Ch. 1 - The Atmosphere

Question 1

What is the atmosphere

Answer 1

The envelope of air between the earths surface and space

Question 2

What is the sphere closest to the earths surface

Answer 2

Troposphere

Question 3

How much of the atmosphere does nitrogen constitute

Answer 3

78%

Question 4

How much of the atmosphere does oxygen constitute

Answer 4

21%

Question 5

Greenhouse effect

Answer 5

Carbon dioxide and other waste gases have the ability to trap heat so the excessive amounts may warm the atmosphere

Question 6

Importance of ozone

Answer 6

It filters out much of the harmful UV rays

Question 7

Where does most of the weather/turbulence occur

Answer 7

Lower portion of the troposphere, where the water content is markedly greater

Question 8

What is the tropopause

Answer 8

Egg-shaped division line between the troposphere and stratosphere

Question 9

Shape of the tropopause

Answer 9

Higher over the equator and lower over the poles

Question 10

Reason of tropopause shape

Answer 10

The density of air is higher over the poles and lower over the equator, less dense air takes up more room so, therefore, the columns of air must be taller in the tropic regions.

Question 11

Size difference between the troposphere and stratosphere

Answer 11

Stratosphere is twice as high

Question 12

Stratosphere features

Answer 12

Very little air, no moisture so therefore no clouds

Question 13

Where is the ozone formed and where does it settle

Answer 13

Forms at the top of the stratosphere and settles towards the lower region of the stratosphere

Question 14

Difference in surface air tempreture

Answer 14

Surface air temperature is determined largely by solar energy concentration. The given width of a solar beam onto the equator concentrates its energy over a small area whereas a similar beam striking the polar region spreads its energy over a far larger area. This is because of the angles at which the suns rays impinge on the earth’s surface. The sun shines vertically onto the equator but strikes the polar regions at an oblique angle

Question 15

Temperature difference at the tropopause

Answer 15

The tropopause is colder over the equator, this is because the column of air is taller and therefore because temperature decreases with altitude there will be a much larger temperature drop. Even if allowance is made for warmer surface temperatures in the tropics, the greater loss in the warm column means that it is colder