Download THE ATMOSPHERE

THE ATMOSPHERE
Gases that surround the earth
Mixture of gases such as nitrogen, oxygen,
carbon, dioxide
Changes constantly
ex: animals breathe in oxygen breathe
out carbon dioxide while plants take in
carbon dioxide and send out oxygen
Insulates the earth’s surface from the sun’s rays
Question: What is the current concern over our
atmosphere and why?
What is the mixture?
Nitrogen makes up 78% of the earth’s
atmosphere and comes from the decay of
plants/animals and volcanic eruptions
Oxygen makes up 18% of the atmosphere and
comes from plants
Other gases such as methane, argon, and carbon
dioxide make up the rest
As we get closer to the earth the air becomes
denser (heavy) as we rise through the layers of
the atmosphere, the earth’s air becomes lighter.
Provide an example of difficult areas to breathe?
Layers
• The layers are defined by the changes in
temperatures and pressure
– Troposphere- layer closest to the earth’s surface that
provides earth’s weather
– Stratosphere-layer where the sun’s ultra violet rays
are absorbed in what is called the ozone layer
– Mesosphere – coldest layer of the atmosphere at -93
C and located in the middle of the atmosphere
– Thermosphere- furthest away from the earth’s
surface. Temperature is 2000 C but does not feel as
cold because of the separation of the atoms
• Ionosphere - lower thermosphere the generates heat
energy and looks like light in the light skies of the North and
South Pole
Exosphere – Outer Space
Energy of the Atmosphere
• Air consists of electrons which are particles of energy
called ion (atom that has a charge either positive or
negative)
• Ionized air become hot and pushes out air which
creates the thunder from the lightening.
• Sun is changed into energy in the earth’s atmosphere
in three ways
– Radiation-sun’s energy as it travels across space. Once it
hits the earth it is felt as heat
– Conduction – is the flow of heat from warmer object to a
colder object when place directly in the line of heat
– Convection – transfer of heat by air currents
As the sun’s ray travel to the earth energy travels
as heat to the earth’s surface. As the surface of
the earth heats up some of the radiation is
absorbed and the rest is reflected back into the
atmosphere.
Air moves in a circular motion with cooler air
sinking and warmer rising. As air warms up for
the sun’s rays it rises cools and sinks back down.
This constant motion is
Atmosphere conditions
• Tornado – strong storm winds that over land and
touch down upon the ground starting in speeds
slightly less than 110 mph
• Hurricane- strong winds that begin out over the
sea and travel into land masses with wind speeds
beginning at 74 mph
• Extreme Lightening – travels either up or down.
It is a bright flash of light that moves energy
through the atmosphere in bright electrical
charges