Abstract
Weather plays a significant role in shaping of the earth. The weathering process leads to breaking down of soils. Water cycle is one of the integral parts in the earth ecosystems that maintain a balance of atmosphere and climate of the earth. The experiment performed proved the phenomena of energy balance and helped to understand the water cycle, weather, climate and atmosphere
Introduction
Weather is referred as atmospheric conditions that may be warm or cold, clear or cloudy, wet or dry, and calm or stormy. These weather conditions occur in the lowest part of the earth’s atmosphere called troposphere. It is variations in day to day temperature that characterize weather and its conditions. On the other hand, climate changes refer to lasting and significant changes in the weather patterns characterized by statistical distribution over a period spanning decades or hundred thousands of years. These changes may encompass extreme weather conditions and may happen due to variations in solar radiation reaching earth, biotic processes, volcanic eruptions, and plate tectonics. Certain activities undertaken by humans have also been recognized as contributing to negative climatic changes such as global warming. The problem of climatic changes has been taken into consideration by the people in general as well as environmentalists in particular all over the world (Weather & Climate Basics).
In this experiment, "Modeling the Water Cycle", we made an effort to understand phenomena of the water cycle and construct a model for water cycle. This experiment helped to understand the concepts of evaporation, condensation, sublimation, precipitation, and transpiration as well as their role in the water cycle. In addition, this experiment enables to evaluate the formation of clouds and understanding of weather, climate and atmosphere.
Procedure
In this experiment, 20ml of warm water at 60 degree Celsius was poured in a cylinder and secured by lid. A petri dish filled with ice was placed on the lid and removed it after 30 minutes. The inside conditions were observed and answered all the post lab questions on reporting form
Discussion
The severe weather conditions occurring on the earth include the rain, snow, cloud, wind, dust storm and fog. While less common features includes natural disasters as ice storms, tornadoes, typhoons and hurricanes. All these weather conditions occur in the lower strata of the atmosphere that is adjacent to the earth. Weather is the outcome of differences in air pressure between two places. These differences of temperature and air pressure are caused by the incidence of sun rays in different angles at different places. A difference in surface temperature causes differences in pressure, and so, places at lower altitudes are warmer than that at higher altitudes. The incidence of sun rays is direct for warmer regions than places farther from tropics as they get sunlight indirectly. The contrasting temperatures of tropical and the polar air cause jet stream ("Beware of Wild Weather”; "Weather & Climate Basics”, n.d.).
The figure 2 present the energy balance model of the earth and explained the phenomena of differences in surface temperature that lead to pressure differences. Hot surfaces heat the air that expands due to which density of air and its pressure are lowered. 51% of the sunlight is absorbed by the earth while 4% is reflected.
Figure 1 Schematic representation of Water Cycle
Figure 2 Energy Balance Model of Earth
Conclusion
In conclusion, weather is a condition of the atmosphere, and it varies from one state to other Water cycle is an important in earth ecosystems which maintain the equilibrium in water, soil, and atmosphere as well as developing the formation of clouds and responsible of precipitation. A part of the surface runoff infiltrate towards groundwater while remaining part leads toward water bodies like rivers, oceans and so forth. A sufficient quantity of this runoff evaporates to form the clouds. Thus, weather and climate are significant factors in the life of humanity.
Reference
"Beware of Wild Weather"(n.d). The National Centre for Atmospheric Research & the UCAR office of Program. Retrieved from: http://www.eo.ucar.edu/basics/wx_3.html
"Weather"(2014) Wikipedia, Retrieved from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weather
"Weather & Climate Basics". (n.d.). The National Centre for Atmospheric Research & the UCAR office of Program. Retrieved from: http://www.eo.ucar.edu/basics
