Chapter 22 Section 1 Handout Characteristics of the Atmosphere

1 Define atmosphere. A mixture of gases that surrounds a planet.

2 Describe two important functions served by Earth’s atmosphere. Protects Earth’s surface from the sun’s radiation. Helps regulate the temperature

10 Describe the four steps of the nitrogen cycle. from air to soil from soil to plants and animals back to the air again

12 Identify six ways oxygen is removed from the atmosphere. animals bacteria plants forest fires burning of fuels weathering of some rocks

13 explain how oxygen is returned to the atmosphere. Plants produce large quantities of oxygen during photosynthesis.

15 As water evaporates from oceans, lakes streams, and soil, it enters air as ______. water vapor.

16 What is the life process by which plants and animals give off water vapor? transpiration

21 What is ozone? How does if differ from oxygen? Ozone is a form of oxygen present in the atmosphere in small amounts. Ozone (O3) is made up of three oxygen atoms, rather than two atoms like in oxygen (O2) .

22 What purpose does the ozone layer serve? Absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun Without it, living organisms would be severely damaged by the sun.

23 Describe the effect of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) on the ozone layer. They break down ozone and have caused parts of the ozone layer to weaken.

24 What are particulates? Various tiny solid particles in the atmosphere.

29 The pressure exerted on a surface by the atmosphere is called Atmospheric pressure.

33 It can be said that atmospheric pressure decreases as altitude increases.

Matching standard atmospheric pressure barometer mercurial barometer aneroid barometer altimeter instrument that measures atmospheric pressure using a column of liquid mercury instrument that measures atmospheric pressure; changes in atmospheric pressure cause the sides of sealed metal container to bend inward or bulge out an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure an aneroid barometer that registers altitude above sea level rather than air pressure 1 atmosphere; the average atmospheric pressure at sea level, equaling 760 mm of mercury of 1,000 millibars

54 Explain why the temperature in the troposphere decreases as altitude increases. Air in the troposphere is heated from below by thermal energy that radiates from Earth’s surface.

59 What is a temperature inversion? A layering of warm air on top of cool air.

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