Chapter 3 Flashcards
Air
mix of nitrogen, oxygen, small amounts of solid/liquids
Atmospheric density
shallow atmosphere –> more than 50% of atmosphere below Mt Denali elevation
Permanent gases
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
Variable gases
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
Aerosols/particulates
solid/liquid particles small enough to remain suspended in atmosphere
Sources = human activities, volcanic ash, windblown soil
Characteristic’s of aerosols
hygroscopic - many absorb water, so water vapor condenses around “condensation nuclei” –> important for cloud formation
absorb/reflect radiation –> influences temp
Layers of the atmosphere
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere
Troposphere (t for turbulent)
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
Stratosphere (s for stagnant)
1) Stagnant air
2) constant temperatures in lower half, after that it increases to max at bottom of Mesosphere
3) ozone layer here
Mesosphere
m for minimum
30 to 50 miles above sea level
temperature reaches minimum, lacks source of warmth, meteors burn up here
thermosphere
1) 50 miles +
2) temperature hot –> UV rays
3) no definite top, merges with exosphere (interplanetary space)
Pressure
Troposphere has most pressure –> most mass
Homosphere
up to 50 miles above sea level
zone of homogenous composition of gases
Heterosphere
Above homosphere –> no homogenous composition of gases
layered by atomic weight –> heaviest at bottom (N2), lightest at top (H)
Ozone layer
O ZONE (2nd)
The silly monkey takes eggs
in lower stratosphere, very small amount of ozone (not that concentrated)
ionosphere
3 syllables –> 3rd
the silly monkey takes eggs
full of ions –> mesosphere + lower thermosphere (40-250 miles)
aids in radio communication + causes northern lights
Weather vs climate
Weather = constant state of change
Climate = aggregate of weather –> at least 30 years of data
Six controls of weather/climate
lucas donates apples on alternating tuesdays
1) latitude
2) distribution of land/water
3) general circulation of atmosphere
4) general circulation of oceans
5) altitude
6) topographic barriers
Weather control: latitude
different latitudes receive diff amounts of sunlight + energy –> warming/cooling of earth
Weather control: Distribution of land and water
Areas w. more water = cooler, milder climates since water has high specific heat capacity
Weather control: General circulation of atmosphere
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
Weather control: general circulation of oceans
1) broad general pattern of currents that move warm water to poles + cool water to equator
big effect on coastal climates
Weather control: altitude
temperature, pressure, moisture decrease with increasing altitude
big effect in mountainous regions
weather control: Topographic barriers
Large barriers i.e. mountains can cause rainshadow effects
Coriolis Effect
deflection in path of free moving objects
BASICALLY winds + ocean currents in northern hemisphere go to right + winds in southern go to left
Effects of coriolis effect
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
What caused thinning of ozone
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
What was the Montreal Protocol?
196 countries banned use of CFC, eventually became a global ban
Primary Air pollution gases
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
Secondary pollutants
Primary - released directly into air
secondary - form as consequence of chemical reactions in atmosphere (i.e. photochemical smog)
photochemical smog
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)
temperature inversions
cooler air below, warmer air above
forms a lid over polluted area which inhibits updrafts + air movement
effect of air pollution
cardiovascular disease, respiratory (1/5 of respiratory illness caused by ground level ozone)
