• Weather and Climate Key Concepts

    SchoolCenter Picture

    • Weather and climate are different.
    •  Earth's surface is much more efficiently heated by the sun than is the atmosphere.
    •  The amount of energy reaching any given point on Earth's surface is controlled by the angle of sunlight striking the surface and varies with the seasons.
    • Winds are created by uneven heat distribution at Earth's surface and modified by the rotation of Earth.
    • Energy transfer between Earth's surface and the atmosphere creates the weather.
    • Both weather and climate are measurable and, to a certain extent, predictable.
    • Convection is the major mechanism of energy transfer in the oceans, atmosphere, and Earth's interior.
    • Convection in the atmosphere is a major cause of weather.