Weather or Climate?
This is the day-to-day conditions of the atmosphere in a specific place.
Weather
Warm air does this, causing air to move in a certain direction.
Expand and Rise
The Gulf Stream is an example of this type of ocean movement.
Warm Ocean Current
This is the main source of energy that drives Earth’s weather and climate.
The Sun
This tool measures temperature.
Thermometer
This describes the long-term average of temperature and precipitation in an area.
The Earth’s rotation causes winds to curve rather than move straight. What is this effect called?
Coriolis Effect
This term describes the global “conveyor belt” of moving seawater.
Thermohaline Circulation
The equator receives more direct sunlight than the poles. What does this create?
Uneven heating, causing circulation patterns.
A large body of air with similar temperature and humidity is called what?
Air Mass
“This week will be mostly sunny with scattered thunderstorms”—weather or climate?
Weather
These global wind belts located near the equator blow from east to west.
Trade Winds
Why do coastal cities near warm currents often have milder winters?
Because warm currents transfer heat from the tropics to higher latitudes.
What happens to Earth’s surface when it absorbs solar radiation?
It warms up, heating the atmosphere above it.
This type of map shows areas of high and low pressure.
weather map or isobar map
“This region typically has warm summers and cold winters with moderate rainfall”—weather or climate?
Climate
Why does warm air rise near the equator, creating low-pressure areas?
Because the equator receives more direct sunlight, heating the air.
Cold, salty water sinks in the ocean. What two factors cause this?
Low temperature and high salinity increase density.
Why do darker surfaces heat faster than lighter surfaces?
They have lower albedo, absorbing more sunlight.
What term describes a repeating climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that affects global weather?
El Nino or La Nina
Explain one way weather and climate are similar and one way they are different.
Similar: both describe atmospheric conditions.
Different: weather is short-term; climate is long-term patterns.
Explain how differences in air pressure drive global wind patterns.
Air moves from high pressure to low pressure, creating winds that form global circulation cells.
Explain how the ocean and atmosphere work together to distribute heat around Earth.
Winds drive surface currents, and density differences drive deep currents, moving heat globally.
Explain how uneven heating of Earth leads to both wind and ocean currents.
Different temperatures create pressure and density differences that drive movement in air and water.
Explain why climate models need decades of data rather than a few days of weather.
Climate is based on long-term patterns, not short-term conditions.