41: Air Flashcards
How many tons of air pollutants were released in the US in 2021?
70 million tons of air pollutants were released in the US
What is the atmosphere?
sea of air that surrounds the Earth
How are the layers of the atmosphere separated?
by abrupt changes in temperature due to differences in absorption of solar energy
What are the layers of the atmosphere (high to low)?
- exosphere
- thermosphere
- mesosphere
- stratosphere
- troposphere
What layers of the atmosphere will we be focusing on?
troposphere and stratosphere
What are characteristics of the troposphere?
- constitutes 75% mass of earth’s air
- extends up to 10 km (6 miles) above the sea level at the equator
- temperature declines with altitude
What is the tropopause?
boundary between troposphere and upper layers; temperature abruptly rises here
What is the temperature in the troposphere?
the higher the altitude, the lower the temperature
What is the temperature in the stratosphere?
the higher the altitude, the warmer it becomes (higher temperature)
What is the composition of air in the troposphere?
78% Nitrogen (N2)
21% Oxygen (O2)
1% Other (permanent and variable gases)
What are the permanent gases?
Argon (Ar), Hydrogen (H2), Helium (He), Neon (Ne)
What are variable gases?
water vapor, carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs, put there by human actions)
What are characteristics of the stratosphere?
the second layer, above the troposphere
1. extends from 10 to 50 km (6-30 miles) above earth’s surface
2. air is very calm (no weather)
3. where airplanes fly
Where do weather events occur?
in the troposphere
Where is there a reversal in temperature in the stratosphere?
at the stratopause (becomes colder as altitude increases)
