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Essential Question:
Atmosphere (Chapter 17)
Composition of the Atmosphere
 Major Constituents (99%):
o Nitrogen: 78%
o Oxygen: 21%
 Other : 1%
Movement of Heat Energy
 Radiation: the transfer of energy through space in the form of electromagnetic
waves
 Convection: the transfer of heat energy in a liquid or gas through the motion
caused by difference in density.
 Conduction: the transfer of heat energy through collisions of the atoms or
molecules of a substance.
Heat and Temperature
 Temperature: is a measure of the average kinetic energy of atoms or molecules
in the substance.
 Heat: the total kinetic energy of all of the particles of the substance.
Layers of the Atmosphere:
Troposphere:
 Lowest region of the atmosphere
 Where weather occurs
 Contains 99% of the water vapor
and 75% of the atmospheric
gases.
 Temperature decreases with
altitude.
 Top of the troposphere is the
tropopause.
Stratosphere:
 15 to 50 km altitude
 Heating occurs because of ozone
(O3) absorbs ultraviolet radiation
from the Sun.
Summary:
Essential Question:

Temperature increases with altitude due to ozone absorbing ultraviolent
radiation.
 Top of the stratosphere is known as the stratopause.
Mesosphere:
 50 to 90 km altitude
 Temperature decreases with altitude.
 Lowest temperature in the entire atmosphere are found at in this layer.
 Top of the mesosphere is known as the mesopause.
Thermosphere:
 90 to 500 km in altitude.
 Temperature increase with altitude above 90 km, and become constant about 200
km.
 Heating due to absorption of solar radiation.
 Highest temperatures in the atmosphere can be found in this layer.
Ionosphere:
 Occurs within the mesosphere and thermosphere between 90 and 500 km.
 Layer of electrically charged particles.
 Effected by solar events
 Auroras, (Northern and Southern lights).
Exosphere:
 The outer most layer of the atmosphere.
 Temperature in the exosphere increases with altitude
 Satellites orbit Earth in the exosphere.
Insolation and the Atmosphere
 Insolation: incoming solar radiation.
o Some solar radiation is absorbed by gasses in the atmosphere.
o Some solar radiation reaches Earth’s surface.
o Some solar radiation is researches in the atmosphere and is returned to
space.
Heat Budget of Earth and the Atmosphere
 50% of solar radiation (insolation) reaches the Earth’s surface.
o Small % of insolation is absorbed by the atmosphere.
 energy is transferred by
o radiation
o conduction
o convection
o evaporation
o condensation of water
Summary:
Essential Question:


energy transfer is the major cause of Earth’s weather.
carbon dioxide (CO2) and water vapor
o absorbs most of the infrared radiation
o preventing from radiating back into space, creating the Greenhouse
effect.
 Without the Greenhouse effect Earth
o most of the heat energy would be lost to space.
o Earth’s average temperature would be about 33o cooler
o Increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere causes Earth’s heat
budget to be out of balance and Global Warming.
Temperature variations due to Insolation
 Intensity of insolation varies due to:
o time of day
o latitude
o time of year
 color affects how much insolation is absorbed and how the absorbed energy
affects the temperature.
Intensity of Insolation
 Intensity of insolation is dependent on the angle at which the sun rays strike
Earth’s surface.
 The sun at 90o, Earth receives the maximum amount of energy
o Occurs at noon, Earth’s surface heats up quickly
 As the angle of insolation decreases the amount of energy received decreases.
 Intensity of insolation is affected by the amount.
o Closer to the equator the sun rays are almost vertical (90o), climate is
hotter
o Moving either north or south of the equator the angle of insolation
decreases, the energy spread out over a larger area, climate is colder
 At mid-latitudes (this is where the U.S. is located),
o sun’s rays are nearly vertical (90o) in the summer; summers are hot.
o winter the angle of insolation is at its lowest; winters are cold.
 Northern Hemisphere
o Greatest angle of insolation occurs around June 21st, thus July is the
warmest month
o Lowest angle of insolation occurs around December 21st, thus January is
the coldest month
o The southern hemisphere is the reverse
Summary:
Essential Question:
Human Impact on the Atmosphere:
Acid Rain:
 Forms due to pollutants
o sulfur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide react with water vapor.
 Acidity is measured by pH.
o The lower the pH the more acidic the rain.
Smog
 Temperature inversion; when the temperature at the Earth’s surface is cooler than the
air above it, convection does not occur.
Ozone Depletion
 Hole in ozone due to pollution of chlorofluorocarbons’ (CFCs).
 Thin ozone/hole forms each spring over Antarctica
 Thinning Ozone/hole allows for exposure to ultraviolet radiation which is dangerous
to living things.
Summary: