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🌤️ Atmosphere: Flows of Energy

California Grade 6 – Energy from the Sun drives weather and the atmosphere.

🛟 Helpers:

Step 1: How energy flows in the atmosphere

Look at the picture below. The Sun sends light and heat to Earth. The atmosphere is the layer of air around Earth. That energy drives weather (wind, clouds, rain).

Sun Earth + atmosphere ☁ 💨 Weather

☀️ Sun → 🌍 Earth & atmosphere → 🌤️ Wind, clouds, rain

⬆️
Warm air
rises
⬇️
Cool air
sinks
☀️ Sun
→
🌍 Atmosphere
→
🌤️ Weather

—

Click Sun, Atmosphere, or Weather above.

Key idea: Energy from the Sun heats the air and land. Warm air rises; cooler air moves in. That flow of energy and air creates wind, clouds, and rain.

Step 2: Quick check

Choose the best answer for each question.

The Sun The Moon The ocean
The layer of air around Earth The water in the ocean The ground under our feet
Warm air rises and can create wind The air gets colder Nothing
Wind Rocks Trees
Energy from the Sun moving through the atmosphere The Moon Only the ocean
Cooler air More warm air Water
Weather The solar system The core of Earth
True False
It holds the air we breathe and helps control temperature and weather It has no effect It is only in space
Wind Rain Cloud
The Sun The ocean Volcanoes
The atmosphere The crust The ocean
Weather The water cycle only Rocks
Rise Sink Stay still
Rise Sink Stay in place
True False
Light and heat Only sound Only wind
Wind, clouds, and rain Rocks Ocean waves only
What we feel outside: temperature, wind, clouds, rain The same as climate in one day Only rain
The Sun The Moon The ground only

🎉 Nice work!

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