EXAM 5 Flashcards
Atmosphere
The mass of gasses surrounding the Earth that is held in place by gravity
Weather
the state of the atmosphere at some place and time, usually temp, air pressure, humidity
Climate
average weather elements over a specified period of time (30 years)
Water Cycle
Water -> Evaporation -> Water Vapor -> Condensation -> Precipitation -> Percolation
Evaporation
Water became water vapor
Condensation
warm and cold air collide and form ice crystals from water droplets. makes clouds
Precipitation
Heavy water clouds and water falls from sky. snow hail rain sleet or glaze
Percolation
water seeps through soil and ends in the water table
Weather
the lower atmosphere at any given time
what contributes to our atmosphere?
Volcanoes
what is the atmosphere composed of?
Nitrogen
Oxygen
Argon
CO2
How is the atmosphere layered?
thermosphere (outter most)
mesosphere
stratosphere
Troposphere
which zone is the ozone layer in?
stratosphere
Troposphere
5-9 miles up from earths surface
temp decreases with altitude
stratosphere
atmosphere is dry and less dense
temp increases gradually from UV rays
ozone layer is here
stratosphere extends 31 miles high
what is the ozone molecule made of?
3 oxygen atoms bonded
what is a CFC
chlorofluorocarbons
chemical that deteriorated the ozone
composed of Chlorine, fluorine and carbon
what is a dobson unit
DU unit of measure for total ozone
The montreal Protocol
an international treaty that phases out and eliminates substances that destroy the ozone
Treaty signed in 1989 and 191 countries agreed to ratification
mesosphere
temps are as low as -93 C as you increase altitude starts at stratosphere and extends 53 miles high
thermosphere
temps go up as increase in altitude
where the northern lights occur
extends 372 miles high is split into ionosphere and exosphere
ionosphere
absorbs cosmic rays gamma rays xrays and uv rays
where auroras occur
aurora colors
as the charged electrons from the sun enter earths atmosphere it encounters oxygen and nitrogen particles
oxygen at 60 miles yellow-green
oxygen at 200 miles red
nitrogen is blue and purple
factors of weather
pressure, wind, temperature, moisture. The 2 most important are temp and moisture
Types of Air Masses in the US
-maritime Polar (seattle or maine area
-Continental Polar (montana Chicago)
-Continental Tropical (texas, AZ)
-Maritime Tropical (key west, cali)
what is the 5th air mass?
Continental Arctic
high pressure system
pushes down into earth, is very stable and associated with clear skies, rotates clockwise
low pressure system
rises up from earth, as rising air cools clouds form, rotates counterclockwise
frontal boundary
collision between 2 air masses
