The Atmosphere

The Atmosphere

1. Section 1: The Air Around You.

   • Composition of the atmosphere
     • Nitrogen-78% Oxygen-21% other gases-1%
   • Improving air quality
     • We could use clean energy services and use public transport.
   • Importance of the atmospere
     • stops meteors, makes livable conditions, and traps heat.
   • Air quality
     • Sources of pollution
       • Some are natural and some are not.
     • Smog and acid rain
       • Photo chemical smog is caused by sunlight and pollutants. It is irritaing to body parts and is deadly.  Acid rain is the product of burning coal which contains too much sulfur.

2. Section 3: Layers of the Atmospere

   • The Troposphere
     • All weather occurs here lowest level almost all mass of atmosphere varies in height from 16(equator)      to 9(poles)km +1km, -6.5 celcius at the top it is -60celsius so there are clouds of ice.
   • The Stratosphere
     • goes to 50km above earth                  surface second layer contains ozone lower portion colder than upper,           -60 celsius at lower ozone absorbs and converts the         suns energy into heat ozone protects living things from dangerous sun radiation.
   • The Mesosphere
     • middle layer starts at 50km and ends 90km dip in temp-outer portion                            -90celsius saves us from meteors
   • The Thermosphere
     • air is very thin largest and farthest section +80km no definite end gradually becomes outer space 1,800 celcius, heat can't be                recorded or felt because air so       far apart 2 sections the ionosphere, exosphere exosphere is +400km ionosphere is 90-400km gas and sunlight in the ionosphere cause ions. with the radio waves the particles glow and cause the northern lights.

3. Section 4: Energy in Earth's Atmosphere

   • Energy from the sun
     • energy from the sun are called electromagnetic waves. the waves are called solar radiation and are classified by wavelenghth of the distance between the waves.
     • Visible light
       • these are the colors of the rainbow. re being the longest and purple the shortest.
     • Non-visible radiation
       • infrared radiation is longer than red light and can be felt as heat. ultravoilet is shorter than blue and causes sunburns, skin cancer, and eye damage.
   • energy at Earth's surface
     • some of the sun's energy is reflected back into the atmosphere while the other half is absorbed and changed into heat. The heat is radiated back into the atmosphere as infrared radiation.some is then absorbed by gases.the clouds and gases trap heat in the atmosphere and this process is called the greenhouse effect. This effect makes conditions livable on earth.
   • energy in the atmosphere
     • some sunlight is absorbed or deflected by the atmosphere. most of the ultravoilet radiation are absorbed by the ozone layer.infrared is taken by gases. and clouds and dust absorb energy too. The sky looks blue because the gas and dust in the sky scatter the visible light like blue and purple better.

4. Section 6: Winds

   • What is wind
     • Wind is a fluid, it is the horizontal movement of air caused by differeces in air pressure.
     • Measuring wind
       • the direction can be aquired by looking at a wind vane. the speed by a n anrmometer.
     • Wind chill factor
       • wind doesn't affect the temp but the wind rips the heat away from you so it feels colder.
   • Local Winds
     • These happen over a small area.
     • Land breeze
       • at night land cools faster so cold air goes from the land to the sea.
     • Sea breeze
       • in the day land heats faster than water so cold air comes from the sea to cool the land.
   • Global Winds
     • These happen over a big area.
     • Global convection currents
       • The earth is hotter at the equator so air from the poles go to the equator rise then go back to the poles to fall.
     • Coriolis Effect
       • the earth rotats causing what should be straight lines to turn.
   • Global Wind Belts
     • Doldrums
       • very weak winds low are pressure cool air warmed at equator
     • Polar Easterlies
       • these areas of air are at 60 degrees and the hot and cold air combining shapes usa's weather.
     • Prevailing Westerlies
       • between 30 and 60 degree north and south  these winds are from the hose laitiudes and play a crucial part in the usa's weather.
     • Horse Latitudes
       • 30 degrees north and south latitudes warm air sinks.
     • Trade winds
       • these winds were caused by the winds that come out of the area of high pressure( the horse latitdudes)  and were used to take trade ships around.
     • Jet Streams
       • They travel along wavy paths around the earth 10 km above the land. they are a km in depth but a few hundred km wide. they go 200-400kmph

5. Section 5: Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere

   • Thermal Energy and Temp.
     • Tiny paritcles move around based on there energy. the total energy is called thermal energy and is related to temp.
     • Measuring Temp.
       • It is measured using a thermoteter
     • Temp scales
       • fahrenheit and celsius
   • Heat is transferred
     • Heating the troposphere
       • radiation from the sun heats the land. Because air doesn't do conduction well only the first few ft are heated this way. Then convection currents spread the heat.
     • Radiation
       • direct transfer of heat using electromagnetic waves.
     • convection
       • works better in solids. direct transfer of heat between two touching objects.
     • Conduction
       • in fluids they move and take their heat with them.

6. Section 2: Air Pressure

   • Properties of air
     • Pressure
       • Pressure is the amount of air pushing on you from all directions.
     • Density
       • More molecules more density. less molecules less density. density=mass/volume
   • Measuring air pressure
     • Mercury
       • there is a tube with mercury in it leading to a bowl of mercury. the line of mercury in the tube tells the air pressure.
     • Aneroid
       • airtight metal chamber, its metal chambers go in or out depending on the air pressure.
     • Units
       • many people use inches of air pressure but the natioal weather service uses millibars.
   • Altitude & the pops. of air
     • Altitude also affects density
       • Density is lower higher because the air molecules are spread farther apart.
     • Altitude affects air pressure
       • The closer you are to sea level the higher the air pressure.