Physics textbooks define heat as the transfer of energy between a system and the environment as a result of different temperatures between them. Heat can be classified into three different types: latent heat, specific heat and sensible heat. These three different types of thermal energy can be transferred in various ways, for example through conduction, convection and radiation. The transfer of thermal energy is important as it ensures that correct distribution occurs. Latent heat is defined as the thermal energy expended to change the state of a body without increasing its temperature, expressed in calories per gram (a modern geography dictionary page 149). Latent heat is important for maintaining and accelerating rising air currents in Earth's atmosphere, such as in cyclones. Cyclones develop due to heat and moisture and are supported by the release of latent heat. Specific heat refers to the amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of substance by one degree Celsius. Sensible heat is heat gained by transfer from a higher temperature object. These various types of thermal energy can be transferred in different forms such as conduction, convection and radiation. Conduction is the transfer of heat from one molecule to another within a substance. The speed at which this heat moves depends on whether the material is a good conductor or not. Air is a poor conductor of heat, so any form of heat transfer by conduction occurs near the Earth's surface. When heat is added to the molecule, it begins to vibrate faster as this occurs, the temperature increases and the molecules hit neighboring molecules thus transferring the heat to the cooler neighboring molecules.... center of the paper... Climate Nc. ncsu.edu. (2013). Jet streams | Climate education modules for primary and secondary schools. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.nc-climate.ncsu.edu/edu/k12/.JetStreams [Accessed: 16 February 2014].Office, M. (2013). Global circulation models - met office. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/learning/learn-about-the-weather/how-weather-works/global-circulation-patterns [Accessed: 16 February 2014].Piana, M (2014). Hadley cells. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.seas.harvard.edu/climate/eli/research/equable/hadley.html [Accessed: 16 February 2014].Srh.noaa.gov. (2010). NWS jetstream: the transfer of thermal energy. [online] Retrieved from: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream/atmos/heat.htm [Accessed: 16 February 2014].Ucar.edu. (2014). Introduction to the atmosphere: basic material. [online] Retrieved from: https://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_1.htm [Accessed: February 16 2014].