WEATHER AND CLIMATE

WEATHER AND CLIMATE

1. THE ATMOSPHERE IS ESSENTIAL FOR LIFE ON EARTH

WHAT´S THE ATMOSPHERE?

(*atmósfera)

(*Meteorología)

Introduction to Our Atmosphere

WHAT´S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN WEATHER AND CLIMATE?

Weather and climate

(*tiempo)

(*clima)

is the typical state of the atmosphere. To know the climate of a place you need to study it daily during 30 years and calculate the average temperature, precipitation, etc.

is the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. It changes continuously, that’s why weather forecasts are so difficult.

2. AIR POLLUTION

WHAT IS AIR POLLUTION?

Air pollution is caused by the emission of gases into the air as a result of human activity.

Using fossil fuels (*combustibles fósiles) to obtain energy.

Manufacturing industries

Transports

transport

Fertilisers

Household chemicals!!

Air pollution causes serious environmental problems such as:

1) Smog 2) Acid rain 3) Ozone destruction 4) Global warming

let´s study them!

Smog (*bruma fotoquímica)

The term “smog” comes from the word “smoke” and “fog”.

It is formed by a chemical reaction between sunlight and nitrogen oxides at ground level. Smog is common in big cities in winter, when they are emissions from both cars and heating.

Smog is harmful to humans, animals, plants, and nature as a whole.

acid rain (*lluvia ácida)

Acid rain occurs when pollution mix with rain and produce acids.

Acid rain is very harmful: It attacks plants and destroys them.

It increase acidity of rivers and lakes affect their wildlife and vegetation.

It attacks pieces of art in the cities.

DESTRUCTION ON THE OZONE LAYER (*DESTRUCCIÓN CAPA DE OZONO)

Ozone is a gas found in the atmosphere. It is essential for life because it absorbs 90% of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun, which is bad for our health. The ozone layer becomes thinner in the polar regions in autumn and winter, and thicker again in spring and summer.

However, the emission of harmful gases into the atmosphere dissolve the ozone and make the ozone layer thinner than normal.

In the 1970s, people all over the world started realizing the ozone layer was getting thinner and that this was a bad thing. Many governments and businesses agreed that some chemicals, like aerosol cans, should be outlawed. The ozone layer has slowly recovered.

GLOBAL WARMING (*CALENTAMIENTO GLOBAL)

To understand global warming, one must first understand the greenhouse effect. Some gases, such as methane, nitrous oxide and carbon dioxide, are known as greenhouse gases (*gases de efecto invernadero).

They allow the heat from the Sun to reach the Earth and stop some of it traveling back into the atmosphere (like a greenhouse).

With greenhouse effect, temperatures are regulated, if not, the Earth will be -15º!!! So, greenhouse effect is good.

Greenhouse Effect

However, some human activities produce TOO MANY greenhouse gases.

The increase in these gases in the atmosphere in leading to global warming: an increase in the Planet´s average temperature.

In only 100 years, temperatures increased by the same amount as in the previous 18,000 years.

The consequences of global warming are very serious:

Global Warming

WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION!

The problems arising from climate change affect the entire Planet. The urgent need for global action has led to climate summits (*cumbres climáticas) where countries made agreements on the climate.

project!!!!(no exam)

Page 70

Contextualiza tu tema con un subtítulo

Sir David Attenborough - Greatest Speech Ever

A #NatureNow message from Greta Thunberg.

Climate activist Brianna Fruean's full speech at COP26

Make groups and create a hand-written report or presentation

organise a climate summit in class!

1. Gather information 2. Prepare your contribution to the summit 3. Debate and try to reach agreemment. 4. Prepare a document with your commitments.