Energy transfer in atmosphere & hydrosphere

For use with my sixth grade science classes.

1. Energy Transfer in The Atmosphere and The Hydrosphere

2. What is the Atmosphere? Surrounds the Earth made up of 21% Oxygen , 78% Nitrogen Thermosphere , Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere Each layer has different temperatures

3. Radiation in the Atmosphere Source : Sun Most of the radiation energy is absorbed. Some energy is reflected back into space Radiation is when particles or waves are transferred in a medium or space, in the form of electromagnetic waves

4. Absorption Turns energy into another type of energy, eg. Thermal energy Water vapor , carbon dioxide, ozone, major absorbing gases Clouds, atmosphere , land radiates energy back into space

5. The atmosphere and hydrosphere are the two essential parts of the climate system They both are able to absorb and store thermal energy , so they act as heat sinks. A bsorbing thermal (heat) energy and storing it helps regulate the temperature of the Earth .

6. How Is Energy Transferred in the Atmosphere? Conduction is when heat gets transferred in solids and fluids by molecules bumping into each other (by contact). Convection is when molecules (heat) moves throughout a liquid or gas. . .

7. The Water Cycle The continuous movement of water into the air, onto land, and then back to water sources.

8. Evaporation Liquid water is heated by the sun and then rises into the atmosphere. Water continually evaporates from Earth’s oceans, lakes, streams, and soil. Majority of water evaporates from the oceans.

9. Condensation Water vapor forms water droplets on dust particles. Water droplets form clouds, in which the droplets collide, stick together, create heavier and larger droplets.

10. Precipitation After the larger droplets form during condensation, they fall from the clouds as: Rain Snow Sleet Hail

11. The Hydrosphere The hydrosphere includes all of the water on or near the Earth’s surface. This includes water in the oceans, lakes, rivers, wetlands, polar ice caps, soil, rock layers beneath Earth’s surface, and clouds.

12. The Earth’s Oceans

13. The Earth’s Oceans All of the ocean’s are joined. 70% of Earth’s surface is covered by salt water. Largest Ocean = Pacific Ocean Smallest Ocean = Arctic Ocean

14. Ocean Water - Salinity Ocean water contains more salts than fresh water. Most of the salt is sodium chloride . NaCl The salt comes from: dissolved out of rocks on land and carried down the rivers into the oceans. Underwater volcanic eruptions

15. Ocean Water Salinity – concentration of all the dissolved salts. (Average – 3.5% by weight) Salinity is lower in places that get a lot of rain or fresh water that flows into the ocean. Salinity is higher where water evaporates rapidly and leaves the salt behind.

16. Ocean Water – Temp. Zones The surface of the ocean is warmed by the sun. The depths of the ocean have temperatures slightly above freezing. Thermocline – The boundary between the warm and cold layers where the temperature falls rapidly with depth.

17. Ocean Temperature Zones

18. Temperature Regulation One of the most important functions of the world ocean is to absorb and store energy from the sunlight. The capacity of the ocean to absorb and store energy from sunlight regulates temperature in the Earth’s atmosphere. The world ocean absorbs over half of the solar radiation that reaches the Earth’s surface.

19. Water Bodies as Temperature buffers The northern hemisphere is 39 percent land and 61 percent ocean. The southern hemisphere is 19 percent land and 81 percent ocean. Due to larger portion of water in the southern hemisphere the land south of the equator experience an annual temperature variation by 7.3 degrees Celsius from summer to winter. In the northern hemisphere the variation could be up to 14.3 degrees Celsius.

20. Temperature Regulation Local temperatures in different areas of the planet are also regulated by the world ocean. Currents that circulate warm water cause the land areas they flow past to have a more moderate climate.

21. Regional Climate The great lakes are also known for the strong moderating effect they have on the climate of the areas that surrounded these lakes. These huge water masses keep summer and winter temperature moderate, they also provide a lot of moisture.

22. Ocean Currents Surface Currents - Streamlike movements of water that occur at or near the surface of the ocean. Result from global wind patterns May be warm-water or cold-water currents Influence the climate of land areas they flow past

23. Ocean Currents Deep Currents – Streamlike movements of water that flow very slowly along the ocean floor. Form when cold, dense water from the poles sinks below warmer, less dense ocean water and flows toward the equator. The densest, coldest water is located off the coast of Antarctica. This cold water sinks to the bottom of the ocean and moves very slowly northward to produce the Antarctic Bottom Water.

24. Ocean Currents

25. Oceans are warmer near the equator than oceans near the polar region. The atmospheric circulation that is set up between the equator and the poles helps in the redistribution of water masses. Wind that blows over the ocean surface drags and starts to move the surface water, these currents are influenced by the Coriolis force. The Coriolis force is used to describe the effect of Earth ’ s rotation on the motion of moving objects. Ocean currents are influenced by the position of landmasses. In the Pacific currents correspond to the patterns of the surface winds; currents are more complex near the Indian and Atlantic Ocean. In the North Atlantic, the Gulfstream pushes the warm water towards the North Pole and cold air back towards the equator. Ocean Currents and Coriolis Force

26. The region that lies between 23.5 degrees north and 23.5 degrees south of equator is called tropics. This region receives a large amount of solar energy which creates a flow of warm current, which flows towards the poles. When the current reaches the poles it starts its journey back towards the equator, this process is defined by great ocean conveyor belt. In a conveyor the currents carrying warmer and less dense water move in one direction while currents carrying salty and cold water move in the opposite direction. The conveyor occurs due to two facts. First reason is due to the variation in water temperature, as warm water is lighter and less dense than the cold water. Second reason is due to the difference in amount of salt present in the ocean water. As freshwater is lighter and less dense than the salty water. Due to these two factors stated the creation of thermohaline circulation is created. Conveyor Belt and Thermohaline Circulation

27. Cycle of Ocean Current Within the oceans there is a sophisticated system of massive streams that helps to circulate the ocean waters. The gulf stream that moves into the North Atlantic sinks as it cools and returns south though the Atlantic seafloor, it then flows as a bottom current up until the South Atlantic form there it rises to the surface in the Indian Ocean and the Eastern Pacific to warm up and then turns west towards the Gulfstream. For a complete run through this current system takes about 1000 years. This current system is very delicate minor changes can upset the balance of temperature differences and prevailing winds. Scientists have said that the melting of the Greenland icecap can cause so much melt water of low salinity and density that this could prevent the Gulfstream from sinking and returning as a southward bottom current. This would affect the current system and cause waters near the equator and regions close to the equator to get warmer and northern Europe to get colder

28. Cycle of Ocean Current

29. Fresh Water 3% of all the water on Earth is fresh water. Most is locked up in icecaps and glaciers Also found in lakes, rivers, wetlands, the soil, rock layers below the surface, in the atmosphere

30. River Systems A network of streams that drains an area of land Contains all the land drained by the river including the main river and its tributaries Tributaries – smaller streams or rivers that flow into larger ones

31. The Mississippi River

32. Groundwater Rain and melting snow sink into ground and run off the land. Some ends up in streams and rivers but most trickles down through the ground and collects as groundwater. Less than 1% of all water on Earth.

33. Aquifer Aquifer - A rock layer that stores and allows the flow of groundwater. Recharge Zone – The surface of the land where water enters an aquifer.

34. United States Aquifers