Atmosphere Chapter 6 Earth’s Atmosphere. Importance of the Atmosphere Atmosphere: thin layer of...
-
Upload
rolf-stone -
Category
Documents
-
view
228 -
download
0
Transcript of Atmosphere Chapter 6 Earth’s Atmosphere. Importance of the Atmosphere Atmosphere: thin layer of...
AtmosphereAtmosphereChapter 6Chapter 6
Earth’s AtmosphereEarth’s Atmosphere
Importance of the AtmosphereImportance of the Atmosphere• Atmosphere: thin
layer of air that forms a protective covering around the planet
• Balances heat absorbed (from sun) and heat released (into space)
• Protects us from sun’s harmful rays
What is the atmosphere made up What is the atmosphere made up of?of?
• Mixture of gases, liquids and solids
• Extends from earth’s surface to outer space
• Gases in the atmosphere– 78% : Nitrogen– 21% : Oxygen– 1% : other gases
• 0.93%: Argon• 0.03%: Carbon Dioxide• Vapor, ozone, helium, methane,
krypton, xenon
Atmosphere continuedAtmosphere continued
• Solids in the atmosphere:– dust, salt, pollen
• Liquids in the atmosphere- Small liquid droplets from clouds, volcanic
eruptions
- Mount Pinatubo--- Phillipines
Layers of the atmosphereLayers of the atmosphere
Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere
• 5 layers, each with own unique properties
• Lower layers– Troposphere– Stratosphere
• Upper layers– Mesosphere, – Thermosphere– Exosphere
TroposphereTroposphere• Lowest layer
• Extends up to 10 km
• Temperature decreases as you go up
• Where all weather occurs• Most of total mass of atmosphere is
located here (ocean, mountains, people, animals, plants etc)
StratosphereStratosphere
• Layer above troposphere
• 10-50km
• Temperature increases as you go up
• Contains Ozone (O3)
– Ozone (O3) : gas that absorbs sun’s
harmful rays (solar radiation)
MesosphereMesosphere
• Layer above stratosphere
• 50-85km
• Temperature decreases as you go up
• Find meteors here
• Most meteors that enter the atmosphere burn up here
ThermosphereThermosphere• Layer above the mesosphere• 85km-500km• Temperature increases as you go up (heated by
radiation from the sun)
• Thickest layer, known for its high temperatures• Air is very thin (molecules very spread apart)• Contains layer-ionosphere (radio waves) and
exosphere
ExosphereExosphere
• Highest layer of the atmosphere (before space)
• 500 km-1,000km, upper boundary 10,000 km (6,200 miles)
• Very thin air (molecules extremely far apart)
• Satellites
• Space shuttle orbits
Glossary WordsGlossary Words
• Atmosphere• Troposphere• Stratosphere• Mesosphere
• Thermosphere• Exosphere• Ionosphere • Water cycle
Energy Transfer in the Energy Transfer in the AtmosphereAtmosphere
Light energy VS Heat EnergyLight energy VS Heat Energy
Energy from the SunEnergy from the Sun• Sun provides most energy on
Earth• Drives ocean and wind currents• Allows plants to grow and
produce food provides nutrition to animals
• Sun’s energy can be…• - reflected back into space by
clouds, atmosphere and Earth’s surface (35%)
• - Absorbed by the atmosphere or Earth’s surface (65%)
HeatHeat• Heat- flow from high temperature to low temperature
• 1) Energy from the sun reaches Earth’s surface• 2) Heat transferred by radiation, conduction,
convection (distributes the Sun’s heat throughout the atmosphere)
RadiationRadiation• Energy transferred in
the form of rays or waves
• Sun reaches Earth in the form of radiant energy
• Feel the Sun’s heat and warmth
ConductionConduction• Transfer of energy that
occurs when molecules bump into one another (direct contact)
• Earth’s surface conducts energy directly to the atmosphere
- As air moves over warm land or water, molecules in air are heated by conduction
ConvectionConvection
• Transfer of heat by the flow of material
• Circulates heat throughout the atmosphere
• Cool air sinks, Warm air rises Convection current
The Water CycleThe Water Cycle
• Hydrosphere: describes all water on Earth• Constant cycling of water within the atmosphere and
hydrosphere- determines weather patterns and climate types
• Water moves from– Earth Atmosphere Earth
• Evaporation Condensation Precipitation
The Water CycleThe Water Cycle• 1) Sun- liquid (lakes,
streams, oceans) gas (EVAPORATION)
• 2) Water vapor cools changes back to a liquid- clouds form (CONDENSATION)
• 3) Clouds grow in droplet size and fall to Earth (PRECIPITATION)
• 4) RUNOFF precipitation to groundwater back to ocean
Questions from Water Cycle Model Questions from Water Cycle Model and Study Cards and Study Cards
• What do you see happening?• What did the ice do to the water that went into
the air?• What happened to the water in the air after it
cooled?• Where did the drops of water (rain) go?
• How was the water in our model heated?• What heats water in the real oceans and lakes?• What did our lamp represent?
Atmospheric PressureAtmospheric Pressure
• Pressure= Force/Area (force exerted on a surface divided by the total area over which the force is exerted)
• Atmospheric Pressure– Air (makes up the atmosphere around Earth)
around you presses on you with tremendous force
Variations in Atmospheric PressureVariations in Atmospheric Pressure• Atmospheric pressure
changes with altitude
• As altitude increases- pressure decreases– Fewer air particles are found
in a given volume
• As altitude decreases pressure increases– More air particles are found
in a given volume
Balanced PressureBalanced Pressure
• Why don’t we feel air pressure?
• Pressure exerted outward by fluids of your body balances the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on the surface of your body
Fluids in her body exert a pressure that BALANCES
atmospheric pressure
PascalPascal• Experiment with a balloon (pg 120)
– Designed an experiment in which he filled a balloon only partially with air. He then had the balloon carried to the top of a mountain. As he predicted, the balloon expanded while being carried up the mountain.
– The amount of air inside the balloon stayed the same, while the air pressure pushing in on it from the outside decreased. The particles of air inside the balloon were able to spread out further
Air movementAir movement• Uneven heating of Earth’s surface causes some
areas to be warmer than others.
• Due to Earth’s curve– Equator receives more radiation (direct) than North or
South poles
Heated AirHeated Air• Convection currents
– Equator: hotter air from suns radiation—less dense (rise)---LOW PRESSURE
– Poles: colder air---more dense (sink)---HIGH PRESSURE
The Coriolis EffectThe Coriolis Effect• Rotation of the Earth causes
moving air and water to appear to turn to the – RIGHT north of the equator
(northern hemisphere)– LEFT south of the equator
(southern hemisphere)
Coriolis Effect + uneven heating of Earths surface Distinct wind patterns which influence weather
Global WindsGlobal Winds• Doldrums :
– near the equator (low pressure area)– Windless, rainy zone
• Trade Winds: – air extending to 30°N & S
– steady winds
• Westerlies: – 30 °– 60° N&S moves opposite trade
wind,– responsible for much movement of
weather in N. Hemisphere
• Easterlies: – Found near the poles
– north pole-move southwest,– south pole- northwest
Jet StreamsJet Streams• Narrow belts of strong
winds that blow near the top of the troposphere (~8mi high)
• The polar jet stream forms at the boundary of cold, dry polar air to the north and warmer, more moist air to the south.
Local Wind SystemsLocal Wind Systems• Smaller wind systems affect local weather• Sea and Land Breezes
– Convection currents over areas where land meets the seawinds
SEA BREEZE LAND BREEZEDuring the day (solar radiation warms the land more than water)
During the night, (land cools more rapidly than water)
Warm air rises over land, Cool air sinks and moves from water towards land
Warm air rises over water, cool air sinks and moves from land toward the water
Sea Breeze (Day)Sea Breeze (Day)
Land Breeze (Night)Land Breeze (Night)
• http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=B2B07925-15A4-4728-875D-B4369021CC65&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US
• http://player.discoveryeducation.com/index.cfm?guidAssetId=673E2875-4BF9-4A2C-9CC8-6EB7EA610F40&blnFromSearch=1&productcode=US