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UNIT VI STUDY GUIDE Earth’s Atmosphere Learning Objectives Reading Assignment Supplemental Reading Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: 1. Define weather and how it is different from climate. 2. Describe the major components of clean, dry air. 3. Describe the extent and structure of the atmosphere. 4. Explain what causes temperature to vary from place to place. 5. Explain how the atmosphere is heated and what causes seasons. 6. Discuss humidity, basic cloud-forming processes, and the mechanisms that initiate the vertical movement of air. 7. Describe fog, how it forms and how precipitation is produced in a cloud. 8. Identify the criteria used for cloud classification and the conditions necessary for condensation. 9. Discuss global warming and ozone depletion. Ozone Science: The Facts Behind the Phaseout Unit Summary Chapter 11: Heating the Atmosphere Chapter 12: Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation Global Warming Frequently Asked Questions Key Terms Key Terms are in bold lettering within the chapters. Definitions for each key term can be found within the reading and within the glossary beginning on page 489 of the textbook. An all-encompassing approach regarding Earth’s atmosphere will be included in this unit as we explore Chapters 11 and 12 in our textbook. We begin our study in this unit with “Heating the Atmosphere,” introducing the subject of meteorology by presenting its definition, noting the differences between weather and climate, and listing the elements of weather. We will also include in our study an assessment of the chemical composition of the atmosphere and the depletion of ozone. The structure and extent of the atmosphere is also examined. Also in Chapter 11, we will examine the heating of the atmosphere. The variables that control the quantity of solar radiation intercepted and reflected will be identified, followed by a detailed investigation of the seasons. Radiant energy and common mechanisms of heat transfer are introduced, which will lead us into a discussion of atmospheric heating by solar and terrestrial radiation. The factors that cause variations in temperature, such as, differential heating of land and water, altitude, and geographic position, will also be explained. Our study of this chapter concludes with a short summary of the global distribution of world surface temperatures. In Chapter 12, we will examine the process of “Moisture, Clouds, and Precipitation” and begin with an examination of the processes and energy requirements involved in the changes of state of water, including the ability of water to store and release latent heat. After you read about the various methods used to express humidity, we will explore further the relationship between temperature, water vapor content, relative humidity, and dew-point temperature. You will also investigate the adiabatic process and formation of condensation aloft. We will also review the processes that lift air, and evaluate the conditions that influence the stability of air. Included in your chapter reading will be a classification of cloud types (cirrus, cumulus and stratus) as well as a review of formation and types of fog. Chapter 12 will conclude with an explanation of the processes involved in the formation of precipitation and the various forms of precipitation. ES 1010, Earth Science 1