Hydrological cycle. Energy and mass are transferred through Earth's climate systems by precipitation. Water is an important source of latent heat, and a rainstorm can release a large amount of heat into the atmosphere, affecting weather and climate. The complexities of the hydrological cycle are one reason that scientists are still grappling with an understanding of climate. Learn more about the hydrological cycle.

Earth's rotation. If the earth did not rotate, only one convection cell would form in each hemisphere, reaching from the equator to the pole. Instead, the Coriolis force (created by the rotating Earth) deflects the winds sideways, creating more complex wind patterns and causing three convection cells to form instead of one.

Earth's tilt. The 23.5° tilt of the earth moderates the climate by seasonally shifting the zone receiving the greatest solar energy. As a result, northern latitudes receive more solar energy annually than they would if the earth were not tilted.