Atmosphere and Weather Flashcards
What is the atmosphere?
A mix of gases held to Earth by gravity; it increases in density, and therefore pressure, towards the Earth’s surface and is divided into zones based on temperature variations.
Name the layers of the atmosphere and their cut off points in order.
Troposphere, Tropopause, Stratosphere, Stratopause, Mesosphere, Mesopause, Thermosphere, Exosphere.
Where does the troposphere range from?
The Earth’s surface to 7km at the poles and 17km at the equator.
Why does the range of the troposphere differ between the poles and the equator?
The spin of the earth means that the atmosphere around the equator gets thrown out wider than at the poles due to the spinning motion.
What is the troposphere?
AN unstable layer containing the majority of earth’s climate and weather.
How much of the total mass of the atmosphere and water vapour is found in the troposphere?
99% of the total mass of the atmopshere; 50% below 5.6km and contains 99% of water vapour.
What is the tropopause?
An isothermal layer at the top of the troposphere creating a temperature inversion which prevents air rising into the atmosphere.
What does the Stratosphere include?
The ozone layer which is concentrated at 15-35km in the stratosphere. The stratosphere extends to 51km above the Earth’s surface.
What is at the end of the stratosphere?
The stratopause which
What does the mesosphere include>
Extends to 85km above the earth’s surface. Most meteors burn up here.
What is at the end of the mesopshere?
The mesopause which
What does the thermosphere include?
Extends over 640km from the earth’s sruface. The ISS orbits at around 350km.
What is the lapse rate?
The decrease of temperature with height.
What is the lapse rate in the tropsophere?
The temperature decreases by 6.4C every 1000m.
What does diurnal refer to?
The differences between day and night
