Atmosphere/Weather Review Flashcards
What is the layer of gas that surrounds the earth?
Atmosphere
What are the layers of the atmosphere?
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
- Ionosphere
Which layer contains gases essential for life?
Troposphere
Which layer does weather occur in?
Troposphere
In what layers does the temp decrease as the altitude increases?
Troposphere and Mesosphere
In what layers does the temp increase as the altitude increases?
Stratosphere and Thermosphere
Which layer includes the ozone?
Stratosphere
Which layer do planes fly in?
Stratosphere
Which layer is 50-80 km?
Mesosphere
Which layer begins to merge with space?
Thermosphere
Which layer has air that is highly ionized by UV rays?
Ionosphere
What is special about the Ionosphere?
- It keeps radio waves from completely leaving the atmosphere
- It causes Auroras
What gases are found in the atmosphere?
Oxygen, Nitrogen, CO2 and Argon
Where are most of the gases found?
In the lower atmosphere
Which component of the atmosphere formed from the surface of the earth and pollution?
Dust
Which component is always present due to evaporation and is mostly near the surface?
Water vapor
Which component blocks UV rays in the higher atmosphere and is considered a pollutant in the lower atmosphere?
Ozone
What are ionized particles sent out by the sun?
Auroras
What are single oxygen molecules bounded with paired oxygen?
Ozone
What does the Ozone do?
It blocks 99% of UV radiation
What is causing ozone thinning?
The release of CFC’s
Where is the hole in the ozone?
Antarctica
What does dust form in the atmosphere?
Rain and fog
What is the transformation of water vapor to liquid when it comes in contact with a cooler object?
Condensation
What is energy in the form of water?
Radiation
What is the direct transfer of heat from a hot object to a cooler object?
Conduction
What is the transfer of heat as warm air or liquid rises and cools air or liquid falls?
Convection
What is the only way heat can enter the earth?
Radiation
What is the effect that traps heat radiation that radiated from the earth?
Greenhouse Effect
Why is the greenhouse effect necessary for life?
The earth would be frozen without it
What is the main cause of the modern greenhouse effect?
CO2
What are some other causes of the modern greenhouse effect?
Burning fossil fuel, deforestation, methane, and CFC
What is the relationship between temperature and altitude?
As altitude increases, temperature decreases
What is an upside down temp, condition where the ground radiates heat and cools faster than air?
Temperature Inversion
How does temperature inversion form?
Cool air stays near the ground and traps smoke, fog, and other pollutants
What is smoke and fog mixed together?
Smog
How does the rotation and the tilt of the earth effect the temp of the earth?
- The closer you are to the equator the more direct sunlight you are going to get, causing small differences between the warm seasons.
- The middle part of the earth gets direct rays half of the year, causing extreme differences in the seasons
What is going on during the Winter Solstice?
The sun’s rays are below the equator at the tropic of capricorn and are starting to go higher
What is going on during the Summer Solstice?
The sun’s rays are above the equator at the tropic of cancer and are starting to go lower
What is going on during the Spring Equinox?
The sun’s rays are at the equator and are rising
What is going on at the Autumnal Equinox?
The sun’s rays are at the equator and are falling
What are the seasons of the earth like in the polar regions?
There are few direct rays, so it is cold most all of the year
What are the seasons of the earth like near the equator?
There is more direct sunlight, so there are only small differences between the warm seasons
What are the seasons of the earth like between the polar regions and equatorial regions?
There are direct rays for only half of the year, so there are extreme differences in the seasons
When are the warmest and coldest times of the day?
Warmest - Late afternoon
Coldest - Just before dawn
When is the warmest and coldest time of the year?
Warmest - July
Coldest - January
How is water heated and what affects the heating?
Heats up at different levels based on water clarity
How is land heated?
Only heats on surface, the top 1-2 feet
How does heat spread through water and land?
Much easier in water because of fluid and convection
What is it called when liquid water warms up and converts to water vapor?
Evaporation
