Weather and Climate
Year 5 students distinguish between weather and climate, explore how the water cycle drives weather patterns, and investigate how climate varies across different regions of Australia.
What You Need to Know
Key Concept Diagram
Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere (temperature, rainfall, wind); climate is the average weather over 30+ years
The water cycle involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, redistributing water across Earth
Different climates exist across Australia: tropical in the north, arid in the centre, temperate in the south
Climate change is causing shifts in long-term weather patterns globally, affecting ecosystems and human life
Key Vocabulary
Weather
Short-term atmospheric conditions such as temperature, rainfall, and wind on a given day
Climate
The long-term average weather patterns for a region over 30 or more years
Water cycle
The continuous movement of water between Earth's surface and atmosphere through evaporation and precipitation
Precipitation
Water that falls from clouds to Earth's surface as rain, hail, or snow
Knowledge Check
Select the correct answer for each question. Click "Check Answer" to see if you are right.
Question 1
What is the key difference between weather and climate?
Question 2
Which process in the water cycle involves liquid water turning into water vapour?
Question 3
Australia's central region is mostly:
Key Concepts Summary
- ●Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere (temperature, rainfall, wind); climate is the average weather over 30+ years
- ●The water cycle involves evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runoff, redistributing water across Earth
- ●Different climates exist across Australia: tropical in the north, arid in the centre, temperate in the south
- ●Climate change is causing shifts in long-term weather patterns globally, affecting ecosystems and human life