Chapter 16: The Atmosphere: Composition, Structure, & Temperate

Question 1

Weather, what is it?

Answer 1

• Occurs over a short period of time
• Constantly changing
• Refers to state of atmosphere

Question 2

Climate, what is it?

Answer 2

• Occurs over a long period of time

* Composite of weather conditions over many years

Question 3

Regularly measured properties of weather and climate?

Answer 3

• temp
• humidity
• cloudiness
• precipitation
• air pressure
• wind speed and direction

Question 4

The atmosphere is made up of what components?

Answer 4

• Nitrogen -78%
• Oxygen -21%
• Argon and other gases- .93%
• Carbon Dioxide -.036%

Question 5

Three components is the air

Answer 5

1) Water vapor
2) Aerosols
3) Ozone

Question 6

What is water vapor?

Answer 6

• Varies considerably
• 4% of air’s volume
• Forms cloud and precipitation
• Absorbs heat energy from Earth

Question 7

What is aerosols?

Answer 7

• Tiny sold and liquid particles (dust, pollen, ect)
• Particles reflect sunlight
• Helps to color sunrises and sunsets

Question 8

What is an ozone?

Answer 8

• Form of oxygen that combines 3 oxygen atoms into each molecule
• Absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from sun

Question 9

Explain Pressure Changes

Answer 9

• Pressure is the weight of the air
• Average sea level pressure about 14.7 pounds per square inch
• Pressure decreases with altitude (90% found within 10 miles of Earth’s surface)

Question 10

What is a Radiosonde?

Answer 10

an instrument carried aloft, by a weather balloon to gather and transmit meteorological data

*balloon expands as it rises/ pressure decreases / when popped sends parachute down and then it is tracked on a GPS

Question 11

The layers of the atmosphere is based on what?

Answer 11

temperature

Question 12

What is the Troposphere?

Answer 12

• The bottom layer of the atmosphere
• Temp decrease w/ altitude called environmental lapse rate
• The outer boundary is called the “tropopause”

Question 13

What is the Stratosphere?

Answer 13

• Between 12 km to 50 km above earth. aka below middle
• Temp increases here where the ozone layer is concentrated
• Outer boundary is called the stratopause

Question 14

What is the Mesosphere?

Answer 14

• Between 50 km to 80 km above earth. aka middle
• Temp decreases steadily; coldest temps occur here
• Outer boundary called mesopause

Question 15

What is the Thermosphere?

Answer 15

• does not have well-defined upper limit.
• gases are moving at high speeds
• temp starts to increase dot to high energy solar radiation. aka highest part

Question 16

Two motions of the Earth

Answer 16

1) Rotation-
Earth fully rotates on axis every 24hrs
Produces daily cycle of day & night

2) Revolution-
Movement of earth on orbit around the sun.
1 revolution/ year

Question 17

Why do we experience seasons on earth?

Answer 17

Because of the tilt of the Earth axis!

Happens when the sun hits the earth

Question 18

A result of Earth’s changing orientation to the Sun is what?

Answer 18

Seasons!
The Earth’s axis is at
23.5 degrees

Question 19

When does the Summer Solstice happen for us?

Answer 19

• June 21, most hours of daylight
• **Earth is tilted on angle towards the sun
• Suns vertical rays are located at the Tropic of Cancer

Question 20

When does the Winter Solstice happen for us?

Answer 20

• December 21, fewest hours of daylight
• Earth is tilted away from the sun
• Suns vertical rays are located at the Tropic of Capricorn

Question 21

When does the Fall (Autumnal) equinox and Spring (Vernal) equinox happen for us?

Answer 21

FALL September 21
SPRING March 21

• Days and nights are equal
• Suns vertical rays are located at the equator

Question 22

Three mechanisms of heat transfer

Answer 22

1) Conduction: transfer of heat through molecular activity
2) Convection: transfer of heat through mass movement
3) Radiation: doesn’t need a medium to travel. This is how heat from the Sun reaches our planet.

Question 23

Possible effects when radiation strikes and object

Answer 23

1) Reflection (% of radiation reflected)
2) Scattering
3) Absorption

Question 24

What is reflection?

Answer 24

the process of when light bounces back from an object at the same angle and intensity, which it hit the surface

Question 25

What is scattering?

Answer 25

produces a larger number of weaker rays that travel in different directions

Question 26

Atmospheric Heating

Answer 26

1) Short-wave solar radiation pass through the atmosphere & partially absorbed
2) Radiation from Earth’s surface:
A. Earth re-radiates radiation
B. Longer wavelength terrestrial radiation is absorbed by carbon dioxide& water vapor
C. Greenhouse gases re-radiate some energy back toward earth, trapping heat in lower atmosphere

Question 27

What is the most important control of temperature?

Answer 27

solar radiation

Question 28

Variations in temperatures are greatest when?

Answer 28

They are greatest when over land