World Book at NASA for Students
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Climate is the kind of weather a place usually gets. It includes the temperature, amount of rain or snow, winds, and other conditions in an area. Every place on the Earth has its own climate.
The word climate and the word weather do not mean the same thing. Weather is the condition of the air around a place during a short time. To figure out the climate of an area, scientists must study its daily weather for many years.
Image to right: A temperate climate is not too hot and not too cold. Credit: World Book illustration by Pat and Robin DeWitt
Climate and people
Climate affects how people live. People wear clothing that protects them from the climate. In warm areas, people wear clothes made of a light material. In cold areas, they wear heavy clothing.
The foods people eat have a lot to do with the climate, too. People eat plants, and most plants grow best in areas that have a certain climate. Wheat grows best in a mild, somewhat dry climate.
Climate is also involved in the kinds of homes people live in. In hot, dry areas, people build houses with extra-thick walls. The walls keep out the heat.
Climate also affects how people get from place to place. People who live in cold, snowy areas may use skis, sleds or snowmobiles to get around.
Different climates
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There are many reasons why climates differ from place to place. An area's climate depends on its location on the Earth. Different places receive different amounts of energy from the sun. Warmer places get more of the sun's energy than colder places.
And the climate is affected by the amount of water in an area. Areas that are close to large bodies of water usually get more rainfall.
The climate is also influenced by differences in land and water temperatures. Land far away from the ocean may be warmer in summer than land near the water. Land near the ocean is cooled by the ocean air.
Image to left: A desert climate is very dry. Credit: World Book illustration by Lowell Hess
The changing climate
The Earth's climates are always changing. But these changes may take place over thousands of years. In North America, for example, the climate is much warmer today than it was 15,000 years ago.
Many things help change climates. However, humans play a part in climate changes. For example, the Earth is slowly warming. This may be happening because there is more and more carbon dioxide gas in the air. Carbon dioxide is a normal part of our air, but it is also made by things that humans do. For example, carbon dioxide gas gets into the air when people burn fuel. People use fuel to heat their homes and power their cars. Carbon dioxide lets sunlight reach the Earth's surface. But it keeps the Earth's heat from escaping into space. So the temperature of the Earth is slowly rising.
How to cite this article: To cite this article, World Book recommends the following format: "Climate." The World Book Student Discovery Encyclopedia. Chicago: World Book, Inc., 2005.
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