Meteorology
Study of the Atmosphere
Atmosphere
 Layers
Earth.
of gasses/tiny particles that surround
Meteorology
 Study
of the Atmosphere (Ex- Why is sky red?)
Weather
 Condition
of the atmosphere at a particular
time and place
 Temperature, air movements, moisture
Atmospheric Composition
(pie chart)
Air Pressure Definition
 Force
of air on the surface of the earth
 Can look at it 2 ways:


AP = (# of air molecules) / (Area)
AP = (# of collisions) / (Area)
How can we show Air Pressure?
3 Ways to Change Air Pressure
 Change
Volume
 Change # of molecules
 Change Temperature
Barometer- Measures atmospheric pressure.
Mercurial Barometer
 “Mercurial”
comes from the fact
that many used mercury as the
liquid in the barometer
 Air pressure pushes on liquid and
squeezes it up a certain height
(giving pressure)
Aneroid Barometer
Atmospheric Layers
 Layers
in sky based on
different temperature (Usually
defined by altitude).
 There
is not an exact change
on a line between each layer,
but more of a gradual shift.
Troposphere

Closest to Earth, where all weather occurs
 Temperature drops by about 6.5oC/km due to increase
distance from heat absorbed by earth.
 Top of this layer is Tropopause, where temp is
constant
Stratosphere

Goes from top of troposphere to about 50 km.
 Most of the Ozone (03) is here.
 Temp increases due to absorption of sunlight by O3
molecules.
 Top is Stratopause where temp is constant
Mesosphere
 Goes
from top of Stratosphere to about
80km.
 Temp starts to decrease again and this is
the coldest layer (up to -90oC).
 Top is Mesopause
Thermosphere
 Top
of Mesosphere to outter space
 Increase b/c N and O atoms absorb solar
energy (like the O3 in the Stratosphere)
 Temp as much as 2000oC
Ionosphere
 80-550
km
 Solar rays strike atoms in the layer, striping
electrons causing them to become ions
Exosphere
 550km-outer
space (more than 1000km)
Solar Energy
 All
of the waves of energy that come from
the sun (everything form EM Spectrum)
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Visible Wavelengths
Radiation
 Energy
from sun that travels to Earth as waves
Reflection vs Scattering
Scattering
•The shorter the
wavelength, the
more likely it is
to be scattered.
•Longer
wavelengths are
more easily
reflected.
HW
 Why
does the sky sometimes appear blue,
othertimes red, and sometimes white?
 Explain Each…
Why is sky Red during sunset?
 Annimation
 Youtube
Video
Why does the sky appear white
sometimes?
A
lot of moisture in atmosphere will cause
all particles to scatter, or if there is no
cloud cover and if the sun is overhead, the
sun will look whitish because all visible
light passes to your eye.
 But don’t look directly at the sun!
Absorption
 Any
solar energy that is NOT reflected is
absorbed.
All Energy Reaching Earth
 Energy
that reaches Earth is either reflected
or absorbed
 How much is reflected or absorbed
depends on surface
 The fraction that is reflected is called albedo
Albedo
 This
determines the level of reflectivity of a
substance.
 The higher the Albedo number, the more
reflective a substance is.
 Examples:



Snow albedo = 95 (95% reflected, 5% absorbed)
Forest albedo = 10 (10% reflected, 90% aborbed)
Grass albedo = 26 (26% reflected, 74% aborbed)
Other Reasons Temp Varies
Throughout the Planet
 Latitude
(hottest on the equator due to more
direct sunlight)
Other Reasons Temp Varies
Throughout the Planet
 Altitude
(Colder at higher elevations due to
less moisture and air molecules to absorb heat)
Other Reasons Temp Varies
Throughout the Planet
 Bodies
of Water (Water abosorbs heat well
and therefore areas around water have more
moderate temperature ranges)
Greenhouse Effect

Trapping of
infrared heat by
gas molecules
reflecting infared
heat in the
atmosphere back
to earth.
 These infared
rays are reflected
back to earth
where the warm
earth’s surface
again.
Why is some energy reflected
back?
 Let’s
draw a diagram
3 Views on Global Warming due to
increase in greenhouse effect.
 Nat
Geo
 Glen Beck
 Past President of the United States
3 Ways Heat Moves
Conduction: Heat transfer by
direct contact
Convection: heat transfer
by air current
In your notes make a prediction.
 What
will happen if you hold a balloon of
Air and a balloon of water over a flame?
 WHY!
Let’s Try a Demonstration!
 Why
does one balloon pop in the flame
and the other does not? Explain in
scientific terms!
But WHY are all the wind patterns
curved and not straight?
 Coriolis
Effect…
Let’s see what you know?
 Turn
to a blank page in your notes…
Where could this sunset be and
why is it not red?
Label Conduction, Radiation, Convection
What types of energy is blocked by
the ozone layer?
 What
is the
greenhouse effect
(diagram/label it)?
Explain yourself
please…
 What
is global
warming? How is it
different from the
greenhouse effect?
How does Conduction Work? Be
very specific and diagram/label it!
How does Convection work? Be
very specific, diagram/label it!
What is air pressure? How do we
change it in a closed system?
Wind questions…
 Where
does wind come from?
 Why is there a low pressure system on
(close to) the equator?
 Why don’t the winds just blow north to
south in the N. Hemisphere and south to
north in the S. Hemisphere?
Answer this…
 Explain
why if you were in a ship 5 miles north
of me and I aimed a cannon directly at your
boat and I shot a cannon ball at you, it would be
unlikely I would hit you without altering my
cannon direction?