1. New Unit! Weather Variables
Question of the Day What’s the structure of the atmosphere?
New Unit! Weather Variables
Can you name Earth’s 3 spheres, in order from highest to lowest?
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere
100

2. 1. Atmosphere 2. Hydrosphere 3. Lithosphere A. Water B. Gas C. Rock
Match up the Spheres of the Earth
1. Atmosphere
2. Hydrosphere
3. Lithosphere
A. Water
B. Gas
C. Rock

3. Atmosphere Gas Hydrosphere Water Lithosphere Rock
Are these spheres in order of increasing or decreasing density?
Atmosphere Gas
Hydrosphere Water
Lithosphere Rock

4. Lowest to highest density

5. Layers of Atmosphere
Based on temperature differences

6. 4 Layers of Atmosphere

7. Interfaces Between Layers
Pauses (Stops) -
Interfaces Between Layers
Named after layer below
EX. Tropopause Top of Troposphere

8. 1. Troposphere
Lowest layer
Weather
Decreasing temp. with altitude

9. 2. Stratosphere - Earth’s Sunscreen
Ozone Layer
O3 absorbs UV
Increasing temp. with altitude
Airplanes fly here

10. 3. Mesosphere Very little ozone Decreasing temp. with altitude
Coldest layer
Meteors burn up

11. 4. Thermosphere “Thermo” = heat
Dramatically increasing temp. with altitude
HOT!!! >1000º C
Intense insolation

12. Does Air Have Mass? Does Air Have Volume?

13. Mass Volume Density = Amount of matter in an object
Amount of space an object occupies
Mass Volume
Density =

14. Which layer has the greatest density
Which layer has the greatest density? (Hint: think about the order of layers)
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere

15. 1. As altitude increases in the stratosphere, air temp. _________
2. Ozone is concentrated at altitudes km. Which layer has the greatest concentration of ozone?
3. What do tropopause, stratopause and mesopause all have in common?
4. What’s the altitude of mesopause?
5. Earth’s atmosphere is divided into 4 layers based on ____________ ?

17. Layers of Atmosphere - Answers
1. Temperature increases
2. Stratosphere
3. Each is an interface between two layers of the atmosphere
4. 80 km. (or 50 mi.)
5. Earth’s atmosphere is divided into 4 layers based on temperature

19. Question of the Day What is the composition of the atmosphere?
1) Please take out ESRT 2) Draw this graph in notebook 3) Fill in graph for the Troposphere
Altitude
Temperature
101

20. Alt.
Temp.

21. Atmospheric Pressure
Also called Barometric Pressure or Air Pressure
Due to weight of overlying atmosphere pushing down

22. Which layer has the most air pressure?

23. Water Vapor
Mostly in Troposphere
Decreases with altitude

25. Composition of Troposphere? 78% N, 21% O, 1% Other (gases and dust)

26. Elements and compounds constantly moving between spheres - recycling
Atmospheric Balance
Elements and compounds constantly moving between spheres - recycling
H2O O2
CO2

32. Question of the Day How is the atmosphere heated?
Please take out Composition worksheet and ESRT
In which layer of the atmosphere does most weather occur?
1) Tropopause ) Stratopause 3) Troposphere ) Stratosphere
102

33. Question of the Day How is the atmosphere heated?
In which layer of the atmosphere does most weather occur?
1) Tropopause 2) Stratopause 3) Troposphere 4) Stratosphere
102

35. Weather Weather Variables
Condition of the variables of the atmosphere
Weather Variables
Temperature, air pressure, wind, moisture, cloud cover, precipitation, storms

36. Heating of Atmosphere Direct absorption of insolation
Conduction - air touches Earth
Absorption of infrared radiation from Earth by Greenhouse Gases

37. Condensation (water vapor → liquid)
Sublimation (water vapor → ice)
Ex.: clouds, fog, dew, frost

38. Coriolis Effect - friction at interface of atmosphere & Earth

39. Expansion and Compression of Air
Gas expands, temperature ↓
Gas is compressed (contracted), temperature ↑

40. Transfer of Heat Energy
Convection Currents
Differences in air density → differences in air pressure
Winds are the part of convection currents parallel to Earth

41. Regents Question
The transfer of heat energy within the troposphere occurs primarily by:
1) insolation
2) conduction
3) radiation
4) convection

42. Regents Question
As a mass of air rises in the troposphere, its temperature will:
1) decrease due to expansion
2) decrease due to compression
3) increase due to expansion
4) increase due to compression

44. Activity
What would you experience if you could ride an open elevator through the atmos phere? Write a travelers’ guide to an elevator ride to a point 150 km above Earth Describe changes in 1) temperature, 2) air pressure, 3) water vapor. Also, describe protective equipment you’d need to survive the trip. Bon voyage!

46. Question of the Day What factors affect air pressure?
When gas expands, temperature ____ HINT:
When gas is compressed, temperature _____. HINT:
103

47. Atmospheric Pressure = Barometric Pressure = Air Pressure
Pressure due to weight of overlying atmosphere pushing down

48. Barometer Measures air pressure in millibars (mb) or inches
1. Mercury Barometer
Air pushes down on mercury
Mercury rises in closed tube

49. 2. Aneroid Barometer
Metal can that’s a partial vacuum expands & contracts with changes in air pressure

51. Pressure Chart What’s the interval? mb scale ____ in. scale ____
Standard air pressure (1 atmosphere or atm.) at sea level is mb = in. of Hg
What’s the interval?
mb scale ____
in. scale ____

52. Convert these readings:
mb =
30.20 in.
30.53 in. = mb
29.81 in. = mb

53. Isobar Isoline connecting points of equal barometric pressure

54. Temperature vs. Air Pressure
Temperature increases ↑ Air expands
Density & pressure decrease ↓

55. Water Vapor vs. Air Pressure
Greater amount of H20 (humidity) ↑
Lower the density and pressure ↓
H20 weighs less than < N2 or 02

56. Altitude vs. Air Pressure
High altitude
Low density ↓
Low pressure ↓
Low altitude
High density ↑
High pressure ↑

58. Summary Temperature ↑ Water Vapor ↑ Altitude ↑ Decreases Decreases
Density Pressure
Temperature ↑
Water Vapor ↑
Altitude ↑
Decreases
Decreases
Decreases
Decreases
Decreases
Decreases