A2 MET SCHEME OF WORK

1

 

Intro: Atmosphere

Structure

Composition

Global Pattern discussed first.

2

Insolation: Heat Budget – insolation received depends on solar constant, distance from sun, altitude of sun, length of day and night.

Impact of absorption, reflection and scattering

Albedo

Air Circulation – influence of surplus heat at the equator

Hadley model: Unicellular

Development of Tricellular model

3

Westerlies

Disruption of Ferrel Cell by Rossby Waves and Jet streams

Forces acting on the air

Wind formation: Pressure Gradient Force

4

Centripetal Force: Geostrophic Wind

Coriolis Force

Pattern of pressure belts on the surface of the earth.

Impace of ENSO

5

ICT Exercise: ENSO & Walker circulation

Meso-scale processes:

Mechanisms causing Uplift

Changes in air undergoing uplift

Adiabats

6

Dew Point / Condensation Level

Saturation

Humidity: measurement of humidity in various parts of school

High and Low Pressure Systems:

LOW: Depression: formation, movement and change – include occlusions

Associated weather pattern

7

HIGH: Anticyclone: formation, movement and change

Summer and Winter weather patterns

Hurricanes: formation, movement and change

8

Case Study: Hurricane ?

Effects on human activity: positive and negative: include extreme events as well as weather patterns in the UK

9

Recent Case Study:

Drought:

Tornado:

UK

Synoptic Situation

Air masses affecting UK: emphasis on weather conditions and impact of source regions and track of air mass.

Go into occlusion of depressions

10

ICT Exercise: UK: How does the weather affect our lives ?

Local Scale: Impact of Lapse Rates

Need to know ELR, DALR, SALR and change with height

11

Plotting and interpretation of tephigrams and relationship between the lapse rates and the stability of the atmosphere

Absolute Stability

Conditional Instability etc.

Weather types associated with atmospheric conditions: some discussion of cloud classification.

Formation of rain, thunderstorms.

Link to flash flooding.

12

ICT: Recording of weather

Use of weather station

Measuring instruments

Limitations of instruments in terms of accurate recording and effective forecasting of the weather.

13

World weather patterns

ICT: Internet exercise looking at the world’s weather.

Microclimates

Urban Heat Islands

Case Study: London

14

Synoptic Charts

Global Warming Video Questions

ICT: Global Warming

15

Human Impacts: Ozone layer and pollution

Revision: Preparation for exams

Based on 2 x 70 minute lessons per week.

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