1. Atmospheric Basics Chapter 11.1 Earth/Environmental Science WZPP ees

2. WZPP ees 11.12 Atmospheric Composition Air is a combination of many gases The atmosphere extends from the Earth’s surface to outer space About 99% of the atmosphere is made of nitrogen and oxygen, With small amounts of other gases

3. WZPP ees 11.13 Key Atmospheric Gases The amount of water vapor can vary from zero to as much as 4% of the atmosphere. The percent varies with the Seasons Altitude of a particular air mass Surface features under the air

4. WZPP ees 11.14 Key Atmospheric Gases Carbon dioxide and water vapor Regulates the amount of energy the atmosphere absorbs When water changes from one state to another (solid  liquid  gas) Heat is either absorbed or released Which affects atmospheric motions  Weather patterns  Climates

5. WZPP ees 11.15 Solids in the atmosphere Dust & salt Used in cloud formation Ice & snow

6. WZPP ees 11.16 Structure of the Atmosphere Is made of different layers Layers differ in composition temperature

7. WZPP ees 11.17 Solar Fundamentals The sun is the source of all energy in the atmosphere Is transferred to Earth by Radiation

8. WZPP ees 11.18 Troposphere Is the layer closest to Earth NASA chart

9. WZPP ees 11.19 Troposphere Has the most mass of the atmosphere Has the most weather The most pollution There is a general decrease in temperature from the bottom to the top

10. WZPP ees 11.110 NASA chart

11. WZPP ees 11.111 Tropopause Is the upper limit of the troposphere Is the point where the temperature stops decreasing Varies in height 9 km at the poles 16 km at the equator

12. WZPP ees 11.112 Stratosphere Is a layer of concentrated ozone Ozone absorbs more ultraviolet radiation than air The stratosphere increases in temperature From -60 ºC to about 0 ºC

13. WZPP ees 11.113 Stratopause Is about 50 km above the Earth’s surface Is about 50 km above the Earth’s surface NASA chart

14. WZPP ees 11.114 Mesosphere Has No concentrated ozone The temperature decreases again From about 0 ºC to -90 Cº

15. WZPP ees 11.115 Mesopause Is the boundary between the mesosphere and thermosphere At 80 km above the Earth's surface

16. WZPP ees 11.116 Thermosphere Has only a very small portion of the Earth’s atmosphere The temperature of the air does increase to 1000 ºC Molecules are far apart from one another

17. WZPP ees 11.117 Ionosphere Is part of the thermosphere Has electrically charged particles Layers of progressively lighter gases NASA- Aurora borealis

18. WZPP ees 11.118 Exosphere Is the outer most layer of the atmosphere Made of lighter gases of helium & hydrogen There is no clear boundary between the atmosphere and space There is just fewer and fewer molecules

19. WZPP ees 11.119 How to remember the order of the layers to the atmosphere Tr oposphere S tratosphere M esosphere Th ermosphere E xosphere Tr ack S mall M eters Th rough E arth