Earth's Atmosphere
What is important about the Troposphere?
- All living things are located here - Contains all the water vapor in the atmosphere which produces weather and determines climate
What is the composition of the atmosphere?
- Nitrogen 78% & Oxygen 21% make up 99% - Carbon dioxide, hydrogen, argon, neon, and helium make up 1% - Always the same composition.
Why is the atmosphere important?
- Weather - Makes the Earth suitable for living things - Traps energy from the sun (harmful rays) - Keeps the Earth's surface warm enough for water to exist as a liquid - Protects the Earth from radiation and meteoroids - Soundwaves
How much bad Ozone is there and where is it located?
10% in the troposphere (pollution/smog)
How much good Ozone is there and where's it located?
90% in the Stratosphere
What is the alititude of the ionosphere?
90km to 300km
How thick is the mesosphere?
About 40km thick
How thick is the stratosphere?
About 40km thick
Photoinonication
And electronic knocked force free from an atom to form an ion (caused by UV Rays)
Why is the Earth divided into 5 layers?
Because of the change in air temperature
What do the electricity charged particles in the ionosphere do?
Bounce radio waves
Tropo
Change
CFC's
Chloro Fluoro Carbons
How does the atmosphere change as the altitude increases?
Density of air decreases
What is the ionosphere useful for?
Earth's communication system because it contains a lot of electricity charged particles
What is the last layer?
Exosphere
True or false: the earth is made up of 4 layers
False, Five
True or false: Ozone levels are at 21% in our atmosphere
False, Oxygen
True or false: the ionosphere layer stops most of the UV rays from the sun
False, Ozone
True or False: The stratosphere contains bad ozone -pollution/smog-
False, Troposphere
True or false: the stratosphere is the layer that eventually thins into outer space
False, exosphere
True or false: Oxygen makes up about 78% of the volume of atmospheric gases
False, nitrogen
True or false: The mesosphere contains a temperature inversion, colder on the bottom, warmer on the top
False, stratosphere
True or false: the different layers of the atmosphere are separated because of composition of gases
False, temperature change
True or false: the higher you go in the stratosphere the colder it gets
False, troposphere
True or false: the thermosphere has the smallest distance from the top to the bottom
False, troposphere
True or false: our original atmosphere was formed by gases released by earthquakes
False, volcanos
Thermo
Heat
What is in the troposphere?
Hot air balloons
Why does weather exist in the troposphere?
It contains all the water vapor in the atmosphere. The water vapor makes up clouds, rain, and other forms of precipitation.
What does the Ozone protect us from?
It protects us from rays which cause problems including skin cancer.
Where is the stratosphere located?
Just above the troposphere
Stratos
Layer
What gases are found in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and Ozone
What is the Ozone made up of?
O3
How much air does the troposphere contain.
Over 80% of all air in the atmosphere
How thick is the thermosphere?
Over 90km
The gas that organisms need for respiration
Oxygen
What is located in the stratosphere?
Planes
What does the mesosphere do?
Protects the Earth from meteoroids
What is in the Exosphere?
Satellites, Space Shuttles
What is the temperature of the thermosphere?
Sun rays are high here, creating high temperatures. Up to 1000* c
What is the thickness and temperature of the troposphere?
Temperature and thickness varies, between (9-16 km)
What occurs in the ionosphere?
The Aurora Boreaus (Northern Lights)
Why do planes travel through he stratosphere?
The air is thinner, so planes encounter less friction, therefore they fly faster and uses less fuel. It is also above weather.
Why does the ionosphere reflect long-distance radio signals back to earth?
The electronic ions and gases in the ionosphere transmit sound waves.
Which sphere is in the middle?
The mesosphere
What happens to the temperature in the troposphere as the altitude increases?
The temperature decreases
What happens to the temperature of the troposphere when the altitude decreases?
The temperature increases
What is the thickest layer?
The thermosphere
Which direction is the stratosphere warmer?
The top
What is the temperature of the mesosphere?
There is a wide variety of temperatures because there aren't many air molecules to absorb warmth. It is the coldest layer with a low of -120* c with a high of 0-27* c
Why would there not be any soil without the atmosphere?
There would be no weather. Which means no wind to cause weathering and erosion which breaks down rocks into soil.
True or false: Most of the atmosphere's water is located in the troposphere
True
True or false: Ozone is a form of oxygen gas
True
True or false: an increase in carbon dioxide emissions led to global warming
True
True or false: the presence of oxygen has in our atmosphere makes life possible
True
The major direct source of heat in the troposphere
UV rays
Ozone
Upper part of the stratosphere, a layer of gas that absorbs ultraviolet rays from the sun
Temperature inversion
Warmer towards the top due to the warm sun energy
What is located in the Ozone?
Weather balloons
What is the atmosphere?
a layer of gas that surrounds the Earth
What is gravity's role in the atmosphere?
holds the atmosphere in place
What do the gas molecules in the atmosphere due?
transmit sound waves