Science Layers of Atmosphere

Explain how energy in atmosphere is either absorbed or reflected in various ways using qualitative and quantitative explanations What percent of sun's energy is reflected back by Clouds, Dust and Gases into the air? What percent of sun's energy is absorbed by atmosphere's gases and particles? UV Radiation is absorbed most by which layer? Infrared Radiation is absorbed most by? What percent of sun's energy is reflected from earth's surface back into atmosphere Remaining percent of sun's energy that gets through and is absorbed by the Earth's surface and is able to heat the land and water?

25% 20% Ozone layer Water Vapor and Carbon Dioxide 5% 50%

Mesosphere

3rd highest layer in our atmosphere Meso= "middle"= Middle Sphere 50- 80 kilometers. PROTECTS Earth's surface from being hit by most METEROIDS (by breaking them apart) Above the stratosphere, a drop in temperature marks the beginning of this layer. The mesosphere is the COLDEST of the atmospheric layers. with temperatures averaging about - 90 C As altitude increases air pressure decreases because air is less dense with molecules As altitude increases temperature decreases

How does Carbon move into the atmosphere?

Accumulated carbon in forms of oil and coal is released back into the atmosphere when we burn them to heat homes, make electricity, run factories, drive cars/trucks. Driving produces more carbon dioxide than any other usual human behavior. Other contributors: home heating/ cooling, running appliances and lighting

Troposphere: Temperature change in relation to Altitude

Air is warmer near the ground and gets colder higher up. **As altitude increases in the troposphere, the temperature decreases** As altitude increases air pressure decreases because the air is less dense w/ less molecules At the top of the troposphere, the temperature stops decreasing and stays at about —60°C. (Water here forms thin, feathery clouds of ice.)

Stratosphere: Temperature change in relation to Altitude

Air temperature slowly increases with height in the stratosphere, The lower stratosphere is cold, about —60°C. Surprisingly, the upper stratosphere is warmer than the lower stratosphere.

What is electromagnetic radiation?

Energy radiated in the form of a wave as a result of the motion of electric charges. A moving charge gives rise to a magnetic field, and if the motion is changing, then the magnetic field varies and in turn produces an electric field. Examples: radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible and ultraviolet waves, x-rays, gamma rays Differ by wavelength and frequency

Oxygen

Even though oxygen is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere, it makes up LESS than 1/4 of the volume. Plants and animals take oxygen directly from the air and use it to release ENERGY from their food. Any fuel you can think of, from the gasoline in a car to the candles on a birthday cake, uses oxygen as it BURNS

InfraRed Radiation

Has wavelengths that are longer than visible light. Not visible Can be felt as Heat

Heat

Heat is the transfer of thermal energy from a hotter object to a cooler one. Heat is transferred in three ways: radiation, conduction, and convection. Need Examples

How is the atmosphere important to living things?

The atmosphere contains OXYGEN and other GASES that you and other living things need to survive. Living things need WARMTH and LIQUIDS. By trapping energy from the sun, the atmosphere keeps most of Earth's surface warm enough for water to exist as a liquid. In addition, Earth's atmosphere PROTECTS living things from dangerous RADIATION from the sun. The atmosphere also PREVENTS Earth's surface from being hit by most METEOROIDS, or rocks from outer space.

Ozone

The middle portion of the stratosphere has much more ozone than rest of atmosphere When the ozone absorbs energy from the sun, the energy is converted into heat, warming the air. Protects Earth's living things from dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun. ozone is the 3 ATOM form of Oxygen.

Greenhouse effect

The process by which GASES hold HEAT in the AIR. Heat is Trapped in the atmosphere by gases that form a "BLANKET" around Earth.

Thermosphere

The thermosphere extends from 80 kilometers above Earth's surface outward into space. It has no definite outer limit, but blends gradually with outer space. The thermo- means "heat' so = Heat sphere Near the top of the atmosphere, the AIR is very THIN Air is thin but surprisingly hot ( up to 1,800°C) because sunlight hit thermosphere first and the Nitrogen and Oxygen molecules convert this energy into heat. Despite the high temperature, you would NOT feel WARM in the thermosphere. This is also the layer where the AURORAS occur. The thermosphere is divided into 2 Layers: Ionosphere Exosphere

Conduction

The transfer of heat between substances that are in DIRECT CONTACT / touching. NEED EXAMPLES

Convection

The transfer of heat by the MOVEMENT OF FLUID is called convection. In fluids (liquids and gases), particles can move easily from one place to another. As the particles move, their energy goes along with them. NEED EXAMPLES

How thermometers work?

Thermometers work because liquids expand when they are heated and contract when they are cooled. When the air temperature increases, the temperature of the liquid in the bulb also increases. This causes the liquid to expand and rise up the column.

Where do communications satellites orbit (space shuttle and the International Space Station ?

Thermosphere - middle to upper part of thermosphere

How does electromagnetic radiation travel?

Through the vacuum of space in the form of waves Does NOT require a medium or material to travel

Radiation

Transfer of heat through electromagnetic waves No direct contact of one object with another Occurs when elctromagnetic waves travel through empty space Direct TRANSFER of ENERGY by electromagnetic waves. examples: heat from the SUN heat from a LIGHT BULB heat from a burning FIRE

How does temperature change as height increases in the Troposphere? Compare this to how temperature changes with height in the Stratosphere

Troposhpere: Air temperature DECREASES with height. As altitude increases, the temperature decreases. On average, for every 1-kilometer increase in altitude, the air gets about 6.5 Celsius degrees cooler. Stratosphere: Air temperature INCREASES with height. As altitude increases air temperature increases.

Troposhere

Troposphere is the LOWEST major atmospheric layer, extending from the Earth's surface up to the bottom of the stratosphere. Although it is the smallest layer, the troposphere contains **** almost all (80% ) of the MASS*** of the atmosphere. The depth of the troposphere varies from 0 to 12 km Tropo- means "turning" or "changing = Conditions ihere are more variable than in the other layers. It is where ALL of EARTH'S WEATHER occurs - rain, snow, storms, and most clouds occur in the troposphere

How does Carbon move into the ground?

Via PHOTOSYNTHESIS plants use the sun's ENERGY and air's CARBON DIOXIDE to grow. People and animals eat plants so the carbon and stored energy moves into living things As living things die and decompose the carbon and energy move into the ground. Over time this becomes fossil fuels - coal and oil

What is water vapor?

Water in the form of GAS INVISIBLE Strong effect on weather and climate because amounts vary

How is electromagnetic radiation classified

Wavelength and frequency Electromagnetic waves are classified according to wavelength, or distance between waves, measured from crest to crest or trough to trough

Stratosphere

12 - 50 km 2nd major atmospheric layer above the troposphere NO weather occurs in the stratosphere. The air here is very DRY and it is about a thousand times more THIN here than it is at sea level. Air temperature *** INCREASES *** with height OZONE is abundant here. Ozone absorbs Ultraviolet Radiation from the sun. It HEATS the atmosphere while also ABSORBS all harmful radiation from the sun. This ability to absorb ultraviolet radiation causes air molecules to increase their kinetic energy so the upper stratosphere is warmer than the lower part. As altitude increases air pressure decreases because the air is less dense with molecules

Greenhouse Effect Process

When Earth's surface is heated it RADIATES most of the energy back into the atmosphere as INFRARED RADIATION Much of this infrared radiation cannot travel all the way through the atmosphere and back into SPACE Instead it is absorbed by water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and other gases in the air. The energy from the radiation heats the GASES in the air. these gases form a blanket around Earth that holds HEAT in the atmosphere The process by which gases hold heat in the air is called the GREENHOUSE EFFECT I1t is a natural process that keeps Earth's atmosphere at a temperature that is comfortable for most living things.

How is air temperature is usually measured

Air temperature is usually measured with a thermometer. A thermometer is a thin glass tube with a bulb on one end that contains a liquid, usually mercury or colored alcohol.

Carbon Cycle

As part of the carbon cycle, plants take in carbon dioxide produced by humans and animals and use it for photosynthesis. Plants then release oxygen, which humans and animals use to breathe. When any organic thing dies, be it human, plant or animal, it releases carbon into the atmosphere.

How would the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere change if there were no plants?

Available oxygen would be less and the amount of carbon dioxide would significantly INCREASE.

Reasoning

EXPLANATION of the logic behind WHY the facts support the claim use logic to TIE together evidence to the claim detailed explanation for WHY evidence led to claim Explanation of the Science Concepts Why do the facts support the statement Why did my experiement turn out the way it did Science the justifies why answer is best answer

Atmosphere

Earth's atmosphere is the ENVELOPE of GASES that surround the planet. The atmosphere is made up of a mixture of atoms and molecules of different kinds. Earth's atmosphere is made up of: Nitrogen Oxygen Carbon Dioxide Water Vapor, (and other gases, as well as particles of liquids and solids)

Electromagnetic wave

Electromagnetic waves = a form of energy that can move through the vacuum of space Nearly all the energy in Earth's atmosphere comes from the sun and this energy travels to Earth as electromagnetic waves, Electromagnetic waves transfer electric and magnetic energy through the vacuum of space.

What is the difference between Global warming and climate change?

Global Warming describes the current increase in Earth's average temperature near the Earth's surface. Climate Change refers to the broader set of changes that go along with global warming, including changes in weather patterns, wind, precipitation, season's length, ecosystems, etc.

Visible Light

Includes all the colors you can see in a rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, purple and violet. The different colors are the result of different wavelengths

Why would a thermometer in the thermosphere read 0 degrees C when the real temp is around 1800 C

Temperature = the AVERAGE amount of ENERGY of MOTION of each molecule of a substance. The gas molecules in the thermosphere move very rapidly, so the temperature is very high. However, the molecules are spaced FAR APART in the thin air. There are not enough of them to collide with a thermometer and warm it very much.

Be able to draw, recognize or match names, chemical symbols and ball and stick diagrams of the Greenhouse gases studied...

carbon dioxide methane ozone water

3 Ways that heat transfers in our atmosphere?

conduction radiation convection

Evidence

the FACTS that support the main idea Observations Experimental Evidence Facts..... lead you to make a claim

How does carbon dioxide trap heat like a greenhouse?

Carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere trap sun's energy like a greenhouse The RIGHT amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases PROTECTS us, keeps us warm We have been increasing greenhouse gas levels in the last 100 years by burning fossil fuels thus increasing the temperature of the Earth.

Carbon Dioxide

Carbon dioxide is ESSENTIAL for LIFE. Most important greenhouse gas emitted by humans Levels increasing because: Burning fossil fuels - cars, heat, electricity Cutting down trees, burning vegitation Industrial and manufacturing processes i.e. cement factories and chemical production Lasts in the atmosphere 50 to thousands of years

2 Layers of the Thermosphere

Ionosphere - the lower layer is about 80 kilometers above the surface and extends to about 400 kilometers. Exosphere - the upper, outer portion of the thermosphere, from 400 kilometers outward for thousands of km.

Nitrogen

Nitrogen is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere. It makes up a little more than 3/4 of the air we breathe.

Particles

Pure air contains only gases. But pure air exists only in laboratories. In the real world, air also contains tiny solid and liquid particles of dust, smoke, salt, and other chemicals. Some you can see in the air around you, but most are too small to see.

UltraViolet Radiation

Shorter wavelengths than violet light Invisible form or energy Causes sunburns, skin cancer and eye damage

Temperature

Temperature is the average amount of energy of motion in each particle of a substance. It is a measure of how hot or cold a substance is. The total energy of motion in the particles of a substance is called thermal energy.

Claim

The MAIN idea Statement Hypothesis was proven correct (... or incorrect) Answer to a multiple choice question

What are the four most common gases in dry air?

nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor,