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EAS > Lecture 19: Atmosphere 1 > Flashcards

Lecture 19: Atmosphere 1 Flashcards

1
Q

What is the Atmosphere?

A

The Gaseous envelope that surrounds a celestial body

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2
Q

What is the Atmosphere comprised of?

A

A mixture of gases and suspended particles

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3
Q

How does the composition of the atmosphere change as you move upwards?

A

It thins as you move upward and merges with space at 500 km

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4
Q

What does the Atmosphere do on earth?

A

Supports and protects life, stores moisture and solar energy and moves earth materials

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5
Q

What kind of Atmosphere did earth have after Accretion and what was its composition?

A

A primordial atmosphere comprised of hydrogen, helium, methane, ammonia and water

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6
Q

What happened to the Primordial atmosphere of earth?

A

It was stripped away by solar winds

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7
Q

What formed earth’s secondary atmosphere?

A

Volcanic outgassing that released volatiles to the earths surface

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8
Q

What was the compositions of the Secondary Hadean atmosphere?

A

Little or no free oxygen, different proportions of H2O, CH4, H2, CO2, and Argon

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9
Q

How did the Secondary Hadean atmosphere affect earth?

A

The greenhouse gasses trapped heat and reacted with water to form acid

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10
Q

How was oxygen formed in Early Earth (Archean to Proterozoic)?

A

Initially O2 maye have formed by ultraviolet light breaking down O2
Later photosynthesis by cyanobacteria oxygenated the atmosphere

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11
Q

What did Iron band formation mark?

A

Photosynthesis by cyanobacteria oxygenating the atmosphere

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12
Q

What came along with oxygen in the early earth and how did it affect the earth?

A

WIth O2 came O3 and it absorbed harmful UV radiation making it possible for life to survive in shallow water and on land

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13
Q

How much of today’s atmosphere is oxygen

A

21%

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14
Q

How much oxygen was in the Hadean and what would it have done?

A

There was probably little to none and it would have reacted with stuff and been short lived

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15
Q

What is the waste product of Cyanobacteria?

A

Oxygen

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16
Q

What are the Primary factors measured when studying the atmosphere?

A
  • Pressure
  • Temperature
  • Moisture (humidity)
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17
Q

What are Radiosondes?

A

Instruments that are used to measure altitude, pressure temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and wind direction

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18
Q

What do Barometers measure?

A

Pressure

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19
Q

What are the two types of Barometers?

A
  • Mercury Barometers

* Aneroid Barometers

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20
Q

What is measurement of atmospheric pressure in?

A

atm where 1 atm is the standard pressure at sea level

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21
Q

How do Aneroid Barometers work?

A

There is a capsule that can push in or out in response to atmospheric pressure

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22
Q

How atmospheric density change as you move through the atmosphere?

A

Atmospheric density increases downward and pressure decreases upwards

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23
Q

What are Isobars?

A

Contours of constant air pressure on earth

24
Q

How does Air tend to flow?

A

From regions of high pressure to regions of low pressure which drives winds and weather

25
Q

What is Temperature a measure of?

A

The average kinetic energy of molecules

26
Q

What is Heat a measure of?

A

The total kinetic energy of all molecules in a substance

27
Q

What are the four layers of earths atmosphere defined by?

A

How atmospheric temperature changes with altitude

28
Q

What does it mean for heat to be Extensive?

A

It does change with the amount

29
Q

What does it mean for Temperature to be Intensive?

A

It does not change with amount

30
Q

What are the four layers of the Atmosphere from bottom to top?

A
  • Troposphere
  • Stratosphere
  • Mesosphere
  • Thermosphere
31
Q

What does the thickness of the Troposphere depend on?

A

Temperature

32
Q

What is the Troposphere heated by?

A

Energy transfer from earth’s surface

33
Q

Which layer of the atmosphere does weather occur?

A

The troposphere

34
Q

What is the top surface of the Throposphere called?

A

The tropopause

35
Q

What is the thickness of the troposphere?

A

16 km thick at the equator and 10 km this at the poles

36
Q

Where does the Stratosphere span?

A

Extends from the top of the troposphere up approximately 50 km

37
Q

How is the temperature of the stratosphere affected by height?

A

Its temperature increases upward due to the absorption of Solar UV by ozone

38
Q

What is the upper boundary of the stratosphere called?

A

The Stratopause

39
Q

How is temperature affected by height in the Mesosphere?

A

Temperature decreases as you move up reaching the coldest point in the atmosphere

40
Q

Why is it so cold in the Mesosphere?

A

Because there is no ozone to absorb solar energy, and atmospheric particle are widely space

41
Q

What is the Thermosphere directly exposed to?

A

The sun’s radiation, X-ray and ultraviolet radiation

42
Q

What leads to the high temperatures of the Thermosphere?

A

It exposure to to the sun’s radiation, x-ray and ultraviolet radiation that is absorbs

43
Q

What causes Aurora Borealis in the Thermosphere?

A

High energy photons strip electrons from atmospheric gas molecules in the ionosphere

44
Q

What are the main gases in the modern atmosphere?

A

Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, and water vapour. There are trace gases like CO2, O3, and CH$ in low concentrations but they are critical greenhouse gases

45
Q

What are the Aerosols in the atmosphere?

A

Water droplets, ice particles, solid particles (dust, salt, carbon)

46
Q

What is the Greenhouse affect?

A

A natural process by which some of the energy from the sun is retained near the earth via the atmosphere

47
Q

What can infrared radiation be absorbed by?

A

Water, carbon dioxide and methane

48
Q

Where is UV radiation absorbed?

A

Anywhere with lots of Ozone

49
Q

What energy wavelength of infrared do greenhouse gasses absorb?

A

Lower energy long wavelength

50
Q

How much of shortwave radiation makes it to the earth’s surface?

A

About half and the rest is reemitted as long wave radiation which is absorbed by greenhouse gasses

51
Q

What are the Greenhouse Gasses?

A

Water, Carbon dioxide, methane, N2O, and Ozone

52
Q

What is the main greenhouse gas that absorbs what the earth emits?

A

CO2 at 25 microns

53
Q

What is the greatest contributor to the Greenhouse Gas effect?

A

Water

54
Q

What is an example of Positive feedback in the atmosphere?

A

Increase in CO2 enhances the greenhouse effect and causes warming of the planet and these higher temperatures cause warming of the planet and more evaporation from ocean adding more water to the atmosphere increasing the greenhouse affect

55
Q

What is an example of Negative Feedback in the atmosphere?

A

Increased evaporation of the ocean causes more cloud formation which reflects a considerable amount of solar energy cooling the earth

EAS (33 decks)

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