The Atmosphere
Processes in the Hydrologic Cycle:
Convert
To
Process
Water
Vapor
evaporation
Water vapor
Water
condensation
Ice
Water
melting
Water
Ice
freezing
Vapor
Ice
deposition
Ice
Vapor
sublimation
The Hydrologic Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
The Carbon Cycle
Greenhouse Effect & Global Warming
• The atmosphere is transparent to sunlight.
• Light hits the surface and is converted into heat.
• Greenhouse gasses (CO2, H2O, and others) trap
heat not allowing it to escape back into outer space.
• Humans may be increasing the amount of CO2 in the
atmosphere by burning fossil fuels, and thus
causing global warming
The ozone problems •
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Ozone is O3 = three atoms of oxygen bonded into a molecule.
Ozone is made by motors and engines as a pollutant.
Ozone is very reactive!
Ozone irritates your eyes, lungs, etc.
Ozone is BAD at the Earth’s surface where people live.
Ozone is made in the upper atmosphere when radiation from
the Sun hits oxygen molecules.
• Ozone acts like sunscreen and blocks harmful ultraviolet
radiation.
• Ozone is good in the upper atmosphere.
• CFC’s like Freon destroy ozone in the upper atmosphere!