Atmosphere

Question 1

Functions of the atmosphere

Answer 1

Provides correct balance of gases at lower altitudes to allow us to breathe
Filters out harmful amounts of solar radiation
Keeps heat close to earths surface
Moves heat around the planet so that the lower latitudes are not too hot and the higher ones are not too cold
Reduces extreme variation in diurnal (night and day) temperature range

Question 2

Troposphere

Answer 2

Contains most of the atmospheric moisture, air, dust and pollution
Temperature decreases with height (as warmed by planets heat)
Air pressure decreases with height

Question 3

Stratosphere

Answer 3

Dry

Steady increase in temperature with height (ozone absorbs height)

Question 4

Global heat budget

Answer 4

Helps to understand the vertical transfer of energy between the sun and the earth
The balance between the energy received by the earth and the energy radiated back into space

Question 5

Insolation and terrestrial radiation

Answer 5

Insolation is energy from the sun

Terrestrial radiation is energy from the earth

Question 6

Percentages

Answer 6

4% reflected from earths surface
20% reflected by clouds
6% scattered by gas
16% absorbed by dust, water vapour and other gases
3% absorbed by clouds 
51% absorbed by earths surface 

6% long wave energy from the surface
94%

Question 7

Why does the equatorial region absorb more of the suns energy than the polar regions

Answer 7

• Curvature of the earth, the suns rays have a shorter distance to the equator
• Hits tropics at 90° (directly overhead) most of the year, more concentrated and intense insolation
• Sun overhead the tropics throughout the year, more energy is absorbed at the equator
• At the tropics there is less atmosphere to pass through, lower chance of insolation being above red by clouds etc.
• Tropics have dark vegetation cover (rainforest) so absorb more energy resulting in a low albedo and less lost to reflection

Question 8

Albedo

Answer 8

Reflection of radiational insolation (energy from the sun) from the Earths surface

Question 9

Coriolis effect

Answer 9

Describes the pattern of deflection, caused by the rotation of the earth, taken by objects not firmly connected to the ground as they travel long distances around the earth