Chapter 3

Question 1

Air

Answer 1

mix of nitrogen, oxygen, small amounts of solid/liquids

Question 2

Atmospheric density

Answer 2

shallow atmosphere –> more than 50% of atmosphere below Mt Denali elevation

Question 3

Permanent gases

Answer 3

Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%) argon (1%)
nitrogen = added by decay/burning organic matter + volcanic eruptions, removed by nitrogen fixation + lightning
oxygen produced by vegetation + consumed by organisms

Question 4

Variable gases

Answer 4

Water Vapor = abundant over warm, moist surfaces; very small amounts over polar regions/deserts –> hence variable; important role in storing latent heat

Carbon dioxide: significant effect on climate (like water vapor), uniform in lower layers of atmosphere, increasing bc of human activities

Ozone = 3 oxygen atoms, located in ozone layer (9-30 miles above Earth), absorbs UV rays

Other = methane, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, many harmful + caused by emissions

Question 5

Aerosols/particulates

Answer 5

solid/liquid particles small enough to remain suspended in atmosphere
Sources = human activities, volcanic ash, windblown soil

Question 6

Characteristic’s of aerosols

Answer 6

hygroscopic - many absorb water, so water vapor condenses around “condensation nuclei” –> important for cloud formation

absorb/reflect radiation –> influences temp

Question 7

Layers of the atmosphere

Answer 7

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

Question 8

Troposphere (t for turbulent)

Answer 8

1) Depth varies depending on time/place, generally deepest over warm tropics, shallowest over cold poles
Characteristics:
1) temp decreases with increasing altitude (going farther away from heat of surface)
2) tropopause = upper limit of surface-initiated turbulence
3) 80% of atmospheric mass in troposphere
4) most clouds formed here

Question 9

Stratosphere (s for stagnant)

Answer 9

1) Stagnant air
2) constant temperatures in lower half, after that it increases to max at bottom of Mesosphere
3) ozone layer here

Question 10

Mesosphere

m for minimum

Answer 10

30 to 50 miles above sea level
temperature reaches minimum, lacks source of warmth, meteors burn up here

Question 11

thermosphere

Answer 11

1) 50 miles +
2) temperature hot –> UV rays
3) no definite top, merges with exosphere (interplanetary space)

Question 12

Pressure

Answer 12

Troposphere has most pressure –> most mass

Question 13

Homosphere

Answer 13

up to 50 miles above sea level
zone of homogenous composition of gases

Question 14

Heterosphere

Answer 14

Above homosphere –> no homogenous composition of gases
layered by atomic weight –> heaviest at bottom (N2), lightest at top (H)

Question 15

Ozone layer

O ZONE (2nd)

The silly monkey takes eggs

Answer 15

in lower stratosphere, very small amount of ozone (not that concentrated)

Question 16

ionosphere

3 syllables –> 3rd

the silly monkey takes eggs

Answer 16

full of ions –> mesosphere + lower thermosphere (40-250 miles)
aids in radio communication + causes northern lights

Question 17

Weather vs climate

Answer 17

Weather = constant state of change
Climate = aggregate of weather –> at least 30 years of data

Question 18

Six controls of weather/climate

lucas donates apples on alternating tuesdays

Answer 18

1) latitude
2) distribution of land/water
3) general circulation of atmosphere
4) general circulation of oceans
5) altitude
6) topographic barriers

Question 19

Weather control: latitude

Answer 19

different latitudes receive diff amounts of sunlight + energy –> warming/cooling of earth

Question 20

Weather control: Distribution of land and water

Answer 20

Areas w. more water = cooler, milder climates since water has high specific heat capacity

Question 21

Weather control: General circulation of atmosphere

Answer 21

varying circulation of atmosphere i.e. in tropics surface winds come from East but in middle latitudes they come from west
(different weather systems + winds)
Storms = some prominent + frequent enough to affect weather + climate

Question 22

Weather control: general circulation of oceans

Answer 22

1) broad general pattern of currents that move warm water to poles + cool water to equator
big effect on coastal climates

Question 23

Weather control: altitude

Answer 23

temperature, pressure, moisture decrease with increasing altitude
big effect in mountainous regions

Question 24

weather control: Topographic barriers

Answer 24

Large barriers i.e. mountains can cause rainshadow effects

Question 25

Coriolis Effect

Answer 25

deflection in path of free moving objects
BASICALLY winds + ocean currents in northern hemisphere go to right + winds in southern go to left

Question 26

Effects of coriolis effect

Answer 26

1) Northern hemisphere = deflect right
2) Southern hemisphere = deflect left
3) deflection strongest at poles
4) no deflection at equator
5) fast moving objects deflected more
6) only affects direction not speed of object
No effect on circulation of water draining

Question 27

What caused thinning of ozone

Answer 27

Use of CFCs (freon in refrigerating components)
CFCs broken down by UV radiation in ozone layer, react with ozone breaking the O3 apart
100K ozone molecules destroyed for every Cl atom released

Question 28

What was the Montreal Protocol?

Answer 28

196 countries banned use of CFC, eventually became a global ban

Question 29

Primary Air pollution gases

Answer 29

CO: most plentiful primary pollutant
NO: leads to acid rain + NO2 (gives yellow color to air)
Sulfur: rotten egg smell, leads to acid rain
Particulates: smoke + dust from industrial activities, smallest particles most dangerous for health

Question 30

Secondary pollutants

Answer 30

Primary - released directly into air
secondary - form as consequence of chemical reactions in atmosphere (i.e. photochemical smog)

Question 31

photochemical smog

Answer 31

smog made up of nitrogen dioxide + hydrocarbons –> reacts w. UV to form brown haze (caused bc an extra oxygen is released creating ozone which damages vegetation, body tissues, etc)

Question 32

temperature inversions

Answer 32

cooler air below, warmer air above
forms a lid over polluted area which inhibits updrafts + air movement

Question 33

effect of air pollution

Answer 33

cardiovascular disease, respiratory (1/5 of respiratory illness caused by ground level ozone)