Sun's Effect on Weather

Basic overview of how the Sun effects Earth's weather.

1. The Sun’s Effect on WeatherThe Sun’s Effect on Weather

2. ContentsContents
n The Sun’s Key The Sun’s Key
RolesRoles
nEffects on Earth’s Effects on Earth’s
weatherweather
nMoving Air: The Moving Air: The
WindWind
nEvaporationEvaporation
nHurricanesHurricanes

3. What is the Sun??What is the Sun??
nThe Sun is a star, the closest star to planet earth.The Sun is a star, the closest star to planet earth.
nIt is the largest object in the solar system, It is the largest object in the solar system,
contains 99.8% of the total mass.contains 99.8% of the total mass.
nIt is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old. It is estimated to be about 4.5 billion years old.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/gsfc/4445502369/in/set 72157623527696147/
Let’s take a look!!

4. The Sun’s Key RolesThe Sun’s Key Roles
nThe sun supplies light and heat to our solar The sun supplies light and heat to our solar
system.system.
nThe sun is the Earth’s major source of heat The sun is the Earth’s major source of heat
energy.energy.
nThe Sun’s heat sustains life and controls our The Sun’s heat sustains life and controls our
climate.climate.

5. The Sun’s Key RolesThe Sun’s Key Roles
nThe Sun keep the temperature of most of the The Sun keep the temperature of most of the
Earth’s surface at 51 to 49 degrees Celsius.Earth’s surface at 51 to 49 degrees Celsius.
–Most living things can only survive at 0 to 49 Most living things can only survive at 0 to 49
degrees Celsius. degrees Celsius.
nDid You KnowDid You Know: If the amount of sunlight : If the amount of sunlight
reaching the Earth was cut by 1/10th, the reaching the Earth was cut by 1/10th, the
oceans would turn to ice and life on Earth oceans would turn to ice and life on Earth
would cease to exist. would cease to exist.

6. Sun’s Effect on WeatherSun’s Effect on Weather
nThe Sun is a major contributor to the world’s The Sun is a major contributor to the world’s
weather.weather.
nThe Sun’s heat warms the Earth’s land and The Sun’s heat warms the Earth’s land and
water surfaces. water surfaces.
nThe Earth absorbs the heat and releases it into The Earth absorbs the heat and releases it into
the atmosphere, which heats the air above, and the atmosphere, which heats the air above, and
causes moving air. causes moving air.
nThe movement of air causes winds which lead The movement of air causes winds which lead
to weather changes. to weather changes.

7. Sun’s Effect on WeatherSun’s Effect on Weather

8. The WindThe Wind
nThe absorption and release of heat energy into The absorption and release of heat energy into
the atmosphere results in moving air, also the atmosphere results in moving air, also
known as Wind. known as Wind.
nThe air moves, because the surface is unevenly The air moves, because the surface is unevenly
heated. (some surfaces absorb heat faster than heated. (some surfaces absorb heat faster than
others) others)
nWith movement, the air pressure (weight of air With movement, the air pressure (weight of air
pressing on everything around it) changes, these pressing on everything around it) changes, these
changes affect weather. changes affect weather.

9. The Wind: Sea BreezeThe Wind: Sea Breeze
nOn a Beach: When land heats up faster than
water, air above land becomes warmer than air
above water.
nThe warm land air rises, and is replaced by cool
moving air from above the water.
nThis is known as a breeze (or Sea Breeze)
nThis type of air movement can happen anywhere
where the surfaces are unevenly heated.

10. The Wind: Sea BreezeThe Wind: Sea Breeze

11. EvaporationEvaporation
nOne factor that affects air and weather is water One factor that affects air and weather is water
vapor.vapor.
–Creates Air MoistureCreates Air Moisture
nEvaporation is the process of changing liquid to Evaporation is the process of changing liquid to
gas. When Earth’s liquid water (oceans etc…) gas. When Earth’s liquid water (oceans etc…)
evaporates, it releases gas called water vapor.evaporates, it releases gas called water vapor.
nHeat from the Sun speeds up evaporationHeat from the Sun speeds up evaporation

12. EvaporationEvaporation
nThe water vapors are held in the atmosphere, as The water vapors are held in the atmosphere, as
air cools, the vapors become air cools, the vapors become condensationcondensation (tiny (tiny
droplets of water that form clouds)droplets of water that form clouds)
nWhen the droplets grow larger and get too heavy, When the droplets grow larger and get too heavy,
they fall back to Earth as they fall back to Earth as precipitation:precipitation:
– rain, snow, hail, or sleet.rain, snow, hail, or sleet.

13. EvaporationEvaporation
nWater vapors in the air causes humidity. Water vapors in the air causes humidity.
nHumidity and temperature combined causes Humidity and temperature combined causes
moving air masses, which results in weather moving air masses, which results in weather
front.front.
–Cold Front – moving mass of cool airCold Front – moving mass of cool air
–Warm Front – moving mass of warm airWarm Front – moving mass of warm air
–

14. Evaporation and Air MovementEvaporation and Air Movement
Let’s take a look at this process, click
on the umbrella!!!
Water vapors in the air cause humidity. Humidity and Water vapors in the air cause humidity. Humidity and
temperature combined causes moving air masses, which temperature combined causes moving air masses, which
results in weather fronts.results in weather fronts.
A front refers to the “front or leading” edge of a moving A front refers to the “front or leading” edge of a moving
air mass:air mass:
Cold Front – leading edge of a mass of cool airCold Front – leading edge of a mass of cool air
Warm Front – leading edge of a mass of warm airWarm Front – leading edge of a mass of warm air

15. HurricanesHurricanes
nWeather Fronts can lead to severe weather, such Weather Fronts can lead to severe weather, such
as Hurricanes.as Hurricanes.
nHurricanes are large, violent tropical storms Hurricanes are large, violent tropical storms
with wind speeds greater than 117km/hrwith wind speeds greater than 117km/hr
nHurricanes begin as thunderstorms over warm Hurricanes begin as thunderstorms over warm
water, the heat from the water, wind, and water, the heat from the water, wind, and
moisture help fuel the storm. moisture help fuel the storm.

16. HurricanesHurricanes
nHurricane winds move counterclockwise, while Hurricane winds move counterclockwise, while
the eye of the storm (middle) remains calm.the eye of the storm (middle) remains calm.
nLet’s take a look at the movement of a Let’s take a look at the movement of a
hurricane.hurricane.
–http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=Hurricane_Ike_by_3D_Weather_Globe&video_id=49703http://www.teachertube.com/viewVideo.php?title=Hurricane_Ike_by_3D_Weather_Globe&video_id=49703

17. Lesson Recap:Lesson Recap:
n The Sun’s Key The Sun’s Key
RolesRoles
nEffects on Earth’s Effects on Earth’s
weatherweather
nMoving Air: The Moving Air: The
WindWind
nEvaporationEvaporation
nHurricanesHurricanes

18. Online ResourcesOnline Resources
nwww.HurricaneKatrina.comwww.HurricaneKatrina.com
nwww.teachertube.comwww.teachertube.com
nwww.Google.comwww.Google.com
nhttp://nineplanets.org/sol.htmlhttp://nineplanets.org/sol.html
nhttp://www.windows2universe.org/sun/solar_atmosphere.htmlhttp://www.windows2universe.org/sun/solar_atmosphere.html
nhttp://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxMap.aspx?weather=hdVisSatIRBlendhttp://www.intellicast.com/Local/WxMap.aspx?weather=hdVisSatIRBlend