How the Weather Works

Weather for Kids (new and used, ebay)

Weather - The Basics

The weather is made up of three parts:

1. The Sun
2. The Atmosphere
3. The Oceans
4. The Earth

Each of these parts is important for making the weather as we all experience it.

The Sun

The Sun is the primary driver of weather on planet Earth. The Sun heats the Earth's ground, oceans, and air.

The Sun

The Atmosphere

The atmosphere is the air that we breathe. It is mainly made up of Nitrogen, Oxygen and Carbon Dioxide. The atmosphere on the side of the Earth that faces the Sun is heated during the day. The atmosphere on the other side of the Earth cools down during the night.

This constant heating and cooling of the atmosphere by the Sun causes warm air to rise and cool air to sink. This causes winds to blow. Wind in the atmosphere is the most important factor that causes changes in the weather. For example, if the wind blows over an ocean it will pick up water. This water will later fall from the sky as rain when the wind is over land.

Earth's Atmosphere

The Oceans

The Oceans are heated and cooled by the Sun. Just like boiling a kettle the Sun heats the water in the oceans and some of the water evaporates. The evaporated water rises into the atmosphere forming clouds. Wind blows the clouds over the land and when conditions are just right clouds form rain droplets which then fall to the earth.

The Oceans