4. The Atmosphere Flashcards
How was the Earth formed?
The Earth was formed about 4.6 billion years ago as gravity pulled rock fragments in space together
The huge amount of energy absorbed as the rocks joined, created heat and produced a ball of molten rock.
The surface gradually cooled to produce a surface crust of solid rock.
What is the atmosphere?
A protective layer of gasses surrounding the earth, that remains in place due to the pull of gravity
What are the 4 main gases in the atmosphere and what are their amounts?
Nitrogen - 78%
Oxygen - 21%
Argon - 0.93%
Carbon dioxide - 0.035%
What is UV light?
Ultra violet light is a type of radiation from sunlight and it contributes to 10% of light from the sun. It is an invisible form of electromagnetic radiation.
Does UV light have a long or short wavelength?
It has a shorter wavelength that visible light and carries more energy too
What are the 3 types of UV light?
UVC
UVB
UVA
Which out of UVA, UVB and UVC is most damaging and why?
UVC is the most damaging of the three because it has the shortest wavelength. UVA is the least damaging because it has a longer wavelength
What layers of the atmosphere does life exist in?
Life only exists in the TROPOSPHERE and STRATOSPHERE (not in the exosphere, thermosphere or mesosphere)
What percentage of UVB gets absorbed by the ozone layer?
95%
What percentage of UVA gets absorbed by the ozone layer?
5%
What percentage of UVC gets absorbed by the ozone layer?
100% of UVC gets absorbed by the ozone layer
What is infrared radiation?
It is electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light so it is therefore invisible. Infrared radiation accounts for 49% of the heating of the earth.
Where is the ozone layer found in the atmosphere?
In between the troposphere and the stratosphere
What are the 3 forms of oxygen and where are they found?
O
O2
O3
They are in the stratosphere and they also form the ozone layer (they absorb UV light)
What is a dynamic equilibrium?
The state of balance between continuing processes
How is the maintaining of the ozone layers thickness an example of dynamic equilibrium?
The chemical reaction of the 3 types of oxygen and UV radiation breaks down the ozone layer, maintaining it to the perfect thickness
What is electromagnetic radiation?
Energy that travels in the form of electromagnetic waves. Different types of EM waves carry different amounts of energy. The shorter the wavelength, the more energy carried by the wave
How is the wavelength of emitted radiation determined?
The wavelength of emitted radiation is determined by the temperature of the object it comes from. The higher the temperature, the shorter the wavelength of emitted radiation.
What is terrestrial energy?
Energy emitted by the earth (longwave radiation which is detected by heat)
What is the E.L.R?
The environmental lapse rate is the process that controls the temperature of the atmosphere within the troposphere. It is the idea that for every 100m you rise in altitude - you will drop 0.65 degrees.
What percentage of gases in the atmosphere are between the earth and the troposphere?
80%
Out of all the short wave solar energy incoming from the sun, what percent is absorbed by lands and oceans? Why is this?
51% of all the short wave solar energy incoming from the sun is absorbed by lands and oceans. This is becuase 6% is reflected by the atmosphere; 20% is reflected by clouds; 3% is absorbed by clouds and 4% gets reflected by the earth’s surface.
Out of the energy leaving the earth, what percentage is carried in the form of water vapour?
23% of the energy leaving the earth is carried in the form of water vapour
Out of the energy leaving the earth, what percentage is radiated directly to space from earth?
6% of the energy leaving the earth is radiated directly to space from earth
What is the difference between long wavelengths and short wavelengths?
Longer wavelengths have a lower frequency and less energy, whereas, shorter wavelengths have higher frequency and contain more energy.
What are the features of Earth that make it suitable for life? (5)
- Mass
- Distance from the sun
- Axis of rotation
- Speed of rotation
- Magnetic field
How does the mass of earth allow it to be suitable for life?
The mass of the earths gives it a gravitational pull.
This gravitational pull pulls in gases, creating the atmosphere as the mass of the earth was enough to prevent most gases from escaping into space.
The atmospheric pressure was high enough to prevent all the liquid water from boiling.
Why is water is vital for living organisms?
Water is vital for living organisms as it is the general solvent in which most biological reactions take place. It is also important in transport and temperature regulation.
What elements were present in the atmosphere?
This atmosphere included the elements essential for life: carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and nitrogen. They were present in compounds such as methane, ammonia and carbon dioxide.
