3-2 Final ProjectMilestone Two- TheEarth's Climate Systemand Geologic Events
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3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
1
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two:
The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
Melissa Sanchez
05/21/2023
ENV 305
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
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II. The Earth's Climate System
Temperature, wind, and precipitation are only a few of the numerous components that
make up climate. Together, these elements form a climate, which might differ in various parts of
the world. The planet's climate cycle is made up of five main parts, which are comparable to the
local climate.
These components include the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, lithosphere,
and biosphere. The air that surrounds us on Earth is known as the atmosphere. Gases including
oxygen, nitrogen, and carbon dioxide are present in this air. The atmosphere is always changing,
and the cooling and heating of the air produce wind currents that influence our climate. All the
water on Earth, including the oceans, seas, lakes, rivers, and ponds, is referred to as the
hydrosphere. Water covers 70% of the surface of the planet. Even our atmosphere contains water.
Most of the snow and ice on the Earth's surface is called the cryosphere. Earth exists throughout
the North and South Poles, a portion of it created by glaciers in mountainous parts of the world.
The whole surface of the Earth is comprised of the lithosphere. This applies to mountains, soil,
and rocks. At the very least, the Earth's biosphere consists of every living thing on Earth. That
also applies to us! (Ketchum, 2019)
The Earth's climate is dependent upon solar activity and Earth's orbital cycles. The sun is
the primary supplier of energy for the Earth. Earth's surface absorbs heat from the sun, which is
then absorbed by our atmosphere along with other elements of the environment to further heat
the planet. The Earth revolves around the sun because it circles it. This rotation is more of a
round form than a complete circle. The Earth rotates around the sun, sometimes coming closer to
the sun than other times. There are four periods that are partly due to our proximity to the sun.
The distance from the solar system and the amount of energy the Earth receives and collects
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
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from it both affect the temperature of the planet. Various wind currents that affect the weather
may also be produced by these orbital cycles. (UOCS, 2017)
The UV energy and radiation that the sun's rays emit toward Earth's surface are
reabsorbed and recycled throughout space, the atmosphere, and the Earth itself. Upon reaching
the Earth's surface, the energy it contains needs to leave the solar system and pass across the
atmospheric layers of the planet. A sizable portion of this energy travels off from the clouds in
the atmosphere before it reaches the surface of the Earth. The atmosphere absorbs some of the
energy, while the remainder travels through the Earth's surface and is reflected into space. More
energy is emitted from the Earth's surface and directed toward the atmosphere. A portion of this
energy is returned to the surface through the reflection of the clouds. The atmosphere takes up a
larger portion of the energy, resulting in the remaining resources being pushed into the
atmospheric window. The climate and weather patterns on Earth are the outcome of the entire
energy cycle. (APS, n.d.)
The average world temperature has changed significantly recently. Earth's temperature
has been rising steadily over the past several years. As previously noted, how much energy the
Earth receives from the sun determines its temperature, but occasionally an excessive amount of
this energy is absorbed and held in our atmosphere, making it unable from being carried out into
space. The term "greenhouse effect" refers to global warming.
III. Climactic Impact from Atmospheric Energy and Geologic Events
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To help in the growth of larger plants that are taller, greenhouses have been built to store both
light and heat energy. Every bit of this energy is captured by a greenhouse, which results in a
warmer interior. On Earth and in our atmosphere, this similar impact is present. The climate is
going to become warmer as the environment and the earth absorb more energy. Changes in the
climate of such a nature is called global warming. The heat that is absorbed from the sun's rays
goes from opposite sides through the atmosphere toward various areas of the Earth, in addition to
moving upward and downward from the sun towards the Earth and back to space once more. The
Earth could not maintain a constant temperature across all its many climatic areas if it were not
for this transfer of thermal energy from the Equator to the north and south poles and vice versa.
Places that are ordinarily cold would become much colder if this energy from the equator was
not transmitted to the poles, just as the equator, which is typically hot, would become even
hotter. (Williams, 2019)
Ocean waters are continuously in motion. Ocean circulation is what we call this. Heat,
oxygen, nutrients, carbon, and other chemicals are all being transported by the ocean to other
regions of the hydrosphere. The ocean also absorbs energy from the sun and the atmosphere in
addition to all this circulation. However, when additional energy gets trapped in the environment,
the planet warms up, like when stored in a greenhouse. The seas are excellent at collecting this
energy to cool the Earth and ecosystems on land. The ocean does, however, get warmer as
greater amounts of heat are absorbed by it. However, excessive heat is being absorbed by the
ocean, despite its best efforts to disperse it. Our oceans' ecology and species are being forced out
of an environment that has become too warm. The cryosphere, which is made up of ice caps and
glaciers, is another component of this system. The melting of these caps of ice and glaciers into
the ocean is being brought on by Earth's surface and ocean warming. Wildlife in the Arctic
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
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region and Antarctica have lost their habitats because of all this ice melting, which is also
causing the oceans to rise. Land masses may get submerged in water due to this rise in sea levels
(Delorme, n.d.).
Another component of the global climate system that may influence the climate and
atmosphere is volcanoes. Volcanic eruptions send gases, ash, and other materials into the
atmosphere, which may impact the greenhouse effect we described. The interaction between the
sun's energy and these volcanic gases and ashes may warm or even chill the temperature. More
volcanoes may arise because of the shifting of the plates of the planet or crust, and the eruption
of one of these volcanoes might alter the weather in a specific area. (BGS, n.d.)
Also, there are climatic oscillations, usually called climate cycles, common in regional
climates and take the form of a weather pattern. People may believe that global warming is not
genuine because of these climatic cycles, which may show up as an Arctic cold front. When there
are days in a location that is colder than ever, one could question if global warming is occurring.
This is untrue, as global warming continues even during a break in warmer weather trends. (Real
Climate, 2015)
Commentary
I would use a PowerPoint presentation to offer the students a clearer understanding of all
five circles of the Earth as we discussed them. During the lecture, I will make use of shorter
intermissions to address audience questions and provide activity and coloring sheets pertaining to
various parts of the global climate system. The kids will get an opportunity to take part and feel
involved in this way. We will make an ocean ecosystem dessert together while we talk about the
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
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functions of the ocean (Climate Kids, n.d.). This will provide the children with another hands-on
experience that will aid in their learning and provide them with a tasty snack to enjoy after the
presentation.
References:
American Physical Society (n.d.).
Changes in the Flow of Energy through the Earth's
Climate System
. Forum on Physics and Society. Retrieved
https://www.aps.org/units/fps/newsletters/200904/trenberth.cfm
British Geological Survey (n.d.). What causes the Earth's climate to change? Discovering
Geology. Retrieved
https://www.bgs.ac.uk/discoveringGeology/climateChange/general/causes.html
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Climate Kids (n.d.). Make an ocean ecosystem dessert. NASA. Retrieved
https://climatekids.nasa.gov/ocean-ecosystem/
Delorme, B. & Eddebbar, Y. (n.d.). Ocean Circulation and Climate: An Overview. Ocean
Climate. Retrieved
http://www.ocean-climate.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/ocean-
circulation-climate_ScientificNotes_Oct2016_BD_ppp-3.pdf
Ketchum, D. (2019, November 22).Five Parts of the Climate System. Sciencing.
Retrieved
https://sciencing.com/five-parts-climate-system-21166.html
Real Climate (2015, February 26). Climate Oscillations and the Global Warming Faux
Pause. Retrieved
http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2015/02/climate-
oscillations-and-the-global-warming-faux-pause/
Union of Concerned Scientists (2017, August 3). How Does the Sun Affect Our Climate?
Retrieved
https://www.ucsusa.org/resources/how-does-sun-affect-our-climate
Williams, B. G. (2020, January 8). Atmospheric Energy and Horizontal Heat Transport.
Retrieved
https://www.briangwilliams.us/weather-climate/e-atmospheric-energy-and-
horizontal-heat-transport.html
3-2 Final Project Milestone Two: The Earth's Climate System and Geologic Events
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