETER in percentage (%)

CLIMATIC FACTORSTo study climate, scientists study the precipitations and temperatures of an area for at least thirty years.

The information for each year is put on a CLIMATE GRAPH:

a) LATITUDE: the Sun’s rays are stronger at the Equator. That’s why Equatorial regions are warmer than polar regions.

b) ALTITUDE: the higher a place is above the sea level, the colder is.That is why it is colder on the mountains than on the coast.

c) DISTANCE FROM THE SEA: the sea water heats up and cools down more slowly than land.

That’s why coastal areas are cooler in summer and warmer in winter.

CLIMATE ZONES-POLAR ZONES: they are near the poles and in the mountains. They have low temperatures all year round. The little precipitation they get is in the form of snow.

-TROPICAL ZONES: they are near the Equator. They all have high temperatures, but different precipitations. For example, jungles, savannahs and deserts.

-TEMPERATE ZONES: there are two of them on either side of the tropical zone. Their temperatures are between 0ºC and 20ºC, depending on whether it is winter or summer. Europe is in a temperate zone with many forests.

GLOBAL WARMINGIn the last few decades, human activities have increased the amount of heat-trapping gases. This causes the atmosphere to store (keep) more heat than usual, raising Earth’s temperatures.

1-The warming of the EARTH’S POLES makes the ice melt, which raises the level of our oceans.

The higher sea levels will flood our coasts.

SIGNS & CONSEQUENCES of Global Warming

2-Rising temperatures create DROUGHT and DESERTIFICATION.

Plants and animals will not adapt to it and will die out (disappear).

CAUSES & POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS to Climate ChangeDecreasing some of our negative activities can

help stop climate change.-FOSSIL FUELS. Factories and means of transport burn them, adding extra heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide to the atmosphere.

-WASTE & RUBBISH. They create enormous amounts of methane (gas) when they descompone.

-DEFORESTATION. Trees help turn carbon dioxide into oxygen. Cutting them down increases the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.-INTENSIVE FARMING. Crop fertilisers and the gases created by farm animals when they digest food are also dangerous to the atmosphere.