u08 atmosphere

Essential Natural Science 1Unit 8

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Contents

The Earth's Atmosphere

CompositionLayersOrigin

Atmospheric dynamics

MeteorologyAtmospheric pressure and windsHumidity and cloudsPrecipitationThe sky

Climate

Weather and forecasts

Impact on the atmosphere

Human activitiesWhat can be done

Hands on

Make an anemometer

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Resources

Composition of the air

The layers of the atmosphere

The origin of the atmosphere

What is meteorology?

Atmospheric pressure and winds

H

Humidityand clouds

Precipitation The sky Weather and forecasts

How do human activities affect the atmosphere?

Make an anemometer


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What can be done to protect the atmosphere?

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LinksInteractive activity: Environmentally friendly

Animation: Global warming


nitrogen (N2)


78 %

other gases


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GREENHOUSE EFFECT

1 %

21 %oxygen

(O2)

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Other gases: argon, ozone, CO2



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heat

sunlightCO2 acts like glass walls and traps heat.

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Greenhouse effect

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Greenhouse made of glass


The layers of the atmosphere

0 km

10 km Tropopause

Stratopause

Mesopause

40 km

80 km

500 kmIonosphere• shooting stars• aurora borealis• satellites

Mesosphere

Troposphere80 % of atmosphere

- 55 ºC

+

-

Temperature

ozonosphereStratosphereO2 + UVA O3

(ozone)

0 ºC

-

+

- 100 ºC

+-

-

+


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+ 1000 ºC

-70 ºC


hydrogen

oceansnitrogen

water vapour

ammonia

Primitive atmosphere:carbon dioxide

water vapour

The origin of the atmosphereEARTH WITHOUT LIFEcondensation

Present

Hydrosphere

autotrophs

Present atmosphere:- nitrogen- oxygen

PHOTOSYNTHESIS oxygen

limestone rocks


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methane

carbon dioxide

4,600 million years ago

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The atmosphere of Venus

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Greenhouse effectTemperature: 480 ºC

Composition of the atmosphere98 % carbon dioxide

water sulphuric + acid sulphur oxides clouds

Receiving data from Venus…

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CLICK BUTTONS TO SEETHE WEATHER INSTRUMENT USED FOR:


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measuring atmospheric pressure

measuring wind speed

measuring the amount of rainfall

measuring humidity in the air

measuringtemperature

determining wind direction

Meteosat photoWeather map

Weather symbols

WEATHER

INSTRUMENTS

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CLICK BUTTONS TO SEE THE WEATHER INSTRUMENT USED FOR:


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Thermometer


Weather symbols



measure amount of rainfall



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Anemometer


Weather symbols




measuring temperature


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Barometer


Weather symbols measuring wind speed





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Rain gauge (pluviometer)


Weather symbols






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Hygrometer


Weather symbols






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Weather vane


Weather symbols






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L

H 9961000

L

1012

H

1012

1008

1016

1004

1000

992

988

984980L

996

H (anticyclones):

The pressure is higher than the surrounding area.

wind


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moving air

L (depressions):

The pressure is lower than the surrounding area.

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HOT AIR

COLD AIRAtmospheric

pressure

Higher

Lower

L

H 9961000

L

1012

H

1012

1008

1016

1004

1000

992

988

984980L

996

wind


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Humidity comes from:

Humidity and clouds

• Evaporation of water

• Transpiration and respiration of living things


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CLICK ON THE NUMBERS

Cloud types

3

1

4

5

2

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Humidity and clouds




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Fog

3

1

4

5

2

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Humidity and clouds




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Nimbostratus


3

1

4

5

2

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Humidity and clouds




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Cirrus


3

1

4

5

2

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Humidity and clouds




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Cumulus


3

1

4

5

2

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Humidity and clouds




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Altostratus


3

1

4

5

2

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Precipitation

Rain

Droplets are heavy and fall.

Snow

Water vapour freezes quickly into ice crystals.

HailWater vapour freezes andgoes through air above and below freezing.

ºC ºC ºC


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SEE HORIZONTAL RAIN

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Horizontal rain

Canary Islandstrade winds

Laurel forest

Mountains CONDENSATION

Large drops: horizontal rain

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Vegetation acts as a sponge, condensing moisture in large drops

NE


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Night sky

The sky

Daytime sky


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Click on green buttons to see the forecast.


L

H

Iberian Peninsula: depression west to east


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L

WHAT IS A CLIMOGRAPH?

DEPRESSION

ANTICYCLONE

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cloudy, rainy and windy


L

H



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L


DEPRESSION

ANTICYCLONE

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sunny, clear skies, dry weather


L

H



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L

ANTICYCLONE

DEPRESSION


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J F M A M J J A S O N D

Rainfall in mm

Temperature in ºC

200

180

150

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

0

50

40

30

20

10

0

Climograph



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L

DEPRESSION

ANTICYCLONEGO BACK

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How do human activities affect the environment?


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global warming

carbon dioxide

hurricane CFC gasesa reduction of

the ozone layer

the greenhouse

effect

sulphur and nitrogen oxides

acid rain

pollution

smog

soot

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What can be done to protect the atmosphere?


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International protocols to prevent pollution

Laws to prohibit the use of CFCs

Campaigns to save fuel

Governments Individuals

Recycle paper, plastic and glass.

Avoid aerosols with CFCs.

Use public transport.

Save energy.

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Make an anemometer

STEPS

Colour one of the cups with a pen.

1

Pin the plate to the eraser so it can spin easily.

3

Staple each cup to the plate.2

Count the number of times the cup passes in one minute (RPM).

5

Take the anemometer outside.4

Record the wind speed for one week.

6


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Animation: Global warming


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Interactive activity: Environmentally friendly


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Links

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The Earth’s atmosphere

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Climate change

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origin ofthe atmosphere

layers ofthe atmosphere