1. Chapter 6 Earth’s Atmosphere

2. Importance of the Atmosphere
Atmosphere: thin layer of air that forms a protective covering around the planet
Balances heat absorbed (from sun) and heat released (into space)
Protects us from sun’s harmful rays

3. What is the atmosphere made up of?
Mixture of gases, liquids and solids
Extends from earth’s surface to outer space
Gases in the atmosphere
78% : Nitrogen
21% : Oxygen
1% : other gases
0.93%: Argon
0.03%: Carbon Dioxide
Vapor, ozone, helium, methane, krypton,
xenon

4. Atmosphere continued Solids in the atmosphere:
dust, salt, pollen
Liquids in the atmosphere
Small liquid droplets from clouds, volcanic eruptions
Mount Pinatubo---
Phillipines

5. Layers of the atmosphere

6. Layers of the Atmosphere
5 layers, each with own unique properties
Lower layers
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Upper layers
Mesosphere,
Thermosphere
Exosphere

7. Troposphere Lowest layer Extends up to 10 km
Temperature decreases as you go up
Where all weather occurs
Most of total mass of atmosphere is located here (ocean, mountains, people, animals, plants etc)

8. Stratosphere Layer above troposphere 10-50km
Temperature increases as you go up
Contains Ozone (O3)
Ozone (O3) : gas that absorbs sun’s
harmful rays (solar radiation)

9. Mesosphere Layer above stratosphere 50-85km
Temperature decreases as you go up
Find meteors here
Most meteors that enter the atmosphere burn up here

10. Thermosphere Layer above the mesosphere 85km-500km
Temperature increases as you go up (heated by radiation from the sun)
Thickest layer, known for its high temperatures
Air is very thin (molecules very spread apart)
Contains layer-ionosphere (radio waves) and exosphere

11. Exosphere Highest layer of the atmosphere (before space)
500 km-1,000km, upper boundary 10,000 km (6,200 miles)
Very thin air (molecules extremely far apart)
Satellites
Space shuttle orbits

12. Glossary Words Atmosphere Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere
Ionosphere
Water cycle

13. Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere
Light energy VS Heat Energy

14. Energy from the Sun Sun provides most energy on Earth
Drives ocean and wind currents
Allows plants to grow and produce food provides nutrition to animals
Sun’s energy can be…
- reflected back into space by clouds, atmosphere and Earth’s surface (35%)
- Absorbed by the atmosphere or Earth’s surface (65%)

15. Heat Heat- flow from high temperature to low temperature
1) Energy from the sun reaches Earth’s surface
2) Heat transferred by radiation, conduction, convection (distributes the Sun’s heat throughout the atmosphere)

16. Radiation Energy transferred in the form of rays or waves
Sun reaches Earth in the form of radiant energy
Feel the Sun’s heat and warmth

17. Conduction
Transfer of energy that occurs when molecules bump into one another (direct contact)
Earth’s surface conducts energy directly to the atmosphere
- As air moves over warm land or water, molecules in air are heated by conduction

18. Convection Transfer of heat by the flow of material
Circulates heat throughout the atmosphere
Cool air sinks, Warm air rises Convection current

19. The Water Cycle Hydrosphere: describes all water on Earth
Constant cycling of water within the atmosphere and hydrosphere- determines weather patterns and climate types
Water moves from
Earth Atmosphere Earth
Evaporation Condensation Precipitation

20. The Water Cycle
1) Sun- liquid (lakes, streams, oceans) gas (EVAPORATION)
2) Water vapor cools changes back to a liquid- clouds form (CONDENSATION)
3) Clouds grow in droplet size and fall to Earth (PRECIPITATION)
4) RUNOFF precipitation to groundwater back to ocean

21. Questions from Water Cycle Model and Study Cards
What do you see happening?
What did the ice do to the water that went into the air?
What happened to the water in the air after it cooled?
Where did the drops of water (rain) go?
How was the water in our model heated?
What heats water in the real oceans and lakes?
What did our lamp represent?

22. Atmospheric Pressure
Pressure= Force/Area (force exerted on a surface divided by the total area over which the force is exerted)
Atmospheric Pressure
Air (makes up the atmosphere around Earth) around you presses on you with tremendous force

23. Variations in Atmospheric Pressure
Atmospheric pressure changes with altitude
As altitude increases- pressure decreases
Fewer air particles are found in a given volume
As altitude decreases  pressure increases
More air particles are found in a given volume

24. Fluids in her body exert a pressure that BALANCES atmospheric pressure
Balanced Pressure
Why don’t we feel air pressure?
Pressure exerted outward by fluids of your body balances the pressure exerted by the atmosphere on the surface of your body
Fluids in her body exert a pressure that BALANCES atmospheric pressure

25. Pascal Experiment with a balloon (pg 120)
Designed an experiment in which he filled a balloon only partially with air. He then had the balloon carried to the top of a mountain. As he predicted, the balloon expanded while being carried up the mountain.
The amount of air inside the balloon stayed the same, while the air pressure pushing in on it from the outside decreased. The particles of air inside the balloon were able to spread out further

26. Air movement
Uneven heating of Earth’s surface causes some areas to be warmer than others.
Due to Earth’s curve
Equator receives more radiation (direct) than North or South poles

27. Heated Air Convection currents
Equator: hotter air from suns radiation—less dense (rise)---LOW PRESSURE
Poles: colder air---more dense (sink)---HIGH PRESSURE

28. The Coriolis Effect
Rotation of the Earth causes moving air and water to appear to turn to the
RIGHT north of the equator (northern hemisphere)
LEFT south of the equator (southern hemisphere)
Coriolis Effect + uneven heating of Earths surface  Distinct wind patterns which influence weather

29. Global Winds Doldrums : Trade Winds: Westerlies: Easterlies:
near the equator (low pressure area)
Windless, rainy zone
Trade Winds:
air extending to 30°N & S
steady winds
Westerlies:
30 °– 60° N&S moves opposite trade wind,
responsible for much movement of weather in N. Hemisphere
Easterlies:
Found near the poles
north pole-move southwest,
south pole- northwest

30. Jet Streams
Narrow belts of strong winds that blow near the top of the troposphere (~8mi high)
The polar jet stream forms at the boundary of cold, dry polar air to the north and warmer, more moist air to the south.

31. Local Wind Systems SEA BREEZE LAND BREEZE
Smaller wind systems affect local weather
Sea and Land Breezes
Convection currents over areas where land meets the seawinds
SEA BREEZE
LAND BREEZE
During the day (solar radiation warms the land more than water)
During the night, (land cools more rapidly than water)
Warm air rises over land, Cool air sinks and moves from water towards land
Warm air rises over water, cool air sinks and moves from land toward the water

32. Sea Breeze (Day)

33. Land Breeze (Night)

34. http://player. discoveryeducation. com/index. cfm