The Atmoshpere

The Atmoshpere

1. The Air Around You

   • Composition of the Atmosphere
     • Nitrogen
     • Oxygen
       • Ozone is a form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of the usual two
     • Carbon Dioxide
     • Other Gases
     • Water Vapor
       • water in the form of gas
     • Particals
   • Importance of the Atmosphere
   • Air Quality
     • Pollutants are harmful substances in the air, water, or soil
     • Sources of Pollutions
     • Smog and Acid Rain
       • acid rain is rain with more acid than usual
   • Improving Air Quality

2. Air Pressure

   • Properties of Air
     • Density
       • mass in a given volume of air
     • Pressure
       • the force pushing on an area or surface 
   • Measuring Air Pressure
     • Aneriod Barometer
       • a barometer without liquid
     • Mercury Barometer
       • a glass tube open at the bottom end and partially filled with mercury
     • Units of Air Pressure
   • Altitude and the Properties of Air
     • Altitude Affects Air Pressure
       • altitude means elevation
     • Altitude Also Affects Density

3. Layers of the Atmosphere

   • The Troposphere
     • the weather happens here
   • The Stratosphere
     • the ozone layer is here
   • The Mesosphere
     • meteoroids are here
   • The Thermosphere
     • The thermosphere has no end
     • exosphere
       • the outer portion of the thermosphere
     • ionosphere
       • the inner layer of the thermosphere

4. Winds

   • What Is Wind?
     • Measuring Wind
       • wind speed can be measured with an anemometer
     • Wind-Chill Factor
       • the increased cooling a wind can cause
   • Local Winds
     • Sea Breeze
       • a local wind that blows from an ocean or lake
     • Land Breeze
       • the flow of air from land to a body of water
   • Global Winds
     • Global Convection Currents
     • The Coriolis Effect
       • the way Earth's rotation makes winds curve 
   • Global Wind Belts
     • Trade Winds
     • Prevailing Westerlies
     • Horse Latitudes
       • latitude is the distance from the equator, measured in degrees
     • Doldrums

5. Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere

   • How Heat Is Transferred
     • Conduction
       • when heat is transferred from one substance to another substance that is touching
     • Heating the Troposphere
       • convection currents
     • Convection
       • heat transfer by the movement of  a fluid
     • Radiation
   • Thermal Energy and Temperature
     • thermal energy is the total energy of motion in the particles of a substance
     • Temperature Scales
     • Measuring Temperature
       • a thermometer is a thin glass tube with a bulb on one end that contains a liquid, usually colored alchohol

6. Energy in Earth's Atmosphere

   • Energy From the Sun
     • Visible light
     • Non-visible Light
   • Energy at Earth's Surface
   • Energy in the Atmosphere
     • scattering is when particles and gases in the atmosphere reflec light in all directions