Name ______________________________
Period _________
Meteorology and Atmospheric Energy
A. Meteorology Defined
1. Meteorology is the science that deals with the ___conditions____ of
the __atmosphere____ at a specific moment in ___time____.
Ex) Today’s weather and tomorrow’s forecast.
2. Climatology deals with the ___average_______ conditions of the
atmosphere. Ex) Rain forests and deserts
B. Atmospheric Gases
1. The atmosphere is a ___mixture______ of gases held to the surface
of the Earth by __gravity______.
2. Up to __80__ km, there are two main gases, __nitrogen___ and
__oxygen___. Above this, the mixture of gases changes. A layer of
oxygen reaches to about _1000__ km. Above this a layer of
__helium___ reaches to about __2400__ km.
3. Determine the percent (%) by volume of each gas in the lower
atmosphere (up to 80 km). Also, identify the number of atoms per
molecule and the molecular (or atomic) weights of each gas:
Atmospheric
Gas
Chemical
Formula (or Symbol)
%
Number
of Atoms
Molecular (or
Atomic) Weight
Nitrogen
N2
78
2
28
Oxygen
O2
21
2
32
Argon
Ar
1
40
Carbon
Dioxide
CO2
3
44
Hydrogen
H2
2
2
Methane
CH4
5
16
Ozone
O3
3
48
Water Vapor
H2O
3
18
Radon
Rn
1
222
Sulfur Dioxide
SO2
3
64
1%
4. As a result of gas molecules being squeezed together, 99 % of the
atmosphere’s weight is found within about __32__ kilometers of the
earth’s surface. Half the atmosphere’s weight is within __5.5__
kilometers.
C. Layers of the Atmosphere
1. The layers of the atmosphere are on page ___14__ of your ESRT’s.
2. The layers of the atmosphere are :
a. ___Troposphere______
c. ____Mesosphere______
b. ___Stratosphere________
d. ____Thermosphere____
3. The layers appear to be separated by reversals in __temperature__
D. Characteristics of the Layers
1. Troposphere (means __change__)
a. Begins at the __surface____ to __12___ kilometers up (17 km
near the equator to 7 km at the poles).
b. All __weather_____ occurs in this layer.
c. Gets its heat energy from the _Earth___; not the Sun.
d. Temperature decreases as you go higher in altitude at a rate of
_6.5 deg C/km__ (adiabatic lapse rate).
2. Stratosphere (means ___layers____)
a. from approximately ___12____ km up to ___50___ km.
b. Temperature increases as you go higher due to the ___ozone__
layer absorbing ultraviolet light (16-60km).
3. Mesosphere (means __middle____)
a. from approximately ___50____ km up to ____80___ km.
b. Temperature decreases to __-90C___ as you go up.
c. Heated by the ___Sun___.
d. Meteors ___burn___ up here (shooting stars).
4. Thermosphere (means ___heat_____)
a. from approximately ___80 km___ and higher
b. Temperature __increases_____ as you go up.
c. Heated by the ___Sun____.
d. Ten __million____ times less air particles than at the surface, and
is considered a __vacuum___.
5. Layers within the upper layers
a. Ionosphere – Layers of ___ionized___ gases found in the lower
thermosphere.
b. Exosphere – Top of the thermosphere where the atmosphere
blends into ___outer space_______.
c. Magnetosphere – Upper atmosphere influenced by the Earth’s
___magnetic field_____.
E. Atmospheric Variables and Instruments
1. Temperature – Measures the __motion____ of molecules (kinetic
energy).
a. Mercury thermometer - best in __warm___ climates
b. Alcohol thermometer – best in _cold___ climates
c. Bi-metalic thermometer – Brass and steel strips that twist due to
different ___expansion____ rates.
2. Air Pressure – The __weight___ of air molecules per unit area. Air
molecules are ___colliding____ with your body.
a. Mercury barometer – measures the height of a column of
___mercury____
b. Aneroid barometer – measures pressure with a sealed __can__
(vacuum inside)
3. Humidity – The amount of __invisible__ water molecules in the air
(gas state).
a. Sling psychrometer – Has a wet and a dry bulb thermometer.
Takes advantage of the __cooling____ process of evaporation.
b. Hair hygrometer – Measures how much a blonde __human___ hair
stretches.
4. Wind speed
a. Anemometer – 3 or 4 cups that spin
5. Wind direction
a. Weather vane – Points __into_ the wind.
6. Precipitation – Any __falling__ form of water (rain, sleet, snow,etc)
a. Rain gauge – Records to the nearest 1/100 of an inch. Snow
accumulates in inches.
F. Convert the following air pressure readings (p. 13 of your ESRT’s)
Inches of Hg
30.45
29.21
30.03
29.42
30.55
___29.53___
___28.53___
___28.67___
___29.92___
Millibars
___1031.2_
___989.2__
___1017.0__
___996.4__
___1034.6__
1000.0
966.1
970.9
1013.2