Climate Change, Weather and Atmosphere
Climate Change, Weather and Atmosphere
This domain tests atmospheric energy and circulation, weather systems, climate change evidence, causes, impacts and responses. Answers should distinguish weather from climate and link processes to spatial patterns.
Core rules
- The atmosphere is heated unevenly: low latitudes receive more intense insolation; albedo, greenhouse gases and atmospheric circulation redistribute energy.
- Global circulation includes Hadley, Ferrel and Polar cells, trade winds, westerlies, jet streams and pressure belts. Weather systems include depressions and fronts, and anticyclones.
- Climate change involves the enhanced greenhouse effect from carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide and halocarbons; feedbacks include ice-albedo and water vapour; Milankovitch cycles and solar variation are natural forcings.
- Impacts vary by exposure, vulnerability and adaptive capacity. Mitigation reduces causes; adaptation reduces harm.
- Evidence includes instrumental records, ice cores, tree rings and sea-level records.
Worked example
Explain why tropical rainforests are hot and wet. Reasoning: high annual insolation gives high temperatures; intense heating causes convection and low pressure; rising moist air cools and condenses, producing heavy convectional rainfall; the ITCZ shifts seasonally. Coastal and orographic effects can enhance rainfall. This is process-based, not just because it is near the equator.
Traps
Do not confuse ozone depletion with global warming. Do not use weather and climate interchangeably. Do not claim all places will become warmer and drier. Do not ignore feedbacks or adaptation capacity.