Taken from Tamara Coleman _ used for classroom purposes

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

2. ContentsContents
The Sun’s KeyThe Sun’s Key
RolesRoles
Effects on Earth’sEffects on Earth’s
weatherweather
Moving Air: TheMoving Air: The
WindWind
EvaporationEvaporation
HurricanesHurricanes

3. What is the Sun??What is the Sun??
The Sun is a star, the closest star to planet earth.The Sun is a star, the closest star to planet earth.
It 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.
It 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
The sun supplies light and heat to our solarThe sun supplies light and heat to our solar
system.system.
The sun is the Earth’s major source of heatThe sun is the Earth’s major source of heat
energy.energy.
The Sun’s heat sustains life and controls ourThe Sun’s heat sustains life and controls our
climate.climate.

5. The Sun’s Key RolesThe Sun’s Key Roles
The Sun keep the temperature of most of theThe 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 49Most living things can only survive at 0 to 49
degrees Celsius.degrees Celsius.
Did You KnowDid You Know: If the amount of sunlight: If the amount of sunlight
reaching the Earth was cut by 1/10th, thereaching the Earth was cut by 1/10th, the
oceans would turn to ice and life on Earthoceans 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
The Sun is a major contributor to the world’sThe Sun is a major contributor to the world’s
weather.weather.
The Sun’s heat warms the Earth’s land andThe Sun’s heat warms the Earth’s land and
water surfaces.water surfaces.
The Earth absorbs the heat and releases it intoThe Earth absorbs the heat and releases it into
the atmosphere, which heats the air above, andthe atmosphere, which heats the air above, and
causes moving air.causes moving air.
The movement of air causes winds which leadThe 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
The absorption and release of heat energy intoThe absorption and release of heat energy into
the atmosphere results in moving air, alsothe atmosphere results in moving air, also
known as Wind.known as Wind.
The air moves, because the surface is unevenlyThe air moves, because the surface is unevenly
heated. (some surfaces absorb heat faster thanheated. (some surfaces absorb heat faster than
others)others)
With movement, the air pressure (weight of airWith movement, the air pressure (weight of air
pressing on everything around it) changes, thesepressing on everything around it) changes, these
changes affect weather.changes affect weather.

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

10. The Wind: Sea BreezeThe Wind: Sea Breeze

11. EvaporationEvaporation
One factor that affects air and weather is waterOne factor that affects air and weather is water
vapor.vapor.
– Creates Air MoistureCreates Air Moisture
Evaporation is the process of changing liquid toEvaporation 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.
Heat from the Sun speeds up evaporationHeat from the Sun speeds up evaporation

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

13. EvaporationEvaporation
Water vapors in the air causes humidity.Water vapors in the air causes humidity.
Humidity and temperature combined causesHumidity and temperature combined causes
moving air masses, which results in weathermoving 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 andWater vapors in the air cause humidity. Humidity and
temperature combined causes moving air masses, whichtemperature 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 movingA 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
Weather Fronts can lead to severe weather, suchWeather Fronts can lead to severe weather, such
as Hurricanes.as Hurricanes.
Hurricanes are large, violent tropical stormsHurricanes are large, violent tropical storms
with wind speeds greater than 117km/hrwith wind speeds greater than 117km/hr
Hurricanes begin as thunderstorms over warmHurricanes begin as thunderstorms over warm
water, the heat from the water, wind, andwater, the heat from the water, wind, and
moisture help fuel the storm.moisture help fuel the storm.

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

17. Lesson Recap:Lesson Recap:
The Sun’s KeyThe Sun’s Key
RolesRoles
Effects on Earth’sEffects on Earth’s
weatherweather
Moving Air: TheMoving Air: The
WindWind
EvaporationEvaporation
HurricanesHurricanes

18. Online ResourcesOnline Resources
www.HurricaneKwww.HurricaneK
atrina.comatrina.com
www.teachertubewww.teachertube
.com.com
www.Google.comwww.Google.com
http://nineplanethttp://nineplanet
s.org/sol.htmls.org/sol.html
http://www.windowhttp://www.window
s2universe.org/sun/s2universe.org/sun/
solar_atmosphere.hsolar_atmosphere.h
tmltml
http://www.intellicahttp://www.intellica
st.com/Local/WxMst.com/Local/WxM
ap.aspx?ap.aspx?
weather=hdVisSatIweather=hdVisSatI
RBlendRBlend