Name: climate patterns and earth’s energy balance
Uploaded: 2025-10-23T11:48:47.000Z
Duration: 1 min 16 s
Channel: JoVE

K12 Standards

north-carolina-k-12-science-standard-course-of-study

North Carolina K-12 Science Standard Course of Study

9-12

Earth and Environmental Science

Earth and Human Activity

ESS.EES.5.1

What is Climate?

Climate describes the atmospheric conditions that occur in a location over years, decades, or even millennia and varies drastically depending on geography such as latitude, terrain, and nearby bodies of water.

Along the equator where the sun's energy is closest to the earth, more solar radiation is absorbed and trapped in the atmosphere increasing annual temperatures and rainfall relative to higher latitudes.

On the other extreme, the south and north poles receive glancing rays of solar energy. These are spread over a larger area of the earth's surface absorbing significantly less energy and resulting in much colder temperatures.

On a local scale, terrain and bodies of water become very important players in climate. For example, in South America, the Andes Mountains block rising moisture from the Amazon creating a rain shadow resulting in the dry arid climate of the Atacama Desert.

There is also cyclical variation in temperature and rainfall over longer periods of time. As the earth rotates on its tilted axis, the amount of solar radiation reaching the earth's surface changes by latitude resulting in seasons.

what is climate?

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, &#8220;Climate is what you expect. Weather is what you get.&#8221; Climate is influenced by geographic factors, such as latitude, terrain, and proximity to bodies of water.

<h4>Weather and Climate</h4>

Weather and climate are related, though they differ in terms of time scale and predictability. Weather refers to the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, whereas climate encompasses the &#8220;average&#8221; weather conditions over a much longer time. In terms of predictability, weather forecasts are limited to days, but the climate can be modeled and predicted over substantial periods, such as years or even decades.

<h4>The Climate System</h4>

The Earth&#8217;s climate system consists of several smaller, interacting sub-systems. The atmosphere is an envelope of gases surrounding the Earth. The hydrosphere consists of all the water on, above, or below the Earth&#8217;s surface. Oceans cover more than two-thirds of the Earth&#8217;s surface. Ice, including sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and snow, comprises the cryosphere, which is also part of the hydrosphere. The geosphere, or lithosphere, consists of the Earth&#8217;s crust. Finally, the biosphere includes all the ecosystems on Earth, including all living organisms and their interactions with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and lithosphere. These sub-systems exchange energy, water, and momentum. The power source driving all of these complex interactions is radiation from the sun.

<h4>Planetary Energy Balance</h4>

The climate system is powered by radiation from the sun; however, solar radiation does not even provide enough energy to keep the Earth above freezing temperatures. The Earth&#8217;s temperature, which has a significant impact on climate, depends on the amplification of thermal energy from solar radiation. The Earth&#8217;s surface absorbs approximately 49% of solar radiation, and ~20% is absorbed by the atmosphere. This radiation warms the planet, which in turn causes the Earth to radiate energy back into space. Thus, the ultimate temperature of the planet is determined by the balance between the energy that as absorbed and lost.

<h4>Climate Change and Society</h4>

Compared to patterns revealed by historical data, Earth&#8217;s climate is currently changing rapidly. While these changes are too minute to notice on a day-to-day basis, the accumulation of these minute changes could have devastating impacts on society. Agriculture and food production industries are particularly vulnerable to climate change, and several models have been created to predict the potential effects of climate change. While the effects of climate change on food production vary by crop and region, one model predicts that South Asia and Southern Africa are likely to suffer negative impacts on several crops that are important to large, food-insecure populations.

Climate refers to the prevailing weather conditions in a specific area over an extended period. As the saying goes, &#8220;Climate is what you expect. ...

Education

JoVE Core

Biology

Ecology

Biodiversity and Conservation

KEY TERMS AND CONCEPTS

climate patterns and earth’s energy balance

Climate describes the usual weather conditions in a place over a long period of time. The idea is simple: climate is what you expect, while weather is what you get. Climate is shaped by geographic factors such as latitude, terrain, and how close an area is to bodies of water.

Weather and climate are related, but they work on different time scales. Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. Climate is the average pattern of weather over much longer periods. Because of that, weather forecasts usually reach only a few days ahead, while climate can be modeled over years or even decades.

Earth’s climate system is made of several connected parts. The atmosphere is the layer of gases around Earth. The hydrosphere includes all the water on, above, or below the surface. Oceans cover more than two-thirds of Earth’s surface. The cryosphere includes ice, such as sea ice, glaciers, ice sheets, and snow, and it is part of the hydrosphere. The geosphere, also called the lithosphere, is Earth’s crust. The biosphere includes all ecosystems and living organisms, along with their interactions with the atmosphere, hydrosphere, cryosphere, and lithosphere.

These subsystems exchange energy, water, and momentum. The main driver of these interactions is radiation from the Sun. Solar radiation powers the climate system, but it does not provide enough energy by itself to keep Earth above freezing. Earth’s temperature depends on how solar energy is amplified and transferred as thermal energy.

Earth’s surface absorbs about 49% of incoming solar radiation, and the atmosphere absorbs about 20%. This absorbed energy warms the planet. Earth then radiates energy back into space. The planet’s temperature depends on the balance between energy absorbed and energy lost.

Earth’s climate is now changing rapidly compared with patterns seen in historical data. These changes are small from day to day, but they can build up over time and affect society in serious ways. Agriculture and food production are especially vulnerable to climate change. Models show that the effects vary by crop and region, and one model predicts negative impacts in South Asia and Southern Africa for several crops that support large food-insecure populations.

Climate Patterns and Earth’s Energy Balance

climate-patterns-and-earths-energy-balance

what is weather?

How Sunlight Shapes Daily Weather

Weather is the current state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. It is temporary and changes from one location to another. Weather is shaped by the interaction of the sun, atmosphere, hydrosphere, and geosphere. Solar radiation reaches Earth and interacts with water and land. These surfaces release that energy as thermal radiation, or heat, which warms the air above them. Some of that heat escapes back into space, but some is trapped by atmospheric gases. This heat retention is...

global climate change

Ancient Clues to Climate Change

Ancient climate clues help scientists track global climate change. Paleoclimatology is the study of climate conditions in Earth’s past and the causes and effects behind them. By comparing recent climate patterns with older records, researchers can find strong evidence for human-caused warming. Earth’s climate has changed many times over its 4.5 billion year history. In the last 650,000 years, there have been seven cycles of glacial advance and retreat. The most recent ice age ended more than...

what is biodiversity?

Biodiversity Across Genes, Species, and Ecosystems

Biodiversity is the variety of living things at the genetic, species, and ecosystem levels. It includes not only how many kinds of organisms exist, but also how they are related and how they interact with the world around them. Species diversity spans the full evolutionary tree. It includes single-celled prokaryotes such as bacteria and archaea, as well as the eukaryotic kingdoms: plants, animals, fungi, and protists. About 1.75 million species have been identified so far, and scientists...

threats to biodiversity

How Humans Change Biodiversity

Human activity is changing biodiversity and pushing Earth toward a sixth extinction event. Earlier mass extinctions ended many species, and then new species spread into the changed environment. Today, the Holocene epoch is seeing a mass extinction linked to human actions, and it is often called the Anthropocene. Human numbers and human biomass show how large this impact has become. In 2019, the human population reached 7.7 billion and is projected to rise to 10 billion by 2060. By biomass,...

conservation of declining populations

Saving Species Through Population Recovery

Conservation of declining populations focuses on detecting a population drop, finding its cause, and stopping further loss. The goal is to prevent extinction by using scientific methods to identify the agents behind the decline. Once the cause is known, conservation teams can remove, oppose, or neutralize it. A common step is to test possible causes with a small trial group. If the cause is confirmed, the remaining animals may be moved to an unaffected area. When the population is too small or...

biodiversity and human values

Biodiversity in Food, Tools, and Medicine

Biodiversity supports human life through food, tools, medicine, and many other needs. Changes in the variety of species can also change the environment. Those environmental shifts can alter weather patterns and affect human civilizations. People have depended on biodiversity for agriculture since early human history. Agriculture began when ancestral humans found species that were good sources of food. At least 11,000 years ago, people started selecting plant and animal species to raise on...

what is conservation biology?

Protecting Biodiversity in Conservation Biology

Conservation biology is the science of protecting biodiversity and keeping ecosystems healthy. It looks at how living things, habitats, and human needs are connected. The goal is to preserve biodiversity so ecosystems can continue to function well. Healthy ecosystems provide people with important natural resources. These include food, medicines, and building materials. Ecosystems also deliver key services, such as cleaning air and water. Evidence shows that these services depend on...

Climate describes the usual weather conditions in a place over a long period of time. The idea is simple: climate is what you expect, while weather is what you get. Climate is shaped by geographic factors such as latitude, terrain, and how close an area is to bodies of water. Weather and climate are related, but they work on different time scales. Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place. Climate is the average pattern of weather over much longer periods. Because of...

sustainable development

Protecting Oceans for Sustainable Development

Sustainable development depends on protecting oceans while meeting human needs. As the human population grows and uses more resources, people must stay aware of the planet’s natural limits. The goal is to improve life now without taking away the resources future generations will need. Long-term sustainability depends on understanding how human actions affect ecological systems. Oceans are a major part of this balance. They provide food for people, produce much of the atmosphere’s oxygen, and...

conservation of small populations

Saving Small Populations with Genetic Diversity

Small populations can be hard to save because they often lose genetic diversity. When variation is low, a species has fewer traits that may help it adapt to climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. That makes extinction more likely. Large populations usually have a better chance of surviving new stresses. They are more likely to include individuals with genetic variants that are helpful in changing conditions. Small populations are much less likely to contain this kind...

habitat fragmentation

How Fragmented Habitats Affect Wildlife

Habitat fragmentation breaks one continuous habitat into smaller, separate patches. Human land conversion is a major cause of this change, and slower geological shifts in the physical environment can also fragment habitats. The process usually follows the same stages: perforation, dissection, fragmentation, shrinkage, and attrition. Perforation and dissection often begin during land development. Perforation happens when undeveloped land is cleared for something like a home, and dissection...

key terms and concepts

Explore how climate differs from weather, how Earth’s climate system works, and why solar energy balance and climate change matter for food production.

Climate Patterns and Earth’s Energy Balance | JoVE K12

JoVE Core series brings biology to life through over 300 concise and easy-to-understand animated video lessons that explain key concepts in biology, plus more than 150 scientist-in-action videos that show actual research experiments conducted in today’s laboratories.

Climate Patterns and Earth’s Energy Balance

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