Unit D: Energy Flow in Global System
Overview: Solar energy sustains life and drives the global climate systems on Earth. Without solar energy there would be no heat or precipitations, and, therefore, no life on Earth. Students will gain an understanding that the absorption and transfer of thermal energy at and near Earth's surface results in a variety of climate zones with characteristic weather patterns and biomes. Climatic factors largely determine the flora and fauna found in each of the world's major biomes. The United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has stated that the balance of evidence suggests a human influence on global climate. Scientist from various fields are studying this relationships to determine the potential impact on biomes.
This Unit Builds On:
Course Focus: We will spend ~25% of the course on this unit.
Students Will:
Key Concepts:
This Unit Builds On:
- Grade 7 Science, Unit A: Interactions and Ecosystems
- Grade 7 Science, Unit C: Heat and Temperature
- Grade 8 Science, Unit E: Freshwater and Saltwater Systems
- Grade 9 Science, Unit A: Biological Diversity
Course Focus: We will spend ~25% of the course on this unit.
Students Will:
- Describe how the relationships among input solar energy, output terrestrial energy and energy flow within the biosphere affect the lives of humans and other species.
- Analyze the relationships among net solar energy, global energy transfer processes-primarily radiation, convection and hydrologic cycle- and climate.
- Relate climate to the characteristics of the world's major biomes, and compare biomes in different regions of the world.
- Investigate and interpret the role of environmental factors on global energy transfer and change.
Key Concepts:
- social and environmental contexts for investigating climate change
- solar radiation budget
- climate zones, transfer of thermal energy by the hydrosphere and the atmosphere
- hydrologic cycle and phase change
- relationship between biomes, solar energy and climate
- human activity and climate change