CHAPTER 17 READING GUIDE
ATMOSPHERE
17.1 The Atmosphere in Balance
Causes
Effect on
Atmosphere
Volcanic Eruptions
Volcanic eruptions
Increasing altitude
Atmospheric recycling
Fossil fuel burning
Key Ideas: The composition of Earth’s atmosphere remains fairly constant.
Gases move continually between the atmosphere and other parts of Earth’s
system. The recycling of atmospheric materials maintains a delicate balance
and local events may have global consequences.
The composition of the atmosphere is 78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1%
Argon, and less than .5% carbon dioxide. It also contains tiny particles of
rock, dirt, pollen, salt crystals, and soot.
The atmosphere stays stable because substances such as oxygen, carbon
dioxide, and water move out of the system at the same rate at which they
entered the system. Photosynthesis, decomposition of organic materials,
evaporation, precipitation, and animal exhalation are ways that materials
move in and out of the system.
17.2 Heat and the Atmosphere
Vocabulary:
Radiation:
Conduction:
Convection:
Ozone:
Insolation:
Key Idea: Energy from the sun heats the atmosphere and Earth’s
surface. This heat spreads throughout the atmosphere and is also
radiated back into space.
Height above Earth’s
Surface
Thermosphere
Mesophere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
Key Factors affecting
temperature
Thin atmosphere
absorbs a lot of
radiation, leading to
very high temperatures.
Decreased ozone leads
to cold temperatures;
altitude leads to
decreases
Ozone absorbs
ultraviolet rays, leads to
increases.
Sun’s radiation
absorbed by Earth’s
surface creates heat;
altitude leads to
decreases
Radiation, conduction, and convection move heat energy through the
atmosphere as follows:
_________________: ultraviolet rays cause the transfer of heat from the sun
to your skin.
________________________: a fire’s warmth spreading to your body
comes from conduction of heat from the fire to the air and then from the air
to your body
_______________________: when a building’s upper floors are hotter than
the lower ones, convection had made the hot air raise and cool air fall.
When Earth’s ___________ ___________ is balanced, its temperature
remains relatively constant. If the budget becomes
______________________, Earth’s average temperatures would rise or fall
depending on the direction of the imbalance.
The _________________________________ captures solar radiation that
would otherwise disperse back into space.
17.3 Local Temperature Variations: Many factors affect how much solar
energy is absorbed by Earth’s surface at any given time and place.
Vocabulary:
Isotherm:
1.
Factors Affecting Temperature at Given Location
Intensity of Insolation
Type of Surface
1.
2.
2.
3.
4.
How the factors affect the temperature in a given location:
Time of Day: affects the angle of the sun’s rays, with the most _________
____________________________________________________________
Latitude: affects the angle of the sun’s rays by placing some parts of
______________________________________ than others.
Time of Year: affects ____________________________________, again
affecting the angle of the sun’s rays. Cloud cover reflects insolation back
into space, decreasing the temperature on Earth.
Land: ______________________________________________, which
allows for high temps during the day and cooler temps at night, as well as
temp fluctuations from day to day.
Water: _________________________________________________.
Water temperature does not vary at a fast rate of time.
17.4 Human Impact on the Atmosphere
Vocabulary:
Air pollution:
Temperature inversion:
Acid Rain
1.
Air Pollution
Global Warming Smog
1.
1.
Ozone Depletion
1.
2.
2.
2.
2.
3.
3.