1. Unit 11: The Atmosphere& Weather (Part 1)15
CHAPTER
Unit 11: The Atmosphere& Weather (Part 1)

2. Lesson 15.1 Earth’s Atmosphere
The air we breathe and all the weather we see is contained in the lowest 1% of the Earth’s atmosphere.

3. Properties of the Atmosphere
Lesson 15.1 Earth’s Atmosphere
Properties of the Atmosphere
“Dry” Atmosphere Composition:
_______________(N2)
_______________ (O2)
___ other gases (including __________________)
*The atmosphere also contains ___________
78% Nitrogen
21% Oxygen 1%
Argon & Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapor

4. Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Temperature
Atmospheric Layers
4 Major Layers:
_______________
Changes in _____________ separate the layers
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Temperature

5. Troposphere 7 miles decreases 0-11km (________) above Earth’s surface
Lowest layer of the atmosphere
Temperature _________________ with increasing altitude
decreases

6. Troposphere weather Tropopause
Includes all __________, (i.e. clouds & thunderstorms)
________________ - boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere
weather
Tropopause

7. 7-31 miles Jet Planes Ozone Layer
Stratosphere
11-50km (____________) above Earth’s surface
Second layer of the atmosphere
Most ____________ travel here
______________ is located here
7-31 miles
Jet Planes
Ozone Layer

8. increases ozone UV Rays Stratopause
Stratosphere
Temperature ____________ with increasing altitude
This temperature increase is due to the ________ that absorbs & scatters the suns ___________
________________ – boundary between the stratosphere and the mesosphere
increases
ozone
UV Rays
Stratopause

9. Mesosphere 31-50 miles Meteors
50-80km (_____________) above Earth’s surface
Third layer of the atmosphere
__________headed to Earth usually burn up in the mesosphere
31-50 miles
Meteors

10. Mesosphere decreases Mesopause
Temperature ______________ with increasing altitude
Coldest layer
______________ – boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere
decreases
Mesopause

11. Thermosphere + 50 miles increases Solar radiation
+80km (_____________) above Earth’s surface
Fourth and outermost layer of the atmosphere
Temperature ___________ with increasing altitude
Extremely high temperatures due to ___________________
+ 50 miles
increases
Solar radiation

12. Particles are so spread out
Thermosphere
Very difficult to measure the temperature because the ___________________________________.
Disturbances in the thermosphere produce the aurora borealis or __________________.
Particles are so spread out
Northern Lights

14. Transfer of Heat in the Troposphere
What are some ways that you can heat up an object?

15. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
Conduction
______________ - The transfer of heat through matter by _________________
Molecules __________ & _______________________ from one molecule to another
Occurs between Earth’s __________ and the molecules in the ____ in direct contact with it
Direct Contact
Collide
Energy is Transferred
Direct
Contact
surface
air

16. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
*Heat moves from a _________ substance to a _________ substance
WARMER
COLDER

17. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
Convection
_______________ - The transfer of heat by the ____________________ within a substance.
Air is heated near Earth’s surface and becomes _______________ so the cool, more dense, air sinks down and pushes the ___________ up
Movement of currents
Less dense
Warm air
Currents

18. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
*Remember that…
Convection creates _______ in the atmosphere
Warm, less dense air rises and cold, more dense air sinks!
wind

19. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
Radiation
________________ - The transfer of heat through space by electromagnetic waves
Heat travels from the ______________________ by radiation
__________________of the atmosphere comes from radiation
sun to Earth’s surface
Most Heating
Energy Waves

20. Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
Lesson 15.1 Earth’s Atmosphere
Heat Transfer in the Troposphere
Radiation
_________
___________
Conduction
__________
Convection

21. Water in the Atmosphere

22. Water exists in the atmosphere as:
Water vapor
Gas  ___________________
Solid  ____________________
Liquid ____________________
Ice Crystals
Water Droplets

23. Melting Absorbs heat Freezing Loses Heat
Changing States
Melting
Solid to liquid: __________
Ice _________________ and turns to liquid
Absorbs heat
Freezing
Liquid to solid: ___________
Water _____________,
and turns to ice
Loses Heat

24. released absorbed Changing States Condensation Evaporation
Gas to liquid:
____________________
Heat is ____________
into surroundings
Condensation
released
Liquid to Gas: _____________ (Boiling)
Heat is _____________ from surrounding
Evaporation
absorbed

25. Sublimation Absorbed Deposition Released
Changing States
Solid to gas:
___________________
Heat _____________
Sublimation
Absorbed
Gas to solid: _______________
Heat _____________
Deposition
Released

26. Water vapor Humidity saturated maximum temperature
The amount of ________________ in the atmosphere is called ____________.
Air is “______________” when it contains the ______________ amount of water vapor possible at a given _______________
Water vapor
Humidity
saturated
maximum
temperature

27. Moving fastest can break free
Humidity
The maximum amount of water vapor in the atmosphere depends on the _________________ of the water.
Evaporation increases with temperature because the molecules in the water ___________ and the ones that are _________________________________ and become gas
temperature
Speed up
Moving fastest can break free

28. higher more Humidity High Temperature Low Temperature
The _________ the temperature of the water, the ________ water molecules will enter the air
more
High Temperature
Low Temperature

29. evaporating condensing
Humidity
Some are escaping (_____________) from the water and some are coming back to the water (_____________) at any given point
Equilibrium occurs when….
This determines the maximum possible amount of water vapor in the atmosphere at a given temperature (air is “__________”)
evaporating
condensing
The rate of molecules evaporating is equal to the rate of molecules condensing
saturated

30. 100 hold* Relative Humidity Saturation In the atmosphere
Relative Humidity is the amount of water _________________ compared to how much water the air can ________ at a given temperature
Indicates how near the air is to “____________”
________________ X = Relative Humidity
*Its really not about the air temperature but more about the water temperature…
In the atmosphere
hold*
Saturation
100
Actual Moisture
Maximum Moisture

31. warmer higher Hot vs. Cold
The __________ the temperature, the __________ the maximum water vapor
By changing the temperature you can increase or decrease the relative humidity
Constant water vapor and higher temp = ______________
Constant water vapor and lower temp = ______________
Lower RH
Higher RH

32. Warm, saturated air contains [more or less] water vapor than cold, saturated air

33. Examples
Air temperature (°C)
Max water vapor in air
30 degrees
30 grams per cubic meter of air
20 degrees
17 grams per cubic meter of air
10 degrees
9 grams per cubic meter of air
Ex. 1) If the air temperature is 30°C and the air contains 6 grams of water vapor per cubic meter of air, what is the relative humidity? Ex. 2) If the air temperature is 10°C and the air contains 6 grams of water vapor per cubic meter of air, what is the relative humidity?
20%
66.7%

34. “feels” like lower higher
Heat Index
Determines what the air temperature ________________.
High air temp + low RH = air temp feels __________ than it really is
High air temp + high RH = air temp feels ____________ than it really is
“feels” like
lower
higher

35. Heat Index

36. temperature saturation 100 below condense dew frost
Dew Point
temperature
Dew point – __________________ to which air must be cooled to reach “__________________”
Relative Humidity = ______%
If the temperature drops _________ the dew point then the moisture in the air can begin to ______________ and form _________ (> 0 C) or ________ (< 0 C)
saturation
100
below
condense
dew
frost

37. Examples
Air temperature (°C)
Max water vapor in air
30 degrees
30 grams per cubic meter of air
20 degrees
17 grams per cubic meter of air
10 degrees
9 grams per cubic meter of air
Ex. 1) If the air temperature is 30°C and the air contains 9 grams of water vapor per cubic meter of air, what is the dew point? What is the relative humidity? Ex. 2) If the air temperature is 10°C and the air contains 9 grams of water vapor per cubic meter of air, what is the dew point? What is the relative humidity?
10°C
30%
100%
10°C

38. high small low large Dew Point
If humidity is ________, a __________ temperature drop will reach dew point.
If humidity is ______, a ________ temperature drop will reach dew point.
high
small
low
large

39. Dew Point
Question #1: If the dew point is reached (AKA relative humidity = 100%) will it always begin to rain?
Question #2: If the dew is reached (AKA relative humidity = 100%) will a cloud always form?
NO!!
NO!!

41. Clouds
Water
Cloud - Visible mass of tiny _________ droplets or _____ particles suspended in the atmosphere.
ice

42. Water vapor surface Dust, salt, smoke
Clouds
3 variables must be present for clouds to form:
1) ________________: air must be saturated (at equilibrium vapor pressure).
2) Cool temperatures: air must be cooled to the ____________.
3) Condensation nuclei*: provides a __________ for condensation to occur. The particles attract water
Ex. : ______________________.
Water vapor
Dew Point
surface
Dust, salt, smoke

43. rises cools Dew point Base
Cloud formation
rises
As warm air _________ and expands due to the lower pressure, it ___________.
When air reaches a level where its temperature is lower than ________________, net condensation occurs to form a cloud.
The level where condensation
forms is called the
condensation level.
The ________ of the cloud
forms here
cools
Dew point
Base

44. Mountains What causes air to rise?
__________________ (Orographic Lifting) - Air hits mountains and is forced up

45. Frontal Wedging What causes air to rise?
__________________________ - cool air acts as barrier over which warmer, less dense air rises

46. Convergence What causes air to rise?
______________________- as air of the same density collides since it cannot be forced down, it is forced up

47. Localized Convection What causes air to rise?
__________________________________ - unequal heating of the Earth causes differences in density

48. Cloud Types

49. FORM Cirrus Cumulus Stratus Nimbus Cloud Types
Clouds are classified on the basis of their form and height.
FORM
_________ – “hair like”, high altitude, wispy
_____________ – “pile/pillow”, rounded
___________ – “ layer”, sheets or layered, no distinction between individual clouds
___________ - rain cloud
Cirrus
Cumulus
Stratus
Nimbus

50. HEIGHT Cirrus Alto Stratus Cloud Types
High Clouds (Above 6000m) - Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus
What do you notice?
Middle Clouds ( m) - Altostratus, altocumulus
Low Clouds (below 2000m) - Stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus
Cirrus
Alto
Stratus

51. High Clouds
Cirrus
Cirrostratus
Cirrocumulus

52. Middle Clouds
Altocumulus
Altostratus

53. Low Clouds
Stratus
Stratocumulus
Nimbostratus

54. Do not fit into one layer
Vertical Clouds
Do not fit into one layer
Some clouds __________________________________, these clouds can build to towering heights.
_______________ – puffy cloud usually found at low & middle cloud levels
__________________________- formed from rising of unstable air
Often associated with thunder, lightning, and ________
Cumulus
Cumulonimbus
Hail

55. Cumulonimbus

56. _________________ Cloud – Occasionally found with cumulonimbus clouds
Mammatus
_________________ Cloud – Occasionally found with cumulonimbus clouds

57. 3 5 12 4 2 6 7 1 8 9 10 11

58. Fog
Fog
surface
_________ – a cloud at the _____________ of the Earth

59. radiation Fog 4 types of fog:
Radiation fog: sometimes called ground or valley fog. Results from loss of heat by _______________. Cold air drains into low lying areas; valleys. Occurs mostly in fall and winter. Main type for Rocky Mount area.
radiation

60. Fog
Steam fog: forms when cool air moves over a ___________________________; common over rivers and lakes. Example: Tar River, Jacuzzis/hot tub
Hot body of water

61. Advection 4 Types of Fog Cold surface
________________ fog: forms when warm, moist air moves across a __________________. Found along coasts; ex. San Francisco, New England
Cold surface

62. Up-slope upward 4 Types of Fog:
______________ fog: formed by the lifting and cooling of air as it rises __________ along land slopes. Found in mountainous areas.
upward

63. moisture surface Precipitation
Any ____________ that falls from the air to the earth’s ____________.
moisture
surface

64. Bergeron Lower Heavy How rain forms _____________ Process
____________ pressure around ice crystals causes ice to grow
It becomes __________ enough to fall
Lower
Heavy

65. Collision Coalescence bump
How rain forms
Collision
2) ____________-
________________
Water Molecules _________ into one another
More drops are added
Splat
Coalescence
bump

66. What does a rain drop look like?

67. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon ______________________ on the way down
__________: smaller water droplets
Air Temperatures
Drizzle

68. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon air temperatures on the way down
_______: water is melted when it hits ground
Rain

69. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon air temperatures on the way down
________: water is frozen and stays frozen
Snow

70. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon air temperatures on the way down
__________: water freezes in mid-fall
Sleet

71. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon air temperatures on the way down
_______________________ (glaze): water freezes upon impact
Freezing Rain

72. Types of Precipitation
What kind of precipitation you receive depends upon air temperatures on the way down
_______: water is frozen as pellets and pellets grow in clouds.
Hail