3.1 Atmosphere Flashcards
The gaseous envelope that surrounds the Earth and constitutes the transition between it and the vacuum of space.
Atmosphere
Includes all water on Earth (surface water, groundwater, and the process of water cycle and weather events)
Hydrosphere
The life zone of the Earth and includes all living organisms and all organic matter that has not yet decomposed.
Biosphere
Solid Earth and includes both Earth’s surface and the various layers of the Earth’s interior
Geosphere
Which system can exchange mass and energy, usually in the form of heat with its surroundings?
Open System
The system where there is only an exchange of heat or energy but no exchange of matter?
Closed System
Which system does not allow the transfer of either mass or energy?
Isolated System
- protects Earth like a blanket of insulation
- ozone protects the organisms from the sun’s UV radiation
- heat transfer: absorbs and emits heat
- plays a role in water cycle
- contains the gases that living organisms need (ex. oxygen for respiration; carbon dioxide for photosynthesis)
- protects Earth’s surface from being struck by meteors
Atmosphere
What are the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere? From farthest to nearest.
Exosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere
Which layer of the atmosphere:
- outermost layer
- thin air
- mainly composed of helium and hydrogen
- low amount of gas and other molecules
- ideal for satellite placement because there is no friction and can orbit quickly without being interrupted
Exosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere:
- [temp increases]
- air density low
- aurora borealis
- temperature 500c - 2000c
- satellites and radio waves travel due to many ions
Thermosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere:
- [temp decreases]
- coldest temperature, about -90 degrees C recorded near the top of this layer
- mysterious
- most meteors crash and vaporize
- high concentration of iron and other metal atoms
Mesosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere:
- [temp increases]
- second layer
- ozone molecule is abundant
- the temperature rises upward within the layer
- very dry as air contains little water vapor
- few clouds
Stratosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere:
- [temp decreases]
- lowest layer
- 75-85% mass of the atmosphere
- various types of clouds, almost all weather occurs within this layer
- wettest layer
Troposphere
The atmosphere is composed of…
- 78% nitrogen
- 21% oxygen
- 0.9% other
What are convection currents?
- wind direction is different in parts of the Earth because the climate is different
- warm air up, cold air down
Which convection current cell is this?
- largest
- low latitude air circulations rising and sinking at the equator at roughly 30 degrees celsius latitude
- responsible for the trade winds in the Tropics and control low-latitude weather patterns
Hadley Cell
Which convection current cell is this?
- average motion of air in mid-latitudes
- sinking air near 30 deg ad rising air farther poleward
- at the surface, air flowing poleward is deflected to the east by Coriolis force, resulting in westerly surface winds
Ferrel Cell
Which convection current cell is this?
- smallest and weakest
- extends from 60-70 degrees
- air in this cell sinks over the highest latitudes and flows out toward the lower latitudes at the surface
Polar Cell
OZONE DEPLETION
oxygen molecule + UV rats → _____
atomic oxygen
OZONE DEPLETION
atomic oxygen + oxygen molecule → _____
ozone
This is an international agreement developed under the sponsorship of UN, aiming to eliminate the production and use ozone-impacting chemicals, such as chlorofluorocarbons and hydrochlorofluorocarbons, and is continuously implemented 1989 - present (34y)
Montreal Protocol
What is the greenhouse effect?
- water vapor and carbon dioxide
- atmosphere readily absorbs longer wavelength terrestrial radiation
- atmosphere is heated from the ground up rather than vice versa
- high altitude low temperature
This is the first major international effort to slow global climate change, an agreement to lower the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. Industrialized nations will reduce their greenhouse gas emissions to below what they were in 1990.
Kyoto Protocol
- air pollutant that is not directly emitted into the air
- formed through chemical reactions in the atmosphere
- UV radiation from the sun interacts with nitrogen oxides (NOx) and volatile compounds (VOCs)
- can induce health-related (respiratory) problems
Surface-level Ozone (smog)
