study guide atmosphere, humidity and seasons why doesnt water vapor rise above other gases to a...

Study Guide Study Guide

Atmosphere, Humidity and SeasonsAtmosphere, Humidity and Seasons

Why doesn’t water vapor rise above other gases to a higher level of the atmosphere?

Why doesn’t water vapor rise above other gases to a higher level of the atmosphere?

Water vapor condenses and falls back to Earth

Water vapor condenses and falls back to Earth

What type of cloud is associated with thunderstorms

What type of cloud is associated with thunderstorms

cumulonimbus cumulonimbus

Which element in Earth’s atmosphere is essential for human life

Which element in Earth’s atmosphere is essential for human life

Hot air rising and cold air sinking causes Hot air rising and cold air sinking causes

Air currents Air currents

How do clouds form How do clouds form

Why does ground fog form in the low areas?

Why does ground fog form in the low areas?

Cool, descending air meets moist air in the low areas

Cool, descending air meets moist air in the low areas

Cloudy nights can be warmer than clear nights because clouds trap

Cloudy nights can be warmer than clear nights because clouds trap

heatheat

When moist air is cooled below its dew point water

When moist air is cooled below its dew point water

Water condensesWater condenses

What process is primarily responsible for the transfer of energy by air currents within the Earth’s atmosphere

What process is primarily responsible for the transfer of energy by air currents within the Earth’s atmosphere

Convection currentsConvection currents

By which process does sunlight travel through space

By which process does sunlight travel through space

radiationradiation

What type of cloud is associated with steady rain

What type of cloud is associated with steady rain

nimbostratusnimbostratus

The ozone layer protects life on Earth from The ozone layer protects life on Earth from

UV radiationUV radiation

Conduction is heat transfer by Conduction is heat transfer by

Direct contact between particlesDirect contact between particles

Most clouds form in the troposphere because

Most clouds form in the troposphere because

That’s where most of moisture isThat’s where most of moisture is

Clouds are made of Clouds are made of

Water/ Ice crystalsWater/ Ice crystals

Describe how convection currents form

Describe how convection currents form

What is the % of Nitrogen in the atmosphere__________________; % oxygen ___________

What is the % of Nitrogen in the atmosphere__________________; % oxygen ___________

Name the layers of the atmosphere in order from the earth upwards

Name the layers of the atmosphere in order from the earth upwards

How was the early atmosphere formed How was the early atmosphere formed

Volcanic eruptions of gases Cyanobacteria takes in CO2 in

photosynthesis and produces O2

Volcanic eruptions of gases Cyanobacteria takes in CO2 in

photosynthesis and produces O2

The ability of Earth’s atmosphere to absorb and retain heat is affected by the presence of two gases:

The ability of Earth’s atmosphere to absorb and retain heat is affected by the presence of two gases:

Water vapor Mainly CO2

Water vapor Mainly CO2

When dew point and temperature are close then the chance of precipitation is:

When dew point and temperature are close then the chance of precipitation is:

greatergreater

Which atmosphere layer contains the ozone layer

Which atmosphere layer contains the ozone layer

stratospherestratosphere

The ozone layer is being destroyed by chemical reactions with sunlight and the following

The ozone layer is being destroyed by chemical reactions with sunlight and the following

Chloroflorcarbons: CFCs Chloroflorcarbons: CFCs

The layers of the Earth’s atmosphere are divided based on

The layers of the Earth’s atmosphere are divided based on

temperaturetemperature

Insolation is Insolation is

Incoming solar radiationIncoming solar radiation

Where (location) is insolation the greatest on earth

Where (location) is insolation the greatest on earth

equatorequator

As the altitude increases in the troposphere the temperature-

As the altitude increases in the troposphere the temperature-

decreases decreases

Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23.5° relative to the plane of its orbit, which helps to cause

Earth’s axis of rotation is tilted 23.5° relative to the plane of its orbit, which helps to cause

seasonsseasons

What is the date?What is the date?

Equinox: equal Day and night

Equinox: equal Day and night

Summer: northern hemisphereSummer: northern hemisphere

Winter northern hemisphereWinter northern hemisphere

What is equinox and what are the dates of the 2 equinoxes

What are the dates of the solistices

What is equinox and what are the dates of the 2 equinoxes

What are the dates of the solistices

Seasons

The Earth's orbit is in the shape of an ellipse (a stretched out circle), so that sometimes the Earth is closer to the Sun than at other times

The Earth is a very special planet in many ways. Just as Earth's unique atmosphere and its distance from the Sun work together to make Earth the right temperature to support life, Earth's orbit and its rotation work together to create the seasons.

Clouds and HumidityClouds and Humidity

WATER is the substance that can exist as a solid, liquid, and a gas in the Earth’s atmosphere.

WATER is the substance that can exist as a solid, liquid, and a gas in the Earth’s atmosphere.

Humidity: the amount of water vapor or moisture in the air

Humidity: the amount of water vapor or moisture in the air

Dew Point is the temperature to which air must cool to become saturatedBefore it can condense water vapor must have a surface to condense on.

Dew Point is the temperature to which air must cool to become saturatedBefore it can condense water vapor must have a surface to condense on.

Saturated air = 100% relative humidity – it can hold no more water vapor!

Saturated air = 100% relative humidity – it can hold no more water vapor!

Precipitation Precipitation Precipitation is

water (liquid or solid) that falls from the air to the Earth.

Precipitation is water (liquid or solid) that falls from the air to the Earth.

Cloud Cloud

A cloud is a collection of millions of tiny water droplets or ice crystals.

A cloud is NOT made up of water vapor!

A cloud is a collection of millions of tiny water droplets or ice crystals.

A cloud is NOT made up of water vapor!

Clouds• cirrus - Thin, wispy, curly-shaped clouds.

cumulo-nimbus- Large, dense, towering clouds that cause rain and thunderstorms.cumulus - Puffy clouds.fog - Ground-hugging clouds.

stratus - Layered, horizontal clouds with a flat base.

http://glencoe.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0078617006/student_view0/

Joshua and Jennifer Mosser, Briar Woods High School

Clouds

In order for clouds to form, air must be at its dew point (temperature at which air is saturated). Water vapor condenses on small particles called condensation nuclei.

Cirrus—light, thin, feathery (fair weather clouds)

Cumulus—puffy white clouds

Stratus—low gray clouds

Cumulonimbus Clouds that produce

thunderstorms

Layers of AtmosphereLayers of Atmosphere

Joshua and Jennifer Mosser, Briar Woods High School

The AtmosphereEarth’s atmosphere is 21% oxygen and 78% nitrogen

Human activities (cars, factories, burning land, coal) have increased carbon dioxide levels, causing a slight greenhouse effect

Water vapor and carbon dioxide help the Earth to retain heat and make it warmer

Burning fossil fuels also causes smog and contributes to acid rain

Venus has an extreme greenhouse effect due to carbon dioxide

Energy transfer in the atmosphere involves convection, radiation and conduction

Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere

A meteorologist studies and forecasts the WEATHER.

A meteorologist studies and forecasts the WEATHER.

Layers in order Layers in order

ThermosphereMesosphereStratosphereTroposphere

ThermosphereMesosphereStratosphereTroposphere

Layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth and has weather = TROPOSPHERE

Layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth and has weather = TROPOSPHERE

Layer where the air pressure is the greatest = TROPOSPHERE

Layer where the air pressure is the greatest = TROPOSPHERE

Layer of the atmosphere that

contains the ozone layer = STRATOSPHERE

Layer of the atmosphere that contains the ozone layer = STRATOSPHERE

Ozone layer disappearing would lead to more cases of skin cancer

Ozone layer disappearing would lead to more cases of skin cancer

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Man-made chemicals have decreased the ozone concentration in the upper atmosphere.

CFCs are destroying the ozone layer. The chlorine atoms destroy ozone molecules.

CFCs are destroying the ozone layer. The chlorine atoms destroy ozone molecules.

What does temperature do in the troposphere as altitude increases?

Temperature DECREASES

What does temperature do in the troposphere as altitude increases?

Temperature DECREASES

In which layer is the temperature the lowest?

MESOSPHERE

In which layer is the temperature the lowest?

MESOSPHERE

Cold air is more dense than warm air; therefore it has GREATER pressure.

Cold air is more dense than warm air; therefore it has GREATER pressure.

Heat TransferHeat Transfer

Radiation = the movement of

energy through spaceConduction = movement of heat by

direct contact; by touchExample: metal pan on a hot

stove Convection = movement of heat

through a liquid or gas

Radiation = the movement of

energy through spaceConduction = movement of heat by

direct contact; by touchExample: metal pan on a hot

stove Convection = movement of heat

through a liquid or gas

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Areas near the equator receive more of the sun’s energy per unit area than nearer the poles.

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Convection Is a Current that is set up when hot less dense material rises, cools, becomes denser and sinks.

Hot stuff rises cold stuff sinks

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Convection runs oceans, atmosphere and Earths interior.Plate tectonics is driven by convection in the Earth’s mantle.Some ocean currents are convection currents

• Convection is the major mechanism of energy transfer in the oceans, atmosphere, and Earth’s interior.

• Convection in the atmosphere is a major cause of weather.

Early AtmosphereEarly Atmosphere

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The early atmosphere contained little oxygen and more carbon dioxide than the modern atmosphere.

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Early photosynthetic life (blue green algae) generated oxygen and consumed carbon dioxide. It was only after early photosynthetic life generated oxygen that animal life become possible.

Atmosphere TodayAtmosphere Today

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Earth’s atmosphere is 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen and 1% trace gases.

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Human activities have increased the carbon dioxide content of the atmosphere.

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Volcanic activity and meteorite impacts can inject large quantities of dust and gases into the atmosphere.

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The ability of the Earth’s atmosphere to absorb and retain heat is affected by the presence of gases like water vapor and carbon dioxide.

Earth’s atmosphere

The oxygen so characteristic of our atmosphere was almost all produced by plants (cyan bacteria or, more colloquially, blue-green algae). Thus, the present composition of the atmosphere is 79% nitrogen, 20% oxygen, and 1% other gases.

Auroras (North/South Polar Lights; or aurorae, sing.: aurora) are natural colored light displays, which are usually observed in the night sky, particularly in the polar zone. Some scientists call them "polar auroras" (or "aurorae polares"). In northern latitudes, it is known as the aurora borealis (or the northern lights), named after the Roman goddess of dawn, Aurora, and the Greek name for north wind, Boreas. It often appears as a greenish glow or sometimes a faint red, as if the sun was rising from an unusual direction. The aurora borealis is also called the northern polar lights, as it is only visible in the North sky from the Northern Hemisphere. The aurora borealis most often occurs from September to October and from March to April.

The composition of the atmosphere can change due to human, biologic, and geologic activity.

•The greenhouse effect is the rise in temperature that the Earth experiences because certain gases in the atmosphere (water vapor, carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide, and methane, for example) trap energy from the sun. Without these gases, heat would escape back into space and Earth’s average temperature would be about 60ºF colder. Because of how they warm our world, these gases are referred to as greenhouse gases.

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The atmosphere of Venus is mostly carbon dioxide and very dense.

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The Martian atmosphere is very thin and mostly Carbon Dioxide.