Envi Sci Flashcards
A colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous mixture
Air
is a mixture of mostly nitrogen and oxygen with traces of carbon dioxide, argon, water vapor and other minute components.
Air (earth’s atmosphere)
a blanket of air made up of a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth and reaches almost 350 miles from the surface of the Earth.
Atmosphere
It absorbs energy from the Sun, recycles water and other chemicals, and works with the electrical and magnetic forces to provide a moderate climate
Atmosphere
Earth’s atmosphere (in order)
- Troposphere
- Stratosphere
- Mesosphere
- Thermosphere
- Exosphere
levels of the atmosphere can be identified according to general characteristics, such as temperature distribution and physical and chemical properties
Atmospheric layers
- extends from sea level up to 20,000 feet over the poles and to 55,000-60,000 feet over the equatorial regions
- where vast majority of weather, clouds, storms, and temperature differences occurs
- major component of the atmosphere
Troposphere
Temperatures within the troposphere
decrease with an increase in altitude (Lapse Rate) at a constant rate of 3.5 °F or 2 °C per 1000 ft increase in altitude
top most layer of the troposphere, which serves as a dividing region before the next layer
Tropopause
extends from the tropopause to a height of about 160,000 feet or about 30 miles
Stratosphere
Temperature in stratosphere
gets warmer with an increase in altitude; usually moving from a temperature of -76° F to about -40° F
extends from beyond the stratosphere to about 280,000 feet or from about 30 to 50 miles
Mesosphere
Temperature in mesosphere
increases but then it decreases at the top of the layer to about -130° F.
begins at about 50 miles up and extends to about 300 miles.
Thermosphere
Temperature in thermosphere
it increases depends on solar activity, but it is usually between 1,380° F and 2,280° F
- extends from about 10 to 30 miles in altitude.
- the Sun’s radiation reacts with the oxygen molecules and causes them to pick up a third atom, creating ozone.
- performs the very important function of shielding the Earth from ultraviolet and infrared radiation.
Ozonosphere
- begins at an altitude of about 25 miles and extends outward to about 250 miles
- Because of the interactions between atmospheric particles and the Sun’s radiation, there is a loss or gain in the electrons of the atoms and molecules, and thus the word “ion”.
Ionosphere
- body of air in motion due to difference in pressure
- has direction and speed
Wind
is defined as the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Wind direction
Results from uneven heating
Temperature
is the total energy of all molecules within a substance.
Heat
Four Ways to Transfer Heat:
Conduction
Convection
Advection
Radiation
a heated particle comes in contact with another particle, and the 2nd particle absorbs some of its heat
Conduction
heat transfer by vertical motion
Convection
