1. Temperature Inversions

2. Temperature Inversion

3. Air Molecules
As you go higher in the atmosphere, air becomes less dense.
The air molecules are spaced further apart 1

4. Air Molecule Density

5. Air Density That is why it is hard to breathe at high altitudes.
That is also why it is colder at high altitudes

6. Molecule Density Verses Temperature
Heat is from molecule collisions. Fewer molecules…… Fewer collisions…… Less heat! 2

7. Why Air Density Changes
The weight of the air causes the at the ground to have high pressure.
Gravity pulls the air close to the earth
The high pressure pushes the air molecules close together 3

8. Air Molecule Density

9. Temperature vs Pressure
As the pressure of a gas drops, it’s temperature also drops.
Evidence
Condensation on a Coleman lantern
Warm soda cools when you open it.

10. Air Temperature vs Altitude
SO,
The higher you go. . .
The less dense the air . . .
The colder it gets!

11. Air Temperature

12. Smoke Rises in the Air, Normally

13. Why does the hot smoke rise?4

14. What happens to the temperature of the hot smoke as is rises?5

15. Temperature Inversion
A temperature inversion is when a layer of warmer air covers the colder air at ground level. 6

16. Temperature Inversion
It forms when the ground level air is kept cold by the cold ground.
Then a warm air mass comes from another area and covers the cold air.
The inversion acts like a lid over the cold ground level air

17. How it Happens

19. Smoke Stops Rising!

20. Why does the smoke stop rising?9

21. All Over Town

22. The Air Gets Dirty!

23. Real Dirty!

24. Temperature Inversion

25. temperature inversions
SO WHAT?
How do
temperature inversions
affect us?

26. we can protect ourselves from the effects of temperature inversions?
What Can We Do?
What are some ways
we can protect ourselves
from the effects of
temperature inversions?