Atmosphere Composition & Layers Flashcards
what is Earth’s atmosphere composed of?
air
air is a mixture of…
gases and suspended particles
What three gases comprise air?
nitrogen, oxygen, argon
In EArth’s atompherse there are small quantities of ____ and _____
CO2, CH4
The atmosphere is ______ percent nitrogen and _______ percent oxygen
78, 20
what are two trace gases?
carbon dioxide and methane
what important properties do some trace gases have?
absorb radiation - protect and warm
Trace gases that absorb radiation are called…
greenhouse gases
Greenhouse gases are trace gases that absorb ______
radiation
What are the four main layers of the atmosphere?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
what are the boundaries in-between the four main layers of the atmosphere called?
pauses
pauses are the the_______ of four main layers of the _______
boundaries, atmosphere
Which is the lowest layer of the atmosphere?
troposphere
where all human activity occurs.
The troposphere is kept warm by Earth’s ______
surface
as you go higher in the troposphere, the temperature ______
drops
the average rate of temperature drop is called the ________ _______ rate
environmental lapse
What is the environmental lapse rate in the troposphere?
drop of 6.5 degrees celsius per 1000m
the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called the …..
tropopause
what is located in the stratosphere?
the ozone layer
the _______ layer is in the stratosphere
ozone
the ozone layer contains ______ gas
ozone
Ozone efficiently absorbs UV ______ and ______
light and radiation
what does the ozone efficiently absorb?
UV light and radiation
why does the temp increase in the stratosphere?
because of all of the absorption of UV light
list the four layers of earth’s atmosphere and their boundaries in increasing elevation?
troposphere -> tropopause ->stratosphere -> stratopause –> mesosphere -> mesopause -> thermosphere
Does temp increase or decrease in troposphere with elevation?
decrease
Does temp increase or decrease in stratosphere with elevation?
increase
Does temp increase or decrease in mesosphere with elevation?
decrease
Does temp increase or decrease in thermosphere with elevation?
increase
the ozone layer located in the ______ is a _______ layer of earth because it absorbs UV rays
stratosphere, protective
why is the ozone layer a protective layer?
because it does na efficient job absorbing UV Rays
ultraviolet Radiation causes…
sunburn
over the past 50 years the use of _____________ caused __________ that caused a hole in the ozone layer
chlorofluorocarbon, pollution
where are chlorofluorocarbons used in?
refrigerators and arisol containers
chlorofluorocarbon pollution caused a hole in which layer?
ozone
chlorofluorocarbon _________ caused a _____ in the ozone layer
pollution, hole
where is the hole int he ozone layer located?
over the South Pole because of air circulation
