3.2
Ozone
Gas molecule
How far above Earth's surface does the mesosphere extend to?
80 km
The mixture of gases that surrounds a planet, such as Earth
Atmosphere
How much of the sun's radiation does Earth receive?
Two-billionths
Ozone absorbs what?
UV radiation
UV
Ultraviolet
The quantities of CO2 and Ch4 in the atmosphere _____ considerably as a result of what?
Vary; natural and industrial processes
Some forms of electromagnetic radiation?
Visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet light
When does nitrogen enter the earth's atmosphere? 2
When dead organisms decay
What percentage of Earth's atmosphere does Nitrogen make up?
~78%
The coldest layer of the atmosphere?
Mesosphere
The layer above the stratosphere
Mesosphere
What is the lowest layer in the atmosphere?
Troposphere
What percentage of the solar energy that enters the atmosphere passes through it and is absorbed by Earth's surface?
50%
What percentage of Earth's atmosphere does Oxygen make up?
~21%
What is the coldest temperature recorded in the mesosphere?
-93 degrees C
How far above Earth's surface does the troposphere extend to?
18 km
How far above Earth's surface does the stratosphere extend to?
18 to 50 km
Where is almost the entire mass of the Earth's atmospheric gases located?
30 km~21 mi above the surface
The atmosphere is more or less dense near the surface of the earth.
More
Three ways that energy is transferred in the atmosphere
Radiation, conduction, and convection
Difference between radiation, conduction, and convection
Radiation-energy transferred as electromagnetic waves; conduction-energy transferred as heat through matter; convection-movement of matter due to temperature variations-energy transferred as heat
What does ozone do because it absorbs what it absorbs?
Reduces the amount of harmful UV radiation that reaches Earth
All of the solar energy that enters Earth's atmosphere does does not reach Earth's surface because it is either absorbed or
Reflected and scattered
Hot air rises or falls?
Rises
As air is warmed up, what does it do?
Rises into the atmosphere
Which section of the atmosphere do weather conditions exist in?
Troposphere
How does the atmosphere impact the Earth's surface?
Insulates it
Why are the Nitrogen and Oxygen atoms in the thermosphere like they are?
Absorb X rays and gamma rays
What happens to the energy that is not absorbed by Earth's surface?
Absorbed or reflected in the atmosphere by clouds, gases, and dust or reflected by Earth's surface
What effect do motor vehicles have on the atmosphere?
Add and remove gases
What effect do volcanic eruptions have on the atmosphere?
Add gases
Why is the temperature in cities the way it is in relation to the temperature in the surrounding countryside?
Asphalt-absorb solar energy
As air rises in the atmosphere, what does it do?
Becomes more dense than the air around it and sinks
The transfer of energy as heat through particles of material
Conduction
The movement of matter due to differences in density that are caused by temperature variations and can result in the transfer of energy as heat
Convection
The continual process of warm air rising and cool air sinking and moving air in a circular motion
Convection current
Dark or light colored objects have more energy to release as heat
Dark
Which colors absorb more solar radiation?
Dark colors
The greenhouse gases do/do not exist in the atmosphere in high concentrations
Do not
Without the greenhouse effect, what would happen?
Earth would be too cold for life to exist
What are Nitrogen and Oxygen in the thermosphere like?
Electrically charged
Solar energy reaches Earth as what?
Electromagnetic radiation
Ions can radiate _____ and ______
Energy, light
T/F Gases can only be removed from the atmosphere
F
T/F The higher you, the colder it gets
F
T/F There was always only 21% Oxygen in the earth's atmosphere
F
The atmosphere is divided into how many layers based on what?
Four; temperatures that occur at different distances above Earth's surface
The radiation of the second thing that ions radiate in the thermosphere do what?
Glow in spectacular colors in the night skies near Earth's North and South Poles
The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth when CO2, H2O vapor, and other gases in the air absorb and reradiate infrared radiation
Greenhouse effect
The gases in the atmosphere that trap and radiate heat
Greenhouse gases
What are the most abundant greenhouse gases?
H2O, CO2, CH4, and NO
The temperature in cities is higher/lower than the temperature in the surrounding countryside
Higher
Breathing at higher elevations is more or less difficult than breathing at lower elevations?
More
What is the lower part of the thermosphere called?
Ionosphere
What are electrically charged atoms called?
Ions
Why is the atmosphere denser where it is?
It is pulled toward Earth's surface by gravity
What does the atmosphere's insulation of the Earth do? 2
Keeps Earth's temperature at which living things can survive
Air becomes more/less dense with elevation?
Less
Which colors reflect more solar radiation?
Light colors
How are gases added and removed from the atmosphere?
Living organisms
What happens to the cool air that left the atmosphere?
Moves to Earth until heated and less dense and rises
What happens in the thermosphere?
N and O absorb solar radiation
What are some gases that are a part of the atmosphere?
N, O, Ar, CH4, H2O vapor, and CO2
What are the two main gases in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen and Oxygen
Ozone Formula
O3
Why does the earth not continue to get warmer?
Oceans and land radiate absorbed energy back into the atmosphere
What is above the atmosphere?
Outer space
What is the second most abundant gas in the earth's atmosphere?
Oxygen
Why does the temperature in the stratosphere rise?
Ozone absorbs the sun's UV energy and warms the air
What is Oxygen primarily produced by?
Plants
Energy that is transferred as electromagnetic waves, such as visible light and infrared waves
Radiation
What does the atmosphere's insulation of the Earth do? 1
Slows rate at which Earth's surface loses heat
The air in the thermosphere has what? What does this result in?
So few air particles that they rarely collide; little heat is transferred
Almost all of the ozone in the atmosphere is concentrated where?
Stratosphere
The layer of the atmosphere that lies immediately above the troposphere
Stratosphere
The part of the atmosphere in which temperature rises
Stratosphere
T/F There are solid particles in the earth's atmosphere
T
What does the occurrence in the thermosphere result in?
Temperatures measuring above 2,000 degrees C
A park bench may become very hot on a sunny day. Why is the bench like the rock mentioned in the passage above?
The bench is continually absorbing energy from the sun
What is the Earth's densest atmospheric layer?
Troposphere
What layer of the atmosphere is located farthest from Earth's surface?
Thermosphere
In addition to gases, the atmosphere contains many types of _____, _____ ____ called _____ ____
Tiny, solid, particles, atmospheric, dust
The part of the atmosphere in which temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increases
Toposphere
How do living organisms take gases out of the atmosphere?
Trees-carbon dioxide-remove; people-oxygen-remove; trees-oxygen-add; people-carbon dioxide-add
When does nitrogen enter the earth's atmosphere? 1
When volcanoes erupt
We would or would not feel heat in the thermosphere?
Would not