Density & Convection Currents Above & Beyond

Application of Density to Atmospheric Energy Transfers… 1.Why do we need to study density? 2.Why do we need to study the layers of the Earths’ atmosphere? 3.How does the density of atmospheric gas change as altitude increases? 4.How does the change in density relate to energy transfers from the Sun to the Earth?

Answers…. The uneven heating of the Earth create localized density gradients. These are areas (fairly uniformly dispersed globally) that result from increased energy inputs. As the amount of energy given to a system (in this case, atmospheric gases in the troposphere) increases, the temperature of those gases will increase and the density will increase.

Answers… The composition of the troposphere has been clearly discussed; The density of those gases decrease as altitude increases; At 20,000 feet, the composition remains the same, but the density is much less. This is important because the atmosphere holds the energy from the Sun (which is absorbed by the surface of the Earth); Without the atmosphere, all of the energy from the Sun would be released back into space every night.

Big Picture…. Certain gases in the atmosphere absorb energy differently. 1.Look at the composition of atmospheric gases and identify the ability of each gas to hold heat. 2.Which gases are inert? 3.Historically, (beyond the last 2,000 years) what events have shaped the composition of the atmosphere? 4.How have Earth systems (specifically the atmosphere) been altered by those events?