3.3Unit 5: Atoms, purity and climate
Weather and climate — Cambridge Checkpoint Earth & Space 0893 Revision Notes & Topical Questions
5 min read 8 parts Lesson 3 of 5 1 quiz
Lesson summary
3.3 Weather and climate — CHECKPOINT EARTH AND SPACE 0893 notes: Explain the difference between weather and climate and describe the main climate zones.Weather = the state of the atmosphere and its changes from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day or week to weekTime scale …
- Temperature
- Information
- Climate factors
- Reliability
- Precipitation
- Meteorology
Section 1 of 8What weather is
What weather is
Weather
Weather the state of the atmosphere and its changes from minute to minute, hour to hour, day to day or week to week
Time scale
- Time scale weather is thought about in the short term
Features
- Features temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloudiness, visibility and wind
Changes
- Changes in some places weather is similar each day and in others it changes often
Section 2 of 8Measuring weather
Purpose
- Purpose countries measure weather to predict what happens next, see patterns and record weather over time
Preparing
- Preparing it is important to be ready for snowstorms and heat waves because they affect transport, food production, power use and shopping
Recording
- Recording take readings at the same time each day
Temperature
- Temperature measure it in the shade with the thermometer bulb touching only the air
Records
- Records present results in a table and plot a graph of temperature against time
Section 3 of 8What climate is
Climate
Climate the average weather of a place over a much longer time, usually more than 30 years
Change
- Change weather can change in minutes while climate takes several years to change
Information
- Information climate statistics show normal weather and the range of extreme weather
Climate factors
- Climate factors climate is affected mainly by temperature and precipitation
Section 4 of 8Weather and climate compared
| Weather | Climate | |
|---|---|---|
| Time scale | Minutes to weeks | More than 30 years |
| Meaning | State of the atmosphere now | Average weather of a place |
| Affected by | Temperature, humidity, cloudiness, precipitation | Temperature and precipitation |
| Study of it | Meteorology | Climatology |
Section 5 of 8Climate zones
| Zone | Characteristic climate |
|---|---|
| Polar | Very cold and dry all year |
| Temperate | Cold winters and mild summers |
| Arid | Hot and dry all year |
| Tropical | Hot and wet all year |
| Mediterranean | Mild winters and hot, dry summers |
| Mountains, tundra and taiga | Very cold all year |
Section 6 of 8Reliable weather information
Sources
- Sources different sources may give different information
Reliability
- Reliability consider which source is most reliable
Bias
- Bias some sources may show the weather in the best light, for example to attract tourists
Records
- Records compare past weather over a few years
Section 7 of 8Key terms
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Weather | State of the atmosphere in a place over a short time. |
| Climate | Average weather of a place over a long time. |
| Humidity | Amount of water vapour in the air. |
| Precipitation | Water falling from the sky such as rain or snow. |
| Meteorology | Study of weather. |
| Climatology | Study of climate. |
| Climate zone | Region of the Earth with a characteristic climate. |
Section 8 of 8Exam technique
1
Thinking weather and climate are the same — weather is short-term and climate is long-term average weather.
2
Thinking one hot day changes the climate — climate is measured over more than 30 years.
3
Measuring temperature in direct sunlight — it must be taken in the shade.
4
Mixing up meteorology and climatology — meteorology is the study of weather and climatology the study of climate.
Marked practiceQuizzes for this lesson
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