Each statement represents a primary learning objective for parts of this unit. After you complete the unit, you should be able to:

• Distinguish between weather and climate, and name the basic elements of weather and climate.

• List the major gases composing Earth’s atmosphere, and identify the components that are most important to understanding weather and climate.

• Interpret a graph that shows changes in air pressure from Earth’s surface to the top of the atmosphere and sketch and label a graph that shows atmospheric layers based on temperature.

• Explain what causes the Sun angle and length of daylight to change during the year and describe how these changes produce the seasons.

• Distinguish between heat and temperature and list and describe the three mechanisms of heat transfer.

• Sketch and label a diagram that shows the paths taken by incoming solar radiation and summarize the greenhouse effect.

• Calculate five commonly used types of temperature data and interpret a map that depicts temperature data using isotherms.

• Discuss the principal controls of temperature, and use examples to describe their effects.

• Interpret the patterns depicted on world maps of January and July temperatures.