6.1: Introduction to the atmosphere Flashcards
outline why the atmosphere can be considered a dynamic system?
Has inputs, outputs, flows and storage that have undergone changes in geological time.
It is a closed system, the imput is solar radiation and the output is heat energy.
Draw a systems diagram of the earth’s atmosphere.
In a document called hot girl atmosphere
outline the vertical structure of the atmosphere?
the troposphere is the lowest part of the atmosphere, the next part is the stratosphere, these two are separated by the tropopause.
Above the stratosphere is the mesosphere, separated by the mesopause.
From the earth’s surface to 11-12km decreases as the atmosphere thins. The stratosphere locks dust and water vapour; and increases in temperature with height due to the absorption of solar radiation.
In the mesosphere, the temperature decreases because decreasing density prevents the absorption of energy.
In the thermosphere, there is an increase in temperature with increasing height due to the absorption of energy.
Pressure decreases rapidly with hight troposphere, stabilizes in the stratosphere.
exosphere
draw a digram to summarise greenhosue effect?
in hot girl atmosphere
Describe the ways in which human activities are affecting the atmosphere?
Buring fossil fuels (coal, oil and natural gas) releases co2 and increases its concentration. This is further amplified by deforestation, the process itself reasses co2 stored in trees and reduces co2 mitigated by trees in future.
man-made chemical- ozone-depleting substances (ODS) e.g CFCs have lead to a reduction in stratospheric ozone.
when we heat the plant, the ability of the atmosphere to hold moisture increases so there is more water vapour in the air which is a GHG and warms the atmosphere ——> positive feedback loop.
state the parts of the atmosphere (name and altitudes) whicg the majority of chemical reactions relation to living organism occur?
troposphere 11-12 km above sea levle
outline factors which may have influenced atmospheric composition over geological time?
volcanoes and forestfiers
outline what is meant by the term albedo effect?
A measure of the reflecting power of a surface in relation to the amount of short waved radiation recived.
Lighter coloured curfaces have gteater albido.
summaries the role of clouds with regards to their influce on earths albedo?
clouds increase albeido reflecting more light away from the earth, espsically low thick clouds such as stratus clouds.
