EVENT PARAMETERS: Teams may bring a four-function calculator, plus handwritten, typed, or computer-generated resources, including books, to the. event. All resources must fit within the confines (>1 an area no larger than 12” x 12” x 3”.

A TEAM OF UP TO: 2 APPROXIMATE TIME: 50 Minutes

THE COMPETITION: This year’s topic is Climate. Areas of study may include, but are not limited to:

1. Weather vs. Climate

2. Natural climatic variability

3. Climatic zones: The Koppen climate classification

4. The effects of land masses, water bodies, latitude, elevation, and topography upon climate

5. Composition, structure, and evolution of Earth’s atmosphere

6. Solar radiation and Earth’s energy balance

7. Oceanic and Atmospheric circulation:

a. Semi permanent pressure cells

b. Three Cell circulation model

c. El Nino, La Nina, Southern Oscillation

d. Thermohaline and wind-driven currents -

8. Earth’s rotation, tilt, and revolution

a. Seasons

b. Milankovich Cycles

9. Paleoclimates of Earth’s history

a. Pleistocene Ice Age -

b. Younger Dryas Cold Period, Medieval Warm Period, Little Ice Age

c. Ice cores, ocean sediments, lake sediments, dendrochronology, etc.

10. Human impact: global warming, greenhouse gases, ozone depletion. deforestation, desertification and urban heat island effect.

REPRESENTATIVE ACTIVITY: Predict the climate of a hypothetical island continent given its topography, latitude and longitude, and elevation. Explain the reasons that led to this prediction.

SCORING: Points will be awarded for the quality and accuracy of responses, the quality of supporting reasons, and proper use of scientific technique. Highest score wins. Several pre-identified questions will be used as tiebreakers.

National Science Education Standards: Science as Inquiry, Content Standard A: Develop Descriptions, Explanations, Predictions, and Models Using Evidence; Earth and Space Science, Content Standard D:

Structure of the Earth System (Grades 5-8).