Lecture 8: Air Environment Flashcards
A colorless, odorless, tasteless, gaseous mixture
Air
Air is a ____, _____, _____, gaseous mixture
colorless; odorless; tasteless
Air is a mixture of mostly ____ and ____ with traces of ____, ____, ____ and other minute components
nitrogen; oxygen; carbon dioxide; argon; water vapor
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
4 main atmospheric regions based on temperature difference
troposphere
stratosphere
mesosphere
thermosphere
2 main atmospheric regions based on physical and chemical processes
ozonosphere
ionosphere
Troposphere extends from sea level up to _______ feet over the poles and to _____-_____ feet over the equatorial regions
20,000; 55,000; 60,000
where vast majority of weather,
clouds, storms, and temperature
differences occurs
Troposphere
Temperatures within the troposphere decrease with an increase in altitude (_______)
Lapse Rate
Temperatures within the troposphere decrease with an increase in altitude (Lapse Rate) at a constant rate of ____°F or ____°C per _____ ft increase in altitude
3.5; 2; 1000
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
Stratosphere extends from the tropopause to a height of about _________ feet or about ______ miles
160,000; 30
in the stratosphere, Temperature gets warmer with an increase in altitude; usually moving from a temperature of ____ F to
about _____ F.
-76; -40
extends from beyond the stratosphere to about 280,000 feet or from about 30 to 50 miles
Mesosphere
Mesosphere extends from beyond the stratosphere to about _______ feet or from about ___ to ___ miles
280,000; 30; 50
At first, the temperature _____ in the mesosphere, but then it _____ at the top of the layer to about _____F.
increases; decreases; -130
begins at about 50 miles up and extends to about 300 miles.
Thermosphere
Thermosphere begins at about ____ miles up and extends to about ______ miles.
50; 300
In the thermosphere, the temperature increases again. How much it increases depends on solar activity, but it is usually between ____ F and ______ F.
1,380; 2280
the Sun’s radiation reacts with the
oxygen molecules and causes them
to pick up a third atom, creating
______.
Ozone
Ozonosphere extends from about ____ to ____ miles
10; 30
performs the very important
function of shielding the Earth
from ultraviolet and infrared
radiation.
Ozonosphere
Ionosphere begins at an altitude of about ____ miles and extends outward to about ____ miles
25; 250
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
body of air in motion due to difference in pressure
Wind
