Notes
-Atmosphere Basics
•Combination of gases, dust, water droplets, and ice crystals
•Surrounds the Earth
•Extends from the Earth’s
surface to outer space
-Permanent Atmospheric Gases
•Earth’s atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78 percent) and oxygen (21 percent).
•The amounts of nitrogen and
oxygen in the atmosphere are
fairly constant over recent
time.
-Variable Atmospheric Gases
•The concentrations of some atmospheric gases are not as constant over time.
•The amount of water vapor, ozone, and carbon dioxide vary significantly from place to place.
-Water Vapor (H2O(g))
•Invisible, gaseous form of water
•Can range of 0% - 4%
•Concentration depends on the seasons, altitude, and properties of the surface underneath
-Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
•During the past 150 years, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased, due primarily to the burning of fossil fuels.
•Currently 0.039% (up by 0.028%)
-Ozone (O3)
•Mostly in ozone layer (20 – 50 km above)
•Only 0.0012% but plays important role in blocking out harmful rays from the sun
•Concentration has decreased due to CFCs
which are now banned
•Scientists estimate it should
fully recover by the 2100
-Atmosphere Particles
•Contains variable amounts of solids in the form of tiny particles, such as dust, salt, and ice
•Fungi and bacteria are often attached to these particles
1. Name the five layers of the atmosphere:
a. troposphere
b. stratosphere
c. mesosphere
d. thermosphere
e. exosphere (some scientist consider this layer to be part of space)
2. Click on the words “atmosphere” and each layer of the atmosphere to fill in the blanks below:
a. What are the two main gases found in the atmosphere?
1. Nitrogen
2. Oxygen
b. The troposphere is the lowest region of the Earth's atmosphere and is where weather occurs.
c. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer which absorbs ultraviolet energy. Look at the diagram: planes and jets can fly in the stratosphere.
d. As you go higher in the mesosphere, the temperature becomes colder. Scientists do not know much about the mesosphere, but they do know that meteors burn up in this layer.
e. The thermosphere contains a layer of charged particles called the ionosphere. It is home to the aurora (Northern Lights). This is the layer in which space shuttles fly.
f. In the exosphere the atmosphere is very high as it begins to fade into space.
a. Troposphere 0 -12 km
b. Stratosphere 12- 20 km
c. Mesosphere 50- 85 km
d. Thermosphere 85- 600 km
•Combination of gases, dust, water droplets, and ice crystals
•Surrounds the Earth
•Extends from the Earth’s
surface to outer space
-Permanent Atmospheric Gases
•Earth’s atmosphere consists mainly of nitrogen (78 percent) and oxygen (21 percent).
•The amounts of nitrogen and
oxygen in the atmosphere are
fairly constant over recent
time.
-Variable Atmospheric Gases
•The concentrations of some atmospheric gases are not as constant over time.
•The amount of water vapor, ozone, and carbon dioxide vary significantly from place to place.
-Water Vapor (H2O(g))
•Invisible, gaseous form of water
•Can range of 0% - 4%
•Concentration depends on the seasons, altitude, and properties of the surface underneath
-Carbon Dioxide (CO2)
•During the past 150 years, the concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide has increased, due primarily to the burning of fossil fuels.
•Currently 0.039% (up by 0.028%)
-Ozone (O3)
•Mostly in ozone layer (20 – 50 km above)
•Only 0.0012% but plays important role in blocking out harmful rays from the sun
•Concentration has decreased due to CFCs
which are now banned
•Scientists estimate it should
fully recover by the 2100
-Atmosphere Particles
•Contains variable amounts of solids in the form of tiny particles, such as dust, salt, and ice
•Fungi and bacteria are often attached to these particles
1. Name the five layers of the atmosphere:
a. troposphere
b. stratosphere
c. mesosphere
d. thermosphere
e. exosphere (some scientist consider this layer to be part of space)
2. Click on the words “atmosphere” and each layer of the atmosphere to fill in the blanks below:
a. What are the two main gases found in the atmosphere?
1. Nitrogen
2. Oxygen
b. The troposphere is the lowest region of the Earth's atmosphere and is where weather occurs.
c. The stratosphere contains the ozone layer which absorbs ultraviolet energy. Look at the diagram: planes and jets can fly in the stratosphere.
d. As you go higher in the mesosphere, the temperature becomes colder. Scientists do not know much about the mesosphere, but they do know that meteors burn up in this layer.
e. The thermosphere contains a layer of charged particles called the ionosphere. It is home to the aurora (Northern Lights). This is the layer in which space shuttles fly.
f. In the exosphere the atmosphere is very high as it begins to fade into space.
a. Troposphere 0 -12 km
b. Stratosphere 12- 20 km
c. Mesosphere 50- 85 km
d. Thermosphere 85- 600 km
More NotesTemperature
X 100
Amount of moisture possible
Cloud formation
- Temperature is different from heat
- Temperature measures the average speed of the particles of a substance
- Heat describes a transfer of energy
- Temperature scales
- Fahrenheit
- Celsius
- Kelvin
- Dew Point (condensation temperature)
- Temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to reach saturation
- This varies depending on water content of the air
- When temperature reaches dew point, condensation can occur
- Temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to reach saturation
- Vertical temperature change
- Air cools as elevation increases
- Dry air cools at about 10ºC / 1000 m
- If you travel high enough, the air cools to the dew point. This is called the lifted condensation level (LCL)
- Moist air cools at about 6ºC / 1000 m
- Air pressure and density
- The air near the Earth’s surface is denser than air further up
- The higher you go, the lower the pressure because . . .
- Temperature – Pressure relationship
- As the temperature goes ↑, the pressure goes ↑ .
- This relationship is called a direct relationship.
- Temperature- density relationship
- As the temperature ↑, the density goes _↓_ .
- This relationship is called an inverse relationship.
- The temperature of the air increases the higher the elevation.
- These layers act like a lid, holding in gases below.
- Results from differences in temperature.
- Warm air has a lower density and rises causing low pressure
- Cooler air has a higher density and falls, causing high pressure
- How much moisture is in the air
- How much moisture could be in the air
- Note – warm air holds more moisture.
- If the relative humidity is 100% this means the atmosphere is more saturated.
X 100
Amount of moisture possible
Cloud formation
- Step to making clouds
- Warm, moist air rises.
- This air expands and cools
- The air reaches its dew point
- Water droplets condense around condensation nuclei
- Surface on which water droplets can form. Smoke or dust particles can act as condensation nuclei
- A cloud forms
- Causes for warm air to rise
- Orographic lifting
- Cloud formation as a result of wind moving air into a mountain. This moves the air upward.
- Warm air encounters cold air
- Orographic lifting
- Atmospheric stability
- The ability to resist rising
- A stable atmosphere has no clouds, or thin, layers of clouds.
- An unstable atmosphere will have vertical development. Thunderstorms indicate an unstable atmosphere.
- Latent heat
- The heat exchanged during a phase change
- Energy required to evaporate water is stored in the water vapor.
- When the water vapor condenses this heat is released.
- Types of clouds
- Cirrus
- Form high in atmosphere, made of ice crystals, appear as thin, white, feathery clouds
- Cumulus
- Flat-based, puffy white clouds with cauliflower appearance on top. Extends vertically several thousand ft.
- Stratus
- Layered cloud that covers most of the sky. Forms at low altitudes. Often gray.