Atmosphere Flashcards
Name permanent constiuent gases in the atmosphere (and list there percentages)
Nitrogen (78%)
Oxygen (21%)
Trace gases (1% - Argon, CO2, Neon, Helium, Methane, Krypton, Hydrogen, Xenon, Ozone)
What type of varialbe constiuents can be found in the atmosphere
Solids (Particulates - dust, sand, salt, volcanic ash)
Liquids: Water droplets
Gases: Water vapour etc.
How does CO2 contribute to temprature control in the atmosphere?
It absorbs certain heat radiation in long wave radiation bands
What happens to Oxygen in the higher reaches of the atmosphere
Oxygen dissasociates from its molecular form (o2) to its atomic form (o) when under the influence of short wave solar radiation
re-combination takes place with some atoms to form Ozone (o3) which absorbs more short-wave rads.
these process create warmer layers in the higher parts of the atmosphere.
What is interesting about gases in the upper reaches of the atmosphere
They are moving with great speed (indicating a relative high temprature) but they are so spaced out that we see lower temprature drop.
What does water vapour do with solar radiation?
water vapour absorbs well in specific long wave radiation bands which thus promotes heat retention in the lower atmosphere.
through its absorption of heat, and changes in state thanks to latent heat (i.e. evaporating —> moving —> condensing/precipitating)
it is this process, and the varying states of water content in a specific area of the atmosphere that account for clouds/precipitaiton/fog
Name some solids that may be present in the atmosphere
Sea Salt (from cyclones/torndaoes), Dust, Sulphur, Ash
Name the layers of the atmosphere in ascending order
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere, Thermosphere (Ionsphere/exosphere)
how high, in miles and feet, does the Earth’s atmosphere extend upwards?
350 Miles = 1848000 ft
How would you express positive or minus pressure using two letters?
PS or MS
What is the world wide height of the tropopause?
36090 ft (6.8 Miles)
where does most of the weather occur within the atmosphere?
within the Troposphere
where does the Stratosphere end?
160,000 ft (30.3 mi)
How is temperature typically controlled within the thermosphere?
conduction and convection - radiation absorption does also play a role
How is temperature typically controlled within the Stratosphere?
mainly through absorbtion of radiation
at what point does the Mesosphere end?
280,000 ft (53.3mi)
at what point does the thermosphere end?
2,000,000 ft (378 mi)
what is above the thermosphere?
exosphere
name the atmospheric boundaries, along with associated altitudes in ft
Tropopause (36090ft) Stratopause (160,000 ft)
Mesopause (280,000ft) Thermopause (2,000,000)
What can cause the thermopause to vary? and why?
Heat - temprature can cause air to rise, thus increasing the height of the tropopuase at the equators and causing it to decrease at the poles
What height range can the tropopause typically occupy and where?
25000ft (at the poles) - 55000ft (at the equator)
what three measures of atmosphereic pressure would we typically see?
hPa (hectorpascals), milibar, and inHg (inches of mercury)
What device is used to measure pressure
Barometer
how would you describe air pressure in terms of weight?
Pressure is the force of the air molecules pushing against you at a specific altitude