3.3 Earth's Atmosphere Flashcards
earths atmosphere is made of
nitrogen oxygen water vapor argon carbon dioxide and small amts of other glasses
atmosphere
mixture of gases that surrounds earth
which gas is the highest concentration in the atmosphere
nitrogen
which gas is the second highest concentration in the atmosphere
oxygen
how many layers of the atmosphere are there and what are their names
5 - troposphere stratosphere mesosphere thermosphere exosphere
how are the layers of the atmosphere distinguished
temperature
troposphere
layer that is closest to earth and where most of the earths weather and cloud making occurs
what is the densest layer
troposphere
troposphere is heated mostly by what
sun radiating off the earths surface
troposphere has a temp gradient that ____(increases/decreases) with altitude
decreases
stratosphere
layer above troposphere with ozone layer
what layer has the ozone layer
stratosphere
ozone layer
keeps about 95% of the sun’s harmful UV radiation from reaching the Earth’s surface
how does the ozone layer do its thing
Ozone molecules absorb UV radiation and release heat
the stratosphere has a temperature gradient that ____ (increases/decreases) with altitude
increases
mesosphere
layer above the stratosphere that is heated primarily by the stratosphere below
the mesosphere has a temperature gradient that ____ (increases/decreases) with altitude
decreases
the thermosphere has a temperature gradient that ____ (increases/decreases) with altitude
increases
thermosphere
low density of has molecules but the molecules absorb high energy radiation from sun
exosphere
highest layer that has super low density of has molecules bc they usually escape into space
why is global wind patter important
control where rains what species can survive etc
why do we have wind patterns
sun
how does the sun affect wind patterns
sun hits equator more than poles so air at equator is hotter and more moist than poles
hot air moves
up
hot air areas have ____ pressure
low
cold air areas have ___ pressure
high
convection cell
a circular pattern of a gas or liquid rising and falling as it becomes hotter and cooler
coriolis effect
circulating air is deflected toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere
Hadley cells
convection cells closes to the equator
ferrel cells
convection cells squished between the polar cells and the Hadley cells
polar cells
convection cells at the poles
what causes there to have diff convection cells in the hemispheres
movement of earth – coriolis effect
winds are named after what
where theey come from
northeast trade winds
move west in Hadley cells
southeast trade winds
move west in Hadley cells
what causes wind patterns to become more complicated
the way there are oceans and land that absorb energy differently
