Lesson 5 Thermal Energy and Climate
Completion requirements
Introduction
How does the transfer of thermal energy through global winds and ocean currents affect the biomes we have studied?
D5.1 Clouds over coastal mountains in BC
In this lesson, we will look at how thermal energy is transferred through the atmosphere and the hydrosphere. We will discuss how thermal energy travels from areas of high thermal energy to areas of low thermal energy and how this movement helps to create climates. These factors help to even out the amount of thermal energy each area of Earth retains.
This lesson will also review the biomes we have studied and look at how these new factors help to create them. We will also look at the topography (for example, how close the biome is to mountains or large bodies of water) and how it affects the climate of each biome.
Once these factors have been studied, this course will have covered the main factors that create climates and biomes on Earth. Now that we have studied how climate is created, we can start to look at climate change.
This lesson will also review the biomes we have studied and look at how these new factors help to create them. We will also look at the topography (for example, how close the biome is to mountains or large bodies of water) and how it affects the climate of each biome.
Once these factors have been studied, this course will have covered the main factors that create climates and biomes on Earth. Now that we have studied how climate is created, we can start to look at climate change.
Targets
By the end of this lesson, you will be able to- describe how thermal energy is transferred through the atmosphere and through the hydrosphere from areas of high thermal energy to areas of low thermal energy
- describe how radiant energy, climatic factors, and topography affect the biomes
Watch This
Current Events: Crash Course Kids #34.1 © YouTube Crash Course Kids
Watch this video for a preview of what you are going to learn about in this lesson. The video goes over convection currents and how they create the global wind patterns and ocean currents.