chapter 17 earth science

Question 1

Describe Earths atmosphere

Answer 1

the earths atmosphere is unique. The gases that make u[ earths atmosphere andthe controlsto which they are subject are vital to our existence.

Question 2

describe composition of atmosphere

Answer 2

a mixture of gases and some suspended solids and liquids. nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, argon, water vapor, and other gases.

Question 3

what two gases make up 99% of the earths atmosphere

Answer 3

nitrogen and oxygen

Question 4

what are some variable components of the atmosphere

Answer 4

water vapor, dust particles, and ozone concentration can vary.

Question 5

what is cfcs

Answer 5

it causes ozone layer depletion. It was use in a.cs and refrigerators but people noticed it and banned it so now the ozone layer is getting better.

Question 6

human influence

Answer 6

air pollutants are airborne particles and gases that occur in concentration large enough to endanger the health of organisms.

Question 7

what are the two type of smog

Answer 7

photochemical, and sulfurous fog.

Question 8

describe height and structure of the atmosphere

Answer 8

there is no direct boundary of where the atmosphere ends and space begins
the atmosphere thins as go outward from earth.

Question 9

describe pressure changes

Answer 9

pressure is the force pushing on an area of earths surface
is the result of the wirght of a column of air pushing down on an area. We are only safe because the air is also pushing up from the bottom.

Question 10

describe temperature changes

Answer 10

the amosphere is divided into four layers based on temperature changes. Some layers absorb the suns energy while others do not

Question 11

Lower and upper atmosphere

Answer 11

lower: troposphere, stratosphere,
higher: mesosphere, thermosphere (above them all is exosphere)

Question 12

what are the two layers the thermospher is divided into

Answer 12

ionosphere, and exosphere

Question 13

describe ionospher and exosphere

Answer 13

ionosphere: the lower layer has electrically charged particles. useful for comms cus they reflect radio waves
exosphere: it is the uppermost layer of the thermosphere. there is no clear boundary between the exosphere and space.

Question 14

earth sun relationships

Answer 14

nearly all the energy that drives earths weather and climate is from the sun.

Question 15

earths motion

Answer 15

earth has two main motions. rotation and revolution

Question 16

earths orientation and seasons

Answer 16

the earth revolves around the sun at a tilt

Question 17

what is the tilt of the earth

Answer 17

23.5

Question 18

what is the suns apparent path

Answer 18

we know that the apparent path of the sun of rising in the east and setting in the west is due to earth rotation.

Question 19

solstices and equinoxes

Answer 19

solstice is when the sun reaches its greatest distance north or south of the equator. equinox is when the sun is above the earths equator.

Question 20

what dates are the solstices and equinoxes

Answer 20

summer solstice: June 21,22
winter solstice: December 21,22
spring equinox: march 20,21
fall equinox: September 22,23

Question 21

what is the length of the day

Answer 21

during equinoxes the daylight and night hours are both twleve. during the summer solstice the days are the longest but in winter solstice the days are the shortest.

Question 22

heating the atmosphere? what is temperature?

Answer 22

heat is the energy transferred from one object to another because of the difference in temperature. temperature is the measure of the average kinetic energy of atoms or molecules in a substance.

Question 23

what is energy transfer as heat

Answer 23

there are three mechanisms of energy transfer between earths surface and the atmosphere. conduction, convection and radiation.

Question 24

what is conduction convection and radiation

Answer 24

conduction: it is when you touch the object directly and the heat transfers.
convection: convection is the transfer of heat by mass movement or circulation within a substance.
radiation: unlike conduction and convection which need material to travel through the transfer of heat energy by radiation can occur through the vacuum of space.

Question 25

what are the four laws that govern radiation

Answer 25

1. all objects at any temp emit radiant energy.
2. hotter objects radiate more total energy per unit area than colder objects do.
3. the hottest radiating bodies produce the shortest wavelengths of maximum radiation.
4. objects that are good absorbers of radiation are good emitters as well.

Question 26

what happens to solar radiation

Answer 26

when radiation an object ther usually are three different results.

Question 27

what are the three results of solar radiation striking an object

Answer 27

1. some solar energy is absorbed by the object. this energy is converted to heat and causes and increase in temp
2. substances such as water and air are transparent to certain wavelengths of radiation. so they transmit the radiant energy not adding energy to the object
3. some radiation may bounce the object without being absorbed or transmitted.

Question 28

describe reflection and scattering.

Answer 28

reflection occurs when an electromagnetic waves bounces off an object. no energy is lost.
scattering produces a larger number of weaker rays that travel in different directions.

Question 29

how much solar radiation is being reflected or scattered back into space.

Answer 29

30%

Question 30

describe absorption of solr energy

Answer 30

50% of solar energy reaches earths surface and is absorbed. most of this energy is then reradiated skyward.

Question 31

what is the greenhouse effect

Answer 31

the term given to describe the atmospheric gases absorbing energy and reradiating back to earth to maintain a more constant surface temperature.

Question 32

describe photosynthesis in plants

Answer 32

some incoming solar radiation is absorbed by plants algae and phytoplankton so they can do photosynthesis this solar radiation is not absorbed or reradiated.

Question 33

what are the two sources that form acid rain

Answer 33

1.sulfur dioxide from burning coal combines with moisture in air forming sulfuric acid
2. Nitrogen oxide (car exhaust) combines with moisture in the air to form nitric acid.

Question 34

what is the scale used to measure the acid in things

Answer 34

ph scale

Question 35

why do temperatures vary

Answer 35

because of the angle of sun rays hitting earths surface at different latitudes are key in various temperature changes

Question 36

land and water on temperature

Answer 36

land heats up faster and to a higher temperature than water. this greatly impacts the atmosphere above these surfaces.

Question 37

describe geographic position

Answer 37

such as being a windward or a leeward coastal position. prevailing wind is the most common wind direction a location recieves.

Question 38

describe altitude at equator

Answer 38

Guayaquil is at 12m elevation while Quito is 2800m. Guayaquil is 25 Celsius while Quito is 13 Celsius notice how they have very little seasonal change because of being at the equator.

Question 39

what is albedo

Answer 39

the fraction of light a surface reflects. clouds have a lot so more clouds equals low temp les quals high temp.

Question 40

what are isotherms

Answer 40

they are lines on a map that connects points of the same temperature. they are similar to contour lines. sometimes colors are added to see the temperatures.