study of the atmosphere meteorology. atmosphere layers of gasses/tiny particles that surround earth
TRANSCRIPT
Study of the Atmosphere
Meteorology
Atmosphere Layers of gasses/tiny particles that surround
Earth.
Meteorology Study of the Atmosphere (Ex- Why is sky red?)
Weather Condition of the atmosphere at a particular
time and place Temperature, air movements, moisture
Atmospheric Composition (pie chart)
Air Pressure Definition Force of air on the surface of the earth Can look at it 2 ways:
AP = (# of air molecules) / (Area) AP = (# of collisions) / (Area)
How can we show Air Pressure?
3 Ways to Change Air Pressure
Change Volume Change # of molecules Change Temperature
Barometer- Measures atmospheric pressure.
Mercurial Barometer
“Mercurial” comes from the fact that many used mercury as the liquid in the barometer
Air pressure pushes on liquid and squeezes it up a certain height (giving pressure)
Atmospheric Layers
Layers in sky based on different temperature (Usually defined by altitude).
There is not an exact change on a line between each layer, but more of a gradual shift.
Troposphere Closest to Earth, where all weather occurs Temperature drops by about 6.5oC/km due to increase
distance from heat absorbed by earth. Top of this layer is Tropopause, where temp is
constant
Stratosphere Goes from top of troposphere to about 50 km. Most of the Ozone (03) is here. Temp increases due to absorption of sunlight by O3
molecules. Top is Stratopause where temp is constant
Mesosphere
Goes from top of Stratosphere to about 80km.
Temp starts to decrease again and this is the coldest layer (up to -90oC).
Top is Mesopause
Thermosphere
Top of Mesosphere to outter space Increase b/c N and O atoms absorb solar
energy (like the O3 in the Stratosphere) Temp as much as 2000oC
Ionosphere 80-550 km Solar rays strike atoms in the layer, striping
electrons causing them to become ions
Exosphere
550km-outer space (more than 1000km)
Solar Energy All of the waves of energy that come from
the sun (everything form EM Spectrum)
Electromagnetic Spectrum
Visible Wavelengths
Radiation
Energy from sun that travels to Earth as waves
Scattering
• The shorter the wavelength, the more likely it is to be scattered.
• Longer wavelengths are more easily reflected.
HW
Why does the sky sometimes appear blue, othertimes red, and sometimes white?
Explain Each…
Why is sky Red during sunset?
Annimation Youtube Video
Why does the sky appear white sometimes?
A lot of moisture in atmosphere will cause all particles to scatter, or if there is no cloud cover and if the sun is overhead, the sun will look whitish because all visible light passes to your eye.
But don’t look directly at the sun!
Absorption Any solar energy that is NOT reflected is
absorbed.
All Energy Reaching Earth
Energy that reaches Earth is either reflected or absorbed
How much is reflected or absorbed depends on surface
The fraction that is reflected is called albedo
Albedo
This determines the level of reflectivity of a substance.
The higher the Albedo number, the more reflective a substance is.
Examples: Snow albedo = 95 (95% reflected, 5% absorbed) Forest albedo = 10 (10% reflected, 90% aborbed) Grass albedo = 26 (26% reflected, 74% aborbed)
Other Reasons Temp Varies Throughout the Planet
Latitude (hottest on the equator due to more direct sunlight)
Other Reasons Temp Varies Throughout the Planet
Altitude (Colder at higher elevations due to less moisture and air molecules to absorb heat)
Other Reasons Temp Varies Throughout the Planet
Bodies of Water (Water abosorbs heat well and therefore areas around water have more moderate temperature ranges)
Greenhouse Effect Trapping of
infrared heat by gas molecules reflecting infared heat in the atmosphere back to earth.
These infared rays are reflected back to earth where the warm earth’s surface again.
Why is some energy reflected back?
Let’s draw a diagram
3 Views on Global Warming due to increase in greenhouse effect.
Nat Geo Glen Beck Past President of the United States
3 Ways Heat Moves
Conduction: Heat transfer by direct contact
Convection: heat transfer by air current
In your notes make a prediction.
What will happen if you hold a balloon of Air and a balloon of water over a flame?
WHY!
Let’s Try a Demonstration!
Why does one balloon pop in the flame and the other does not? Explain in scientific terms!
But WHY are all the wind patterns curved and not straight?
Coriolis Effect…
Let’s see what you know?
Turn to a blank page in your notes…
Where could this sunset be and why is it not red?
Label Conduction, Radiation, Convection
What types of energy is blocked by the ozone layer?
What is the greenhouse effect (diagram/label it)? Explain yourself please…
What is global warming? How is it different from the greenhouse effect?
How does Conduction Work? Be very specific and diagram/label it!
How does Convection work? Be very specific, diagram/label it!
What is air pressure? How do we change it in a closed system?
Wind questions…
Where does wind come from? Why is there a low pressure system on
(close to) the equator? Why don’t the winds just blow north to
south in the N. Hemisphere and south to north in the S. Hemisphere?
Answer this… Explain why if you were in a ship 5 miles north
of me and I aimed a cannon directly at your boat and I shot a cannon ball at you, it would be unlikely I would hit you without altering my cannon direction?