Structure of the Atmosphere Flashcards
How does density change with height in the atmos?
- air is compressible
- air at surface is compressed by weight of air above
Define Density
- measure of mass in a volume
- density decreases with height in the atmos
if you rose up through the Earth’s surface atmosphere in a rocket you would have passed through half of the atmos mass while in the
- Troposphere
- 1/2 mass of atmos. lies below 5.5 km
Define “Atmos. Pressure”
- force exerted on Earth’s surface by atmos.
- force=due to atmos. weight
How does pressure change with height in the atmos?
=pressure decreases with height
=the greater the height, the less air is above
What is the change in pressure with height of the atmos.
=pressure decreases quickly at first, then more slowly
=”exponential relationship”
What is temperature?
=a measure of the speed of molecules in a substance
How does temperature change with height in the Troposphere?
- temp DECREASES with height= “laps”
- all weather occurs
- contains most of water vapor
What are the layers of the atmosphere starting from the lowest to the highest? (TSMT)
1) Surface
2) Troposphere (Tropopasue)
3) Stratosphere (Statopause)
4) Mesosphere (Mesopause)
5) Thermosphere
How does temperature change with height in the Stratosphere?
- temp INCREASES with height= “inversion”
- solar radiation is absorbed by ozone layer
- dry
How does temperature change with height in the Mesosphere?
-temp DECREASES with height= “laps”
How does temperature change with height in the Thermosphere?
- temp INCREASES with height = “inversion”
- thin air, feels cold
Travelling up through the atmosphere from Earth’s surface, temperature MAXIMA occur at…(3)
1-Surface
2-Stratopause
3-“Top of atmos.”
What is an “Inversion”?
=layer in the atmosphere where temp increases with altitude
What is a “Temp. Laps”
=layer in the atmosphere where temp. decreases with altitude
