Name: ______________________________________________ Date: 10/15/15 Period: ________ NOTES
The Atmosphere Chapter 1.1 and 1.2
What is the atmosphere?
What is the atmosphere’s
job?
What is altitude?
What is density?
What is the relationship
between altitude and
density?
Where is most of the
atmosphere found?
Besides gases, what else is
found in the atmosphere?
What gases make up the
atmosphere?
Summarize the water cycle.
List three sudden events
that can cause changes to
the atmosphere.
Where does most energy
come from?
What happens to the
sunlight that reaches the
earth’s surface?
What is radiation?
What happens when certain
gases in the atmosphere
absorb infrared radiation
(IR)?
What is conduction?
What is convection?
In the atmosphere what
direction is the usual
motion of convection?
What produces the motion
of air convection?
What causes changes in
density of air at the same
altitude? (A19)
The whole layer of air around the Earth.
1. Keep the earth warm
2. Transport energy around the planet
3. Support & Protect Life
 Altitude: Distance above sea level
 Density: amount of mass in a certain amount of volume
o Ex: Bowling Ball vs. Soccer ball – they’re about the same size
(volume), but are they the same weight (mass)?
_________________________________________ Which one has the greater
density? __________________
 As the altitude in the atmosphere goes up (meaning you get higher above
Earth’s surface), the density of the air decreases (becomes less dense).
 Ex: there’s less air on top of a mountain than at the beach!
 The lower the density of the air, the harder is for organisms to survive
(it’s harder to breathe!)
 99.9% is found in the lowest 30 km or 20 miles closest to the Earth’s
surface.
 Solids and liquids such as dust, sea salt, water droplets

In Dry Air
o 78% Nitrogen
o 21% Oxygen
o 1% argon, carbon dioxide & other gases
 0-4% water vapor – this number can vary (change)
 Different forms of water go back and forth between the Earth’s surface
and the Atmosphere through evaporation, condensation, and
precipitation.
1. Volcanic Eruptions: gases and ash enter atmosphere – can affect the air
and lower temperatures worldwide (blocks out sunlight!)
2. Forest Fires: adds carbon dioxide to the air as well as ash.
3. Dust Storms: add lots of particles to the air for a while
Almost all of the energy around you comes from THE SUN!!!
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Reflected (bounces off) back into atmosphere
OR
Absorbed (soaked into) Earth’s surface.
 Energy that travels across distances in the form of waves
 Examples: visible light, infrared radiation, and ultraviolet radiation
It warms the air (keeps the Earth warmer, slows down cooling)
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Transfer of energy from one substance to another by direct contact.
Examples:
o The hot pot handle makes your hand hot
o Your feet get hot when you walk barefoot on hot sand
Transfer of energy from place to place by the motion of a gas or liquid
Example: warmed air rises up and carries heat to the cat on the shelf
Up and down
Warm air carries the energy up in the atmosphere
When the air cools off, it sinks back to the ground
Differences in density of the air
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Changes in temperature
Warm air rises and cool air sinks
Warm air expands and has fewer particles per cubic inch than cool air
What causes the air
temperature to change with
altitude?
What criteria do scientists
use to define the 4 layers of
the atmosphere.

This makes warm air less dense than cool air

Different parts of the atmosphere absorb and move energy in different
ways

Patterns of temperature change in the atmosphere
LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE CHART
EXOSPHERE / OUTER SPACE IS HERE
LAYER
Thermosphere
90 km or 56 mi above Earth
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Details
Farthest from Earth’s surface
Atmosphere grows less and less dense until it becomes
outer space
Air is hot because it absorbs solar radiation
Auroras occur here
Mesosphere
50-90 km or 31-56 mi above
Earth
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Below Thermosphere
Air is very thin – very few molecules of air
Most meteors burn up here
Heated from below by the stratosphere so the
temperature goes down as you up go up in altitude
Stratosphere
10-50 km or 6-31 mi above
Earth
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Troposphere
0-10 km or 0-6 mi above
Earth
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Below Mesosphere
Above troposphere
Ozone layer found here
Absorbs solar radiation so the temperature increases as
you go up in altitude
Nearest layer to the Earth – where you live
Warmed by the ground so the temperature goes down as
you go up in altitude
Contains 80% of the atmosphere’s mass
Includes all the water vapor
Most weather happens here
Jet Streams found at top of this layer.
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EARTH’S SURFACE IS HERE
Summary Questions:
1. What gas makes up most of the atmosphere? _____________________________
2. Why is altitude important when discussing air density?
3. Explain air convection and why it happens.
4. List the 4 layers of the atmosphere in order from closest to Earth’s surface to farthest.