Atmosphere: define
Major gases: 5 of them
1. _______________________ = 78% of the atmosphere.
Used for:
2. _______________________ = 21% of the atmosphere.
Used for:
3. _____________________
4. _____________________
5. _____________________
All other gases in the atmosphere are in such small quantities that they are called
__________ _______.
Also in the air are tiny particles of ________ and ________.
Layers of the Atmosphere
We divide the atmosphere into layers based on ______________ _____________ (not
altitudes) – see graph pg. 20
1. Troposphere:
In the Troposphere is found
2. Stratosphere:
In the Stratosphere why does it heat up?
What is the importance to life of this gas in the stratosphere?
3. Mesosphere:
The Mesosphere is also a protective layer for us? What does it protect us from?
4. Thermosphere:
Divided into two parts:
a. Ionosphere
b. Exosphere
Weather Factors: What are some of the factors the meteorologist tells you about on the
weather report? List and briefly explain each.
Lab Thursday on Dew Point Temperature and Relative Humidity.
Dew Point Temperature:
Relative Humidity:
Lab Activity: Dew Point and Relative Humidity Measurements – Lab write up due
tomorrow . Make sure measurements with thermometer and psychrometer are made in
class. Calculations and questions could be answered outside of class as homework if
necessary.
Quiz: Atmosphere 1
Everyday Weather: Thunderstorms video with questions
Discussion on questions from video
Wind: define
Causes:
Density tank demonstration
-In a fluid, like the atmosphere, differences in _______ will create a flow.
Differences in __________ of the air are mainly caused by differences in
__________ and _________.
1. _________________ - warm air is _____ dense than ______ air.
2. _________________ - moist air is ______ dense than ______ air
Winds do not move straight across the surface of the Earth. Why not?
_________ - An object in motion will continue that motion until affected by a
strong enough force. An object at rest will remain at rest until affected by a strong
enough force.
Explain the merry-go-round example of a curving ball
Story about the fictitious planet Campbellsportia
Relate the story to global wind patterns and explain the Coriolis Effect –
Diagram and name the global wind belts:
Global Winds – Winds that blow over ___________ areas of the Earth in the _________
general direction all the time
Which global wind belt do we live in?
How would you know this from your own daily life experiences?
Local Winds – winds that blow in any direction based on local conditions at that time
How do winds move relative to pressure differences on the surface of the Earth?
L on a weather map
H on a weather map
Land Breeze and Sea Breeze examples of local winds
Discussion: Severe Weather
How do clouds form?
Clouds – water droplets or ice crystals accumulated in an area in the air
3 main types
Cumulus
Stratus
Cirrus
Prefixes/Suffixes commonly used with clouds
Nimbo-, -nimbus
AltoCirroConditions for cloud/storm formation
How do these conditions relate to air pressure?
What is air pressure?
Air pressure is measured with a _________________.
Review conditions for cloud and thunderstorm formation.
Cloud:
The type of cloud that generally forms into our severe thunderstorms is
_________________. When they build up into towering storm clouds they are called
________________________________.
What is lightning?
How does lightning form?
How is the formation of lightning like rubbing a balloon on someone’s head and then
sticking it to the wall?
What is Thunder? How is Thunder produced?
Using thunder and lightning, how can you tell approximately how far away the lightning
strike was?
What is the 30 - 30 rule?
Two types of Electrostatic Generators
1. Van de Graff’s generator
2. Wimhurst Machine
Atmosphere Quiz 2
Cloud in a Bottle Activity – Remember the three things needed to make a cloud.
1.
2.
3.
Adiabatic Temperature Change – a temperature change that occurs without adding
or removing heat. One way to accomplish this is by changing the pressure. The more
pressure the hotter it gets. If you release the pressure it gets colder.
Thunderstorm:
Energy transfer within the Atmosphere
1. Convection:
2. Radiation:
3. Conduction:
Temperature: (review)
Wind chill factor chart from NOAA: http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml
The new Wind Chill Temperature (WCT) index:
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Calculates wind speed at an average height of five feet (typical height of an adult
human face) based on readings from the national standard height of 33 feet
(typical height of an anemometer)
Is based on a human face model
Incorporates modern heat transfer theory (heat loss from the body to its
surroundings, during cold and breezy/windy days)
Lowers the calm wind threshold to 3 mph
Uses a consistent standard for skin tissue resistance
Assumes no impact from the sun (i.e., clear night sky).
Atmospheric Problems
Review: Ozone: What is ozone?
Where is the greatest concentration of ozone found in our atmosphere?
How is this “layer” beneficial to life on Earth?
“Hole” in the Ozone Layer:
What manmade chemicals have been found to damage the ozone layer?
What have been some of the uses for these chemicals?
What part of this chemical actually affects the ozone? How?
Acid Rain: Any precipitation with a pH of less than _________.
What is pH?
On the pH scale, what is an acid? …. what is a base?
So, why does acid rain than need to be below 5.6 on the scale?
The two major pollutants responsible for acid rain are ______ and ______.
These are found naturally in the air and are from human activity.
SO2 – comes from
- forms into _____________ acid in the atmosphere
NOx – comes from
-
forms into ______________ acid in the atmosphere
Greenhouse Effect/Global Warming