Lesson 3 The Sun and the Climate
Completion requirements
The Sun and Climate
The amount of solar radiation received by each biome on Earth plays a huge role in the climate and characteristics of that biome.
DS1.6 Comparing biomes
There are many different factors that affect the amount of sunlight, or insolation, each biome on Earth receives. All of these factors have significant impacts on that biome’s climate, as they affect temperature, length of seasons, and precipitation. These factors include the angle of inclination, time of year, length of daylight, angle of incidence, cloud cover and atmospheric dust, albedo, and thermal energy transfer.
When we look at all of these factors together, we can see the reasons behind the different climates. Each biome has a specific climate based on these factors and their effects. The different biomes include tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, grassland, rain forest, and desert. Each of these biomes is found in a specific location on Earth and has a specific climate and specific plants and animals living in it. Canada contains four of these biomes: tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, and grasslands. Alberta has two of these biomes: taiga and grassland.
Now that we have seen how climate is created, we will look in detail at how thermal energy is transferred around Earth and how that movement of energy affects climates.
When we look at all of these factors together, we can see the reasons behind the different climates. Each biome has a specific climate based on these factors and their effects. The different biomes include tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, grassland, rain forest, and desert. Each of these biomes is found in a specific location on Earth and has a specific climate and specific plants and animals living in it. Canada contains four of these biomes: tundra, taiga, deciduous forest, and grasslands. Alberta has two of these biomes: taiga and grassland.
Now that we have seen how climate is created, we will look in detail at how thermal energy is transferred around Earth and how that movement of energy affects climates.
Problem-Solving Activity
Comparing Biomes
Background Information:
This activity will help to put all the pieces of this lesson together. You will be asked to explain the differences between two biomes based on the factors that cause climate.
- Select two of the biomes that you studied in this lesson.
- Compare the climates of each biome and note how they are different.
- Make a list of the factors that cause climate and think about how each factor causes the differences between your biomes.
- angle of inclination
- length of daylight
- angle of incidence
- albedo
- insolation
- cloud cover or atmospheric dust
- Click on the analysis tab to complete the analysis questions.
- Using the information from this lesson and the procedure, explain two differences between your biomes using at least four of the factors that cause climate.
You will use this answer in Assignment D1.