GPappas Atmosphere Flashcards
a thin layer of air that forms a protective layer around the Earth
atmosphere
What are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere of the Earth?
Nitrogen 78% and Oxygen 21%
What percent of our atmosphere is made up of gases other than oxygen and nitrogen?
1%
Ozone is composed of what?
3 oxygen atoms
Water vapor is water in the form of what?
gas
Earth’s atmosphere is important to living things because it provides
air to breathe
Earth’s atmosphere traps energy from the sun, which allows ___________ to exist as a liquid.
water
Air has pressure because air has ___________.
mass
What is the formula for density?
density = mass / volume
The less mass in a given volume of air, the __________dense the air
less
Instruments used to measure air pressure are called
barometers
As you rise upwards in the atmosphere, air pressure
decreases
When climbing a high mountain, why do you get out of breath easily?
because there is less air available
How are the layers of the atmosphere classified
They are classified according to temperature
From Earth to space, the main layers in atmosphere are :
Thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere (ionosphere, exosphere)
The lowest and shallowest layer of the atmosphere is the
troposphere
The layer of the atmosphere where weather occurs is the
troposphere
The ozone layer is found in what layer?
stratosphere
The ozone layer protects living things on Earth from
radiation from the sun
Describe 2 ways that the atmosphere helps living things survive on Earth.
1) water exists as a liquid 2) protects the Earth from sun’s harmful radiation and heat
Harmful substances in the air, water or soil are called this
pollutants
Name 3 things that can happen to human health as a result of air pollution
respiratory irritation, asthma, cancer
3 Sources of pollution caused by humans
automobiles, burning fossil fuels, industry, farms
4 Sources of pollution caused by nature
volcanoes, forest fires, dead and decaying organisms, lightning strikes
Smog is created when particles of _________ ___________ combines with water droplets in the air
coal smoke
This type of smog creates a brownish mixture of ozone and other pollutants when in the presence of sunlight
photochemical smog
Acid Rain is caused by
sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are released into the air and react with water droplets in the air to form nitric acid and sulfuric acid
What are some ways we can improve air quality
Use renewable resources such as wind, sun, and air. Use less electricity. Drive less - carpool. Waste less of everything. Don’t buy useless items that you are just going to throw away. Don’t use buy bottled water.
Why does air pressure not crush objects?
Because the objects are pushing back
