1. The Atmosphere

2. Monday Vocabulary
1. Atmosphere—a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet or moon
2. Air Pressure---the measure of the force with which air molecules push on a surface.

3. 3. Troposphere—the lowest layer of the atmosphere , in which temperature decreases at a constant rate as altitude increases increases.
4. Stratosphere—the layer of the atmosphere that is above the troposphere and in which temperature increases as altitude increases

4. 5. Mesosphere--- the layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in which temperature decreases as altitude increases.
6. Thermosphere—the uppermost layer of the atmosphere increases as altitude increases

5. 7. Sphere=ball
8. Tropo=turning
9. Strato=layer
10. Meso=middle
11. Thermo=heat

6. Characteristics of the Atmosphere
Tuesdays Notes
Characteristics of the Atmosphere

7. Composition of the Atmosphere
Nitrogen
the most common atmospheric gas at 78%
Released from
Dead plants
Dead animals
Volcanic eruptions

8. Composition of the Atmosphere
Oxygen
Second most common gas at 21%
Released from
Phytoplankton
microalgae
plants

9. Composition of the Atmospheric
Remaining 1% of gas in atmosphere
Comes From
Argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases
Water
Found as a
Solid—ice crystals or snow
Liquid-water droplets
Gas-water vapor
Most exist as water vapor

10. Four layers of the Atmosphere
Troposphere
Lowest layer
Lies next to Earth’s surface- 0 km
Densest layer
Contains almost 90% of atmosphere’s total mass
Contains almost all of Earth’s carvon dioxide, water vapor, clouds, air pollution, weather , and life-forms
Temperature varies greatly-tends to decrease as altitude increases
Gases mix constantly

11. Stratosphere Gases are layered air is thin with little moisture
Lower part is cold, average temp -60 C
Temperature rises with altitude due to UV absorption from sun
Contains largest portion of ozone layer
Lies 16 km above Earth’s surface

12. Mesosphere Middle layer- 50 km above Earth’s surface Coldest layer
Temperature decreases as altitude increases
Temp can be as low as -93 C at top

13. Thermosphere Uppermost layer-lies 80 Km above Earth’s surface
Temp. increases with altitude
High levels of nitrogen and oxygen
( absorbs solar radiation and releases thermal energy resulting in high temps. 1,000 C or higher)
The space between particles in the thermosphere is so great that particles do not transfer much energy.
The particles in this layer move very fast.

14. Temperature v.s. Heat
Temperature is a measure of the average energy of particles in motion
Heat is the transfer of thermal energy between objects of different temperatures

16. Examining the Atmosphere
Water Cycle, Carbon Cycle, and the Nitrogen Cycle

17. Explaining the Atmosphere
Water Cycle
Explaining the Atmosphere

18. The Water Cycle

19. The Water Cycle Invisible water vapor
Evaporation from lakes, rivers, and oceans
Respiration from people and animals
Transpiration from trees and plants

20. The Water Cycle
Water Vapor cools to form clouds. Clouds cool further to form precipitation in the form of rain, sleet, or snow.

21. Run-off into lakes, rivers, and oceans
The Water Cycle
Run-off into lakes, rivers, and oceans

22. The Water Cycle

23. Where did the gas, __________, come from?
The gas came from ________________________________________________________________________________
water vapor
evaporation, breathing from us and animals, and from plant leaves.

24. Explaining the Atmosphere
Carbon Cycle
Explaining the Atmosphere

25. The Carbon Cycle

26. The Carbon Cycle
Plants use CO2 from the atmosphere in photosynthesis and convert it to sugar.

27. Animals eat the plants and use the sugar as food.
The Carbon Cycle
Animals eat the plants and use the sugar as food.

28. Animals produce waste that contains carbon compounds.
The Carbon Cycle
Animals produce waste that contains carbon compounds.

29. Through respiration, decomposers convert the waste back into CO2 .
The Carbon Cycle
Through respiration, decomposers convert the waste back into CO2 .

30. The Carbon Cycle

31. Where did the gas, __________, come from?
The gas came from ________________________________________________________________________________
carbon
decomposers changing the waste into carbon dioxide.

32. Explaining the Atmosphere
Nitrogen Cycle
Explaining the Atmosphere

33. Lightening converts atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates in the soil.
The Nitrogen Cycle
Lightening converts atmospheric nitrogen to nitrates in the soil.

34. Plants convert the nitrates in the soil to plant protein.
The Nitrogen Cycle
Plants convert the nitrates in the soil to plant protein.

35. Animals eat plant protein and convert it to animal protein.
The Nitrogen Cycle
Animals eat plant protein and convert it to animal protein.

36. The Nitrogen Cycle
Bacteria in the soil convert dead plant and animal matter that contains nitrates into nitrites.

37. Nitrites release nitrogen into the atmosphere.
The Nitrogen Cycle
Nitrites release nitrogen into the atmosphere.

38. The Nitrogen Cycle

39. Where did the gas, __________, come from?
The gas came from ________________________________________________________________________________
nitrogen
nitrites releasing nitrogen into the air.

40. Wednesday’s Notes
Atmospheric Heating

41. Energy in the Atmosphere

42. Radiation Energy transfer by waves
Earth receives energy from sun by radiation
As electromagnetic waves
Only about 2-billionths of the energy from sun
Energy drives weather cycle and makes Earth habitable

44. Conduction Energy transfer by contact
When you touch something hot you are experiencing conduction
thermal energy transferred by touch
thermal conduction -- transfer of thermal energy
Thermal energy –transfer from warm to cold areas
As air molecules touch warm Earth, thermal energy transferred to atmosphere

46. Convection Energy transfer by Circulation
Watching boiling water—you are observing convection
Thermal energy is transferred through movement
Method of most thermal energy movement in atmosphere
Movement causes heat
Hot air rises
Cool air sinks
Cool air warmed by heat of Earth’s surface and rises
The circular movement of the air is convection current

48. The Greenhouse Effect and Life on Earth
70% of radiation entering our atmosphere is absorbed by clouds and Earth’s surface as short-wave visible light (SWVL) #1
Energy converted to thermal energy and warms planet

49. continued
SWVL reradiated into atmosphere as long-wave thermal energy(LWTE) #2
The atmosphere traps some of this LWTE warming the Earth and atmosphere #3
This makes Earth livable

51. Radiation Balance Energy in, Energy out
For a livable Earth
Energy in from sun must equal energy returned to space
Solar energy absorbed is reradiated as thermal energy
The balance between incoming energy and outgoing energy is the radiation balance

52. Greenhouse gases and Global Warming
Average global temperatures have increases in past 100 years
some hypothesize that increase in greenhouse gases is causing global warming
Human activity such as burning fossil fuels and deforestation may increase greenhouse gases
Global warming could disrupt global climate

53. Evaluating my Learning
Thursdays Review

54. Describe the three physical states of water in the atmosphere?
Solid
Ice crystals or snow
Liquid
Water droplets
Gas
Water vapor

55. What does the name of each atmospheric layer mean?
Sphere=ball
Tropo=turning
Strato=layer
Meso=middle
Thermo=heat
Troposphere= layer of turning or change
Stratosphere=layer in which gases are layered
Mesosphere=middle layer
Thermosphere=layer in which temperatures are highest

56. Why doesn’t the thermosphere feel hot?
The thermosphere does not feel hot because air molecules are spaced far apart and cannot collide to transfer much thermal energy

57. How do differences in air density cause convection currents?
Cold air is more dense than warm air, so cold air sinks and warm air rises. This produces convection current

58. What is a greenhouse gas?
A greenhouse gas is a gas that absorbs thermal energy in the atmosphere.

59. Review terms with students