Climates
Why does it dump snow in the mountains, but stay hot and dry down in the valley? Join Bill Nye the Science Guy to discover how the sun, geography, and massive oceans work together to create the Earth's wildly different climates!
Why Are Some Places Freezing Deserts and Others Sweaty Jungles?
It is all about the angles! Because the Earth is a sphere, the sun's heat hits the middle (the equator) directly, making it extremely hot. But at the top and bottom of the planet, the sunlight just glances off the curve, spreading the heat out and leaving it freezing cold.
Absolutely! When wet ocean air crashes into a tall mountain, it is forced upward. It cools down and drops all its moisture as snow or rain on the front side, leaving the back side of the mountain completely dry. This is called a rain shadow!
Put Your Instincts to the Test
Think about how the shape of the Earth and the flow of water affect weather. Pick an answer for each question, then see if your instincts were right.
Because the sun's heat rays just barely graze past them! It is not about distance in space. The equator gets incredibly hot because the sun's energy hits it directly, while the curved top and bottom of the Earth only get a glancing blow of sunlight.
Because there is very little rain or new snow! A desert is not defined by sand and heat; it is defined by how dry it is! The snow in Antarctica never melts, so it just sits there for centuries, even though very little new precipitation falls from the sky.
Understanding the Science
Tap each card to uncover the invisible forces, geography, and atmospheric gases that control the weather where you live.
Key Concepts
Climate
Tap to learn moreThe overall, long-term pattern of how warm, wet, cold, or dry a specific place is. While weather changes daily, climate is measured over many years.
Equator
Tap to learn moreThe imaginary line wrapped around the middle of the Earth. It features the hottest climates because the sun's heat rays hit it perfectly straight on.
The Poles
Tap to learn moreThe extreme top and bottom areas of the Earth. They are freezing cold because the sun's heat energy only barely grazes past them, spreading the heat out very thinly.
Mountain Effect
Tap to learn moreWhen wind hits a tall mountain, the air is forced uphill. As it rises, it spreads out, cools down, and drops its heavy moisture as rain or snow.
Rain Shadow
Tap to learn moreThe dry area on the far side of a mountain. Because the air lost all its moisture climbing up the front side, the back side becomes a harsh, dry desert!
El Niño
Tap to learn moreA powerful climate event where the surface of the Pacific Ocean gets unusually warm. This dramatic shift completely alters rainfall and weather patterns all across the globe.
Greenhouse Effect
Tap to learn moreThe process where heavy gases in the atmosphere (like carbon dioxide) act like a giant blanket. They physically trap the sun's heat from escaping, keeping the Earth warm.
Microclimate
Tap to learn moreA tiny, unique climate zone that is totally different from the area around it, like the cool, damp, shady side of a tree trunk where delicate moss loves to grow.
Try It: The Greenhouse Atmosphere Lab
Control the Earth's atmosphere!
Instructions: Press Start, then use the slider to increase the Carbon Dioxide (CO2) in the air. Watch how the thick green gas layer traps the bouncing heat particles and causes the global temperature to rise!
STATUS: PAUSED
What Has Changed Since This Episode Aired
This episode originally aired in 1995. While the basic mechanics of climate remain the same, our tracking technology and our understanding of the dangers of global warming have advanced rapidly!
Updated: Yes! Today, scientists call this the Climate Crisis. We have seen global temperatures rise significantly, leading to melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and much more extreme and dangerous weather events than we experienced in the 1990s.
Updated: Today, climatologists go much further back in time! They drill massive tubes of solid ice out of glaciers in Antarctica. By analysing tiny, trapped air bubbles inside this ancient ice, they can read the exact recipe of the Earth's atmosphere from millions of years ago!
Updated: Predicting El Niño was incredibly difficult when this episode was filmed. Today, space agencies use highly advanced fleets of satellites and thousands of robotic buoys floating in the Pacific Ocean to constantly measure the water temperature, allowing us to predict these massive climate shifts months in advance!
Test Your Understanding
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Results
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Reflection
If pumping too much carbon dioxide into the air traps more heat and changes our global climate, what are three things you or your family could do to use less energy and help protect the atmosphere?
Episode Discussion
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