3.2.1 The Atmosphere

Question 1

Layers of atmosphere

Answer 1

The Sun Moves The Earth
Lowest
-troposphere
-stratosphere
-mesosphere
-thermosphere
-exosphere
Highest

Question 2

Atmospheric energy processes

Answer 2

Roles of UV and IR:
• Insolation.
• Emissions from the earth.
• Thermal stratification.
• Chemical processes.

Different wavelengths of electromagnetic light:
• transmission
• absorption
• conversion to heat
• conversion to chemical energy
• reflection.

Question 3

Global climate change -

Answer 3

• greenhouse gases
• changes in oceans: El Niño La Niña, thermohaline circulation, sea levels rising.
• changes in crysophere - reduce snow cover, glaciers, land ice caps, ice shelves, sea ices, albedo.
• ## changes in climate process - precipitation, wind patterns changing.

Question 4

Difficulties monitoring and predicting climate change

Answer 4

Lack of historical data: atmospheric composition, temperature, weather patterns.
• Limited reliability of proxy data.
• Lack of understanding of natural processes that
control weather, ocean currents and their
interconnections.
• How understanding is improved by climate
modelling.
• Natural changes and fluctuations that mask
changes caused by anthropogenic actions.
• Time delay between cause and effect.

Question 5

Feedback mechanisms and tipping points

Answer 5

Impact of negative feedback mechanisms caused by:
• increased low-level cloud
• increased photosynthesis.
Impact of positive feedback mechanisms:
• melting permafrost
• ocean acidification
• reduced albedo
• melting methane hydrate
• increased forest and peat fires
• increased cirrus clouds
• more rapid decomposition of dead organic matter in soil.
The role of tipping points in climate change.

Question 6

Ozone depletion

Answer 6

• Rolland-molina hypothesis
• cfcs
• dissociation by uv
• reactions of chlorine with ozone
• increased uvb - health plant and marine damage
• ## Montreal protocol