After reading and studying this chapter you should be able to:
Distinguish between weather and climate.
Understand the role of the sun in supplying energy to the earth and how solar insolation varies by latitude and time of the year.
Understand the lapse rate and estimate the temperature at any elevation by using it.
Comprehend the relationship between temperature, atmospheric pressure, and winds.
Understand the Coriolis effect and the frictional effect, and explain how both influence wind belts on the earth's surface.
Understand the importance of oceans, ocean temperature, and ocean currents in relation to climate formation and change.
Identify the three types of precipitation and note under what conditions they are likely to occur.
Explain fronts and how storms form.
Describe the soil formation process, explain soil horizons, and discuss basic soil properties and classification.
Understand the interrelationship between climate, soil, and natural vegetation.
Identify the major climate regions using the Köppen climate classification system of temperature and precipitation and by their associated characteristics of natural vegetation and soils.
Interpret a climagraph and understand how to construct a climagraph from statistical information.
