Revision sheet
Lesson 3: Weather Patterns
WEATHER is atmospheric condition for short- term and certain place which can
vary.
CLIMATE is the long-term of weather patterns for an area.
Meteorologists are scientists who study and predict weather, use several specific
factors, or variables to describe weather.
Elements of weather:
1- Temperature
2- Humidity
3- Precipitation
4- Air pressure
5- Wind speed
Elements of weather Definition
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of
Temperature air particles.
Temperature is measured using a thermometer.
Humidity Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air.
Humidity is measured by a psychrometer.
Air pressure Is the weight / force of the air pushing down on the
surface below.
Air pressure is measured using a barometer.
Wind speed Describes how fast the wind is blowing
Wind is measured by an anemometer.
Precipitation Rain, snow, sleet, or hail that falls from clouds to Earth’s
surface is called precipitation.
Precipitation is often measured using a rain gauge
Air masses: a large body of air with a certain temperature and moisture level.
- Air masses form when a high-pressure system stays over an area for several
days.
Air masses are classified by their temperature and moisture characteristics.
1) Air masses that form over land are called continental (dry).
2) Air masses that form over water are called maritime (wet / humid).
3) Air masses that form near the equator are called tropical (warm).
4) Air masses that form in cold regions are called polar (cold).
5) Air masses that form near the poles are called arctic and Antarctic (very cold).
What will happen when two air masses meet?
A front is the boundary between two air masses.
There are four types of weather fronts: cold fronts, warm fronts, stationary
fronts, and occluded fronts.
Lesson 4: Climates of Earth
WEATHER is atmospheric condition for short- term and certain place which can
vary, whereas CLIMATE is the long-term of weather patterns for an area.
There are many factors that affect the climates on earth.
1- Latitude/ solar energy
Sun is the most important factor on climate, since earth is a sphere. Different
areas receive different amounts of solar energy. Location near the equator tend to
have warmer climates than location at higher latitudes.
2- Altitude / Elevation
Is a measure of the height above sea level. As you go up,
the temperature gets colder.
High altitude creates colder climates.
Climate is influenced by mountains because they are
barriers to prevailing winds.
3- Ocean
The temperature of ocean currents impact climate.
Cities near warm- water currents are warmer and receive more rainfall than cities
near cold-water currents.
Lesson 1: impacts on land
People use the land to live on, for recreation, to grow food, …
Natural resource: A resource that living things use to meet their needs.
Examples: food, clean water, shelter, …
Land pollution: is a destruction of the earth’s land surfaces, often directly or
indirectly as a result of human activities and their misuses of land resources.
Human impacts of land usage include deforestation, agriculture,
desertification, urbanization, landfills and hazardous waste.
1- Deforestation:
Deforestation: Causes Effects
Is the cutting of Needing land for living space, Decreases forests
larger areas of urban development, Destruction of habitats
forests for human agriculture, and resources from Rate of photosynthesis decreases,
activities. trees. more carbon dioxide remaining in
the air.
2- Agriculture:
Agriculture Causes Effects
As human populations grow, Groundwater contamination from
more food are needed. fertilizers.
Desertification
Takes up space
3- Urbanization:
Urbanization: Causes Effects
Is the development of Increase in population leads to Risk of flooding
land for houses and other the development of land for Destruction of habitats
buildings near a city. houses and other buildings. Loss of farmland
Reduce the amount of rainwater that
soaks into the ground
(disappearance of wetland)
4- Landfills and hazardous waste:
Landfills & Causes Effects
hazardous waste Increase in population means Landfills take up space
(landfills: are areas where more waste produced. Hazardous substances can leak into
trash is buried) groundwater
Increased pollution
Pollution is the contamination of the environment with substances that are
harmful to life.
Pollution can destroy many plants and animals.
Some actions could help in protecting the land:
The greatest prevention to land pollution is in the three ‘R’S’
Reducing means limiting the amount used initially.
Using the material again is called recycling.
Reusing an item means finding another use for it instead of throwing it away.
Compost is a mix of organic material: such as food, bacteria, and small amount of water,
converting them into a nutrient-rich material. This can be used for gardening. Compost
is a type of recycling.
Reforestation: planting trees to replace ones that have been removed.
Reclamation: process of restoring land disturbed by mining, through reshaped areas,
covered with soil and the replaced with trees and other vegetation.
Lesson 2: impacts on Water
Overview of earth’s water distribution
Humans use water in ways that other organisms do not. People wash cars, do
laundry, and use for agriculture, recreation and transportation….
Human’s positive impact on water:
1- Damming:
Constructing dams helps regulate water flow,
mitigating floods and ensuring a steady water
supply for irrigation, industrial use, and domestic
consumption. Reservoirs created by dams serve
as reliable sources of water for communities,
agriculture, and hydropower generation.
2- Wells:
Groundwater is an important source of
water for many streams, lakes, and
wetlands…. People often bring ground
water to earth’s surface by drilling well.
replenish depleted aquifers, ensuring a
sustainable source of groundwater for
drinking water and agricultural irrigation.
3- Desalination
Desalination technologies enable the conversion of seawater or brackish water
into freshwater, expanding water sources in coastal regions and arid areas where
freshwater is scarce, thus improving
water distribution and access.
Water pollution due to Human activity.
human’s negative impact on water:
1- Runoff from mines:
Can be acidic and can contain metals. it can
contaminate surface water and ground water
drinking supplies and affect the growth and
reproduction of aquatic organisms.
Note: Mining is the process of extracting useful materials from the earth.
2- Oil spills:
Oil spills expose aquatic organisms to toxic chemicals.
When oil covers the surface of water, it can also
reduce the amount of oxygen in the water.
3- Runoff from construction sites:
It might contain excess sediment, which makes
water in streams and rivers cloudy. This reduces
the amount of sunlight available for photosynthetic
organisms.
4- Agriculture runoff:
It can contain fertilizers, which can upset the
balance of nutrients in lakes, oceans and other
bodies of water.
5- Industrial toxic:
It can contain toxic chemicals that can harm aquatic
organisms.
6- Urban runoff:
It can contain pesticides and fertilizers from lawns, oil, and gasoline from vehicles,
and bacteria and viruses from waste, all of which can reduce the quality of surface
water and groundwater.
Excess nutrients: Algae bloom
Algae need nutrients such as nitrogen and phosphorus to
survive and grow.
Run off can pick up the fertilizers (Nitrates and phosphates)
provide nutrients for algae in the oceans, and can cause
algae blooms when the algae population increases.
When algae die, decomposers will deplete the water’s
oxygen and killing other organisms.
Some actions could help in reducing water pollution:
Lesson 3: impacts on the Atmosphere
Air is an important natural resource.
The air you breathe forms part of Earth’s atmosphere.
The contamination of air by harmful substances including gases and smoke is
called air pollution.
Types of air pollution:
1- Smog
2- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
3- Particulate matter
4- Acid Rain
1- Smog:
Smog: Causes Effects
Burning of fossil fuels to Makes air difficult to breathe
provide energy for vehicles Damage tissues of plants and
and power plants. animals
2- Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)
CFCs: Causes Effects
Products such as old air Destroy ozone molecules that
conditioners, and refrigerators absorb harmful UV rays
3- Particulate Matter
Particulate Causes Effects
Matter Burning of fossil fuels, Asthma, bronchitis, heart attacks
Volcanic eruptions Interfere with the process of
Forest fires cellular respiration and
photosynthesis in plants.
4- Acid rain
Acid Rain Causes Effects
Burning of fossil fuels, Pollutes soil, harms trees and other
Sulfur from Volcanoes and plants, harms fishes and other
marshes organisms.
Lesson 4: impacts on Climate
Climate is defined as long-term average weather conditions.
Climate change can include global trends in warming, cooling, precipitation,
wind direction, and other related measures.
global warming means a rise in Earth’s average surface temperature.
Global warming, therefore, is a part of climate change.
Greenhouse gases: Gases in the atmosphere that absorb Earth’s outgoing
infrared radiation.
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is an important greenhouse gas.
Other greenhouse gases include methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O).
When the amount of greenhouse gases increases, more thermal energy is
trapped and Earth’s surface temperature rises.
The greenhouse effect is the natural process that occurs when certain gases in
the atmosphere absorb and reradiate thermal energy from the Sun.
Without the greenhouse effect, Earth would be too cold for life as it exists now.
Where is all of the CO2 coming from?
- Natural resources: volcanic eruptions, forest fires, cellular respiration
- Human activities: burning of fossil fuels, deforestation
Strategies to address climate change are important.
People are developing alternative sources of energy that do not release carbon
dioxide into the atmosphere. Examples: Solar energy and wind energy are two
alternatives.
Hybrid vehicles reduce greenhouse gas emissions because they use electric
motors part of the time. This reduces the amount of fuel that is used.
