Download The Atmosphere - Cobb Learning

• Earth’s
is a mixture of gases that
distributes heat and enables life to exist on Earth
•
Gases that make up the atmosphere
:
•
•
•
Keep earth’s surface warm
enough to have liquid water
Protect against dangerous
radiation
Prevent Earth’s surface from
getting hit by meteors or chunks
of rock from space
• Gases
• Nitrogen 78%
• Oxygen 21%
• Other gases 1%
• Water vapor <1%
• Solids
• Dust, volcanic ash,
salt, dirt, smoke
• Liquids
• Water
is the measure of the
force with which air molecules push
on a surface.
• Air pressure is strongest at the
Earth’s surface because more air is
above you.
• As altitude ( distance from sea level)
increases, air pressure decreases
also changes as
altitude increases due to the way
solar energy is absorbed as it moves
through the atmosphere
• High % of gases that absorb solar
energy= warmer
• Less gases that absorb solar
energy= cooler
temperature increases; does
not feel hot; outer most part
of atmosphere; no definite
outer limit
middle layer;
the coldest layer; most
meteoroids burn up here,
producing meteoroid trails
gases are
layered and don’t mix;
contains the ozone layer;
protects life by absorbing
harmful UV radiation
layer in which
we live; contains almost all of
the weather, carbon dioxide,
water vapor, clouds, air
pollution, and life-forms
• Earth and it’s atmosphere are warmed by
energy from the sun.
• We are going to discuss the three ways that
this happens: radiation, conduction, and
convection
•
is the
transfer of energy as
electromagnetic waves
• The earth receives only
about
of
the energy radiated by
the sun, but it’ enough
to drive the weather
cycle and make life on
earth possible
is the transfer of thermal
energy through a material
by
• Thermal energy is always
transferred from warm to
cold areas
• When air molecules come
into
with the warm surface of
earth, thermal energy is
transferred to the
atmosphere.
•
is the
transfer of thermal energy
by the circulation or
movement of a liquid or gas
• Most thermal energy in the
atmosphere is transferred
by
• As air is heated it becomes
less dense and rise, Cool air
is denser so it sinks, and as
the cool air sinks it pushes
the warm air up.
• This cycle of warm air rising
and cool air sinking causes a
circular movement of air
called a
• Greenhouse effect: process in which gases in the
atmosphere absorb thermal energy and radiate it
back to Earth (water vapor, carbon dioxide)
• Atmosphere acts as a greenhouse effect because
the gases function like the glass walls and roof of a
greenhouse. Allowing solar energy to enter but
prevents thermal energy from escaping
• Amount of energy Earth receives everyday from the
sun is balanced by the amount of energy Earth
radiates back into space (radiation balance)
Greenhouse Gases
and
Global Warming
• Global Warming is the gradual increase in
average global temperature
• Human activity, such as burning of fossil fuels,
and deforestation, may be increasing the
levels of greenhouse gases, such as carbon
dioxide, in the atmosphere
• If global warming temperatures continue to
rise, it could disrupt global climate patterns
Quick Check
Why does the temperature of different layers of the
atmosphere vary?
a. because air temperature increases as altitude
increases
b. because the amount of energy radiated from
the sun varies
c. because of interference by humans
d. because of the composition of gases in each
layer
Quick Check
What is the most abundant gas in the
atmosphere?
a. oxygen
b. hydrogen
c. nitrogen
d. carbon dioxide
Quick Check
A major source of oxygen for the earth’s
atmosphere is
a. sea water.
b. the sun.
c. animals
d. plants
Quick Check
The bottom layer of the atmosphere where
almost all weather occurs, is the
a. stratosphere
b. troposphere
c. thermosphere
d. mesosphere
Quick Check
The ozone layer is located in the
a. stratosphere
b. troposphere
c. thermosphere
d. mesosphere
Quick Check
Match the correct definition with the correct term.
a.
troposphere
b.
thermosphere
c.
stratosphere
d.
mesosphere
______ contains the ozone layer, which protects us from harmful radiation
______ the coldest atmospheric layer; Meteoroids burn up in this layer
______ is the lowest atmospheric layer; it is the layer in which we live.
______ the uppermost layer of the atmosphere.
Quick Check
What percentage of the solar energy that
reaches the outer atmosphere is absorbed at
the Earth’s surface?
a. 20%
b. 30%
c. 50%
d. 70%
Quick Check
Which of the following is the best example of
thermal conduction?
a.
b.
c.
d.
A light bulb warming a lampshade
An egg cooking in a frying pan
Sitting by a fireplace getting warm by the fire
Gases circulating in the atmosphere
Quick Check
By which method does most thermal energy in
the atmosphere circulate?
a.
b.
c.
d.
conduction
convection
advection
radiation
Quick Check
The balance between incoming and outgoing
energy is called
a.
b.
c.
d.
The convection balance.
The conduction balance.
The greenhouse effect.
The radiation balance.
Quick Check
As the sun heats the surface of the ocean, some
of the water evaporates and enters the air. How
does water vapor move in the atmosphere?
a.
b.
c.
d.
by waves
by clouds
by conduction
by convection
Quick Check
Energy transferred as electromagnetic waves is
called
a.
b.
c.
d.
thermal conduction.
convection.
radiation.
convection current.
Quick Check
The process by which gases in the atmosphere
absorb thermal energy and radiate it back to
earth is called
a.
b.
c.
d.
the thermal effect.
global warming
the greenhouse effect.
radiation balance.