ATMOSPHERE, CLIMATE AND TIME

1.ATMOSPHERE

First of all we have to know that the Atmosphere is the gaseous layer that involves the Earth and protect us from the space vacuum and meteorites. This layer contains Oxygen, which is what we need to breath.

Scientists have divided the Earth into three concentric layers:

- Crust: the crust is the very thin outer layer made of rocks that form the continents and the ocean floor.

- Mantle: the mantle is the layer in the middle. It is made of melted rock and is extremely hot.

- Core: the core is the thick inner layer. It is mostly made of iron (80%). This makes our planet behave like a giant magnet.

There are some elements that make up planet Earth. The Earth is made up of four spheres:

- The solid part (rocks and minerals) of the continents. This is called the Geosphere.

- The liquid part (water, ice and snow) of the oceans, seas, rivers, glaciers, etc.  This is called Hydrosphere.

- The gaseous part (mainly nitrogen and oxygen). This element is the atmosphere, which keeps Earth at the right temperature to support life.

- All living things on the planet (plants and animals) make up the biosphere.

2. CLIMATE

Climate refers to the weather conditions in a particular area of the world over a long period of time (about 30 years).

It is different from weather, which just describes the conditions for a few hours. For example it might be cold in Valencia today because of a wave of cold air, but the climate in Valencia is not generally cold; it is mild.

People adapt to the climate where they live, for example, Montreal in Canada has an underground city to cope with its cold climate. People’s clothes, housing, food, timetables and leisure all reflect the climate.

2.1.  FACTORS THAT AFFECT CLIMATE

Climate depends on:

- Atmospheric factors such as temperature, humidity and precipitation.

- Geographical factors such as latitude, distance from the sea, relief (the shape of the land) and altitude.

We can distinguish between Atlantic climate, Mountain climate, Subtropical climate, Mediterranean climate and Mediterranean-continental climate.

1. Atlantic climate: mild temperatures, no extremes but heavy precipitation all year round.
2. Mountain climate: long and cold winters and short, cool summers, and heavy precipitation with snow.
3. Subtropical climate: temperatures don’t vary much during the year and the are low levels of precipitation.
4. Mediterranean-continental climate: temperatures vary a lot during the year and there is low precipitation.
5. Mediterranean climate: very warm summers and mild winters, low precipitation (except Autumn and spring). In the south (Andalusia) the climate is very hot and dry.

3.WEATHER

Weather is the state of the atmosphere in a specific place and time. It depends on:

• Air temperature, how hot and cold the air is.
• Humidity levels, how much water is in the air.
• Precipitation, rain, snow or hail.
• Wind, moving air that can make it feel hotter or colder.
• Atmospheric pressure, the weight of the air pressing down on the earth.

Here we have a song that is called “Layers of the atmosphere”. I hope you learn more and enjoy!