Earth’s Earth’s AtmosphereAtmosphere

Why is it so important to life Why is it so important to life on earth?on earth?

Earth’s atmosphere is Earth’s atmosphere is made up of 4 different made up of 4 different

layers…layers…

Did you know that The Did you know that The Science Monkey’s Took Science Monkey’s Took

Steven?Steven?

TThehe SSciencecience MMonkey’sonkey’s TTookook SSteventeven

Say it with Say it with me…me…

I know you are I know you are thinking…what is he thinking…what is he

talking about???talking about??? TThehe SSciencecience MMonkey’sonkey’s TTookook StevenSteven

MEANS….MEANS….

TTroposphereroposphere SStratospheretratosphere MMesosphereesosphere TThermospherehermosphere SpaceSpace

THE 4 LAYERS OF THE 4 LAYERS OF THE EARTH’S THE EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE ATMOSPHERE FROM THE FROM THE EARTH OUT!EARTH OUT!

Why is the atmosphere Why is the atmosphere divided into 4 different divided into 4 different

layers?layers? Any guesses?Any guesses?

The atmosphere is divided The atmosphere is divided into four different layers into four different layers because the atmosphere is because the atmosphere is not uniform, its properties not uniform, its properties change with altitude.change with altitude.

Two properties change Two properties change with altitude, the AIR with altitude, the AIR PRESSURE and the AIR PRESSURE and the AIR TEMPERATURETEMPERATURE

Lets look at each layer Lets look at each layer individually.individually.

The first layer of the The first layer of the atmosphere is the…atmosphere is the…

The troposphere is the layer of the The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere nearest to earth.atmosphere nearest to earth.

The troposphere goes from 0km to 10km.The troposphere goes from 0km to 10km. About 75% of the air in the total About 75% of the air in the total

atmosphere is in this layer…very dense.atmosphere is in this layer…very dense. Main gases are nitrogen and oxygenMain gases are nitrogen and oxygen

TROPOSPHETROPOSPHERERE

Troposphere continued…Troposphere continued…

Only layer that can support lifeOnly layer that can support life The temperature drops as the altitude increasesThe temperature drops as the altitude increases

Bottom of Troposphere is about 120ºFBottom of Troposphere is about 120ºF Top of troposphere is about -94ºFTop of troposphere is about -94ºF

All weather happens in the troposphere, clouds All weather happens in the troposphere, clouds develop, birds fly, pollution collects.develop, birds fly, pollution collects.

Harmful ozone is found here…IT CREATES Harmful ozone is found here…IT CREATES SMOG!SMOG!

Pressure: Pressure: Bottom: 1000mb Bottom: 1000mb Top: 200mbTop: 200mb

What is OZONE?What is OZONE? A gaseous layer in the upper

atmosphere that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. At lower levels, ozone becomes a major pollutant.

What is SMOG?What is SMOG? Pollution formed by the

interaction of pollutants and sunlight (photochemical smog), usually restricting visibility, and occasionally hazardous to health.

The second layer of the The second layer of the atmosphere is the…atmosphere is the…

The stratosphere goes The stratosphere goes from 10km to 30 km.from 10km to 30 km.

The temperature goes up The temperature goes up with altitude.with altitude. Bottom : -94ºFBottom : -94ºF Top: 64ºFTop: 64ºF Temperature increase is due Temperature increase is due

to ozone layer that absorbs to ozone layer that absorbs energy from the sun’s UV energy from the sun’s UV rays and converts it to heatrays and converts it to heat

The protective ozone is at The protective ozone is at the top of the stratospherethe top of the stratosphere ozone layer only 3 ozone layer only 3

millimeters (3 mm) thick all millimeters (3 mm) thick all togethertogether

STRATOSPHERSTRATOSPHEREE

STRATOSDPHERE STRATOSDPHERE CONT…CONT…

Most jets fly in this layer.Most jets fly in this layer. Rivers of air, called Jet Streams, can be Rivers of air, called Jet Streams, can be

found at the base of this layer.found at the base of this layer. Contains 24% of the atmosphere’s total Contains 24% of the atmosphere’s total

air, mass, and molecules- air is less air, mass, and molecules- air is less dense than the tropospheredense than the troposphere

Pressure:Pressure: Bottom: 200mbBottom: 200mb Top: 1mbTop: 1mb

The third layer of the The third layer of the atmosphere is the…atmosphere is the…

The Mesosphere goes The Mesosphere goes from 30km to 50km.from 30km to 50km.

In the mesosphere, In the mesosphere, the temperature the temperature drops with altitude.drops with altitude. Bottom:64ºFBottom:64ºF Top: -143ºFTop: -143ºF

The mesosphere is The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the coldest layer of the atmosphere.the atmosphere.

MESOSPHEREMESOSPHERE

MESOSPHERE CONT…MESOSPHERE CONT… Radio waves are reflected back to earth Radio waves are reflected back to earth

in the mesosphere.in the mesosphere. Meteors burn up in this layerMeteors burn up in this layer Less than 1% of the atmosphere’s total Less than 1% of the atmosphere’s total

air, mass, and molecules are here, so air, mass, and molecules are here, so the molecules are very far apartthe molecules are very far apart

Pressure:Pressure: Bottom: 1mbBottom: 1mb Top: .005mbTop: .005mb

The fourth layer of the The fourth layer of the atmosphere is the…atmosphere is the…

The thermosphere goes from 50km to 1000km.The thermosphere goes from 50km to 1000km. In the thermosphere the temperature goes up In the thermosphere the temperature goes up

with altitude. with altitude. Bottom: -143FBottom: -143F Top : 3600FTop : 3600F The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the

atmosphere.atmosphere.

THERMOSPHETHERMOSPHERERE

Thermosphere cont…Thermosphere cont… Made of 2 sub layersMade of 2 sub layers

Ionosphere (50km to 600km)Ionosphere (50km to 600km) Exosphere (600km to 1000km)Exosphere (600km to 1000km)

Satellites orbit in the exosphereSatellites orbit in the exosphere Curtains of light called auroras occur in the ionosphere layer.Curtains of light called auroras occur in the ionosphere layer.

The Ionosphere is the component of the thermosphere that The Ionosphere is the component of the thermosphere that makes the aurorasmakes the auroras

Pressure:Pressure: Bottom: .005mbBottom: .005mb Top: 0mbTop: 0mb

The air molecules for so thin in this layer they are The air molecules for so thin in this layer they are negligible. We can say the density is 0% of the negligible. We can say the density is 0% of the atmospheres massatmospheres mass

GOOD LUCK!GOOD LUCK!

It is important to understand the It is important to understand the different characteristics of the earth’s different characteristics of the earth’s atmosphere. As you go through the atmosphere. As you go through the

following slides, challenge yourself to following slides, challenge yourself to see who can name the correct layer in see who can name the correct layer in

which each characteristic can be found.which each characteristic can be found.

THERMOSPHERE/THERMOSPHERE/EXOSPHEREEXOSPHERE

MESOSPHEREMESOSPHERE

THERMOSPHERETHERMOSPHERE

TROPOSPHERETROPOSPHERE

STRATOSPHERESTRATOSPHERE

THERMOSPHERETHERMOSPHERE

OR THE IONOSPHEREOR THE IONOSPHERE

MESOSPHEREMESOSPHERE

Pressure and Temp. Pressure and Temp. GraphGraph

Links for more infoLinks for more infohttp://san.hufs.ac.kr/~gwlee/session1/layers.html

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/heywood/GEOG101/airstruc/layers.gif&imgrefurl=http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/heywood/GEOG101/airstruc/index.htm&usg=__GK27LBVdWyCS6aI4N1NZjZ1Wks8=&h=379&w=303&sz=8&hl=en&start=18&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=dcl5garydAHTuM:&tbnh=123&tbnw=98&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dair%2Bpressure,%2Batmospheric%2Blayers%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Dactive%26sa%3DG%26tbs%3Disch:1

Now that you are all Now that you are all experts on the experts on the atmosphere…atmosphere…

continue with your continue with your study of study of

meteorology!meteorology!