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How do the sun and water drive the climate?
Climate is the weather patterns, like temperatures and rainfall, at a certain place, over a long period of time. Climate change means changes to climates around the earth that are observed by scientists.
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These have been monitored over many years. And the fact is, the earth is getting warmer overall, with many of the warmest years on record happening in the last 20 years in different places around the earth. Scientists use satellites and other instruments to gather information about the earth’s land, atmosphere, water (ocean and ice), etc.
The sun and water are critical to the climate change conversation, so visit the Nature tile on STEMulator.org, and see the Clouds and Basic Water Cycle pages.to grow your understanding!
The sun is the star at the centre of our solar system. It is by far the most important source of energy for life on Earth. The interactions between the sun and earth drive the seasons, ocean currents, weather and the climate.
Today, a change in climate is felt primarily through a change in water. As Earth warms, NASA has observed that sea levels are also rising. Water expands as it gets warmer. Ice is also melting and adding to the seawater. This is affecting the water cycle too.
The natural water cycle is powered by the sun’s energy and by gravity. The sun heats the earth’s surface water, making it evaporate. Gravity makes the moisture fall back to Earth. There are four main stages in the water cycle:
• Evaporation
• Condensation
• Precipitation
• Collection
Collection is when water that falls as rain, snow, hail or sleet, collects in the oceans, rivers, lakes, and streams. Much of the water will soak into the ground and will collect as underground water before emerging in rivers.
STEM Career | Did you know? One of the careers you can go into is Hydrology. Hydrology is a field of study that focuses on the management of water. A hydrologist finds out how much water is available, for now and for future needs, and then makes recommendations on water management practices.
If you missed the January edition of 2023, view page 50 to learn more about the STEMulator. For more information on how you can help us spread the word on STEMulator you can email info@stemulator.org or WhatsApp us: 081 423 8483. Follow us on social media Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, TikTok & Twitter
Kgaugelo Pule , NSTF STEMulator: Research Assistant
