What is Climate?
Climate is a word that refers to the average temperature and precipitation (weather) of an area over a length of time. Climate for a region is impacted by latitude, altitude, prevailing wind direction, topography, and ocean currents. Climate is often confused with weather. Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a place and time in terms of heat, cloudiness, dryness, sunshine, wind, rain, etc. In other words, climate is what we expect and weather is what we get. You can find out about the climate in your area by checking out this website.
The Earth is a unique planet in its ability to support life. Being the third planet from the sun, the Earth sits the right distance from the sun to be habitable. Distance alone is not enough to support life. The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere that regulates our temperature. The atmosphere is made up of a mix of gases. This mixture is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and the rest is made up of argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor and traces of hydrogen, methane, ozone, carbon monoxide, helium, neon, krypton and xenon. Some of these gases are more important than others in regulating our climate. These are called greenhouse gases. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide. They allow light to pass through the atmosphere but trap some of the energy when it re-radiates from the Earth's surface. The greenhouse gases create a heat trapping blanket that keeps the planet habitable. Without greenhouse gases our planet would be about 50 degrees cooler. Three of the most discussed greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane.
The Earth is a unique planet in its ability to support life. Being the third planet from the sun, the Earth sits the right distance from the sun to be habitable. Distance alone is not enough to support life. The Earth is surrounded by an atmosphere that regulates our temperature. The atmosphere is made up of a mix of gases. This mixture is 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, and the rest is made up of argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor and traces of hydrogen, methane, ozone, carbon monoxide, helium, neon, krypton and xenon. Some of these gases are more important than others in regulating our climate. These are called greenhouse gases. Many greenhouse gases occur naturally in the atmosphere, including carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide. They allow light to pass through the atmosphere but trap some of the energy when it re-radiates from the Earth's surface. The greenhouse gases create a heat trapping blanket that keeps the planet habitable. Without greenhouse gases our planet would be about 50 degrees cooler. Three of the most discussed greenhouse gases are water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane.
- Water vapor is the most abundant greenhouse gas in the atmosphere. Changes in the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere are caused by feedback loops created by changes in other gases.
- Carbon dioxide is a key player in the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide is continuously being removed from the atmosphere through photosynthesis. It becomes part of the biosphere until it is released through respiration or decomposition. Then it can return to the atmosphere. The chemical structure of carbon dioxide traps heat in the atmosphere as it radiates from the ground.
- Although it is less abundant, methane is a much more effective greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. It enters the atmosphere from low-oxygen environments such as swamps.