The Atmosphere

Question 1

what are the four layers of the atmosphere (in order)

Answer 1

-traposphere- 8-16km
- stratosphere- 16-50km
- mesosphere- 50-80km
- thermosphere- 80-600km

Question 2

what is the composition of the atmosphere

Answer 2

nitrogen accounts for 78%, oxygen 21% and argos 0.9% Trace gases (carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, methane, ozone) account for about a tenth of one percent

Question 3

what is the ozone layer

Answer 3

or ozone shield is a region of the earth’s stratosphere that absorbs most of sun’s ultraviolet radiation. it contains high concentrations of ozone compared to other parts of the atmosphere

Question 4

explain the natural greenhouse effect

Answer 4

step 1: the earth recieves incoming short wave radiation from the sun 50% is absorbed by the earth’s surface, 20% absorbed by the atmosphere and 30% is reflected back
step 2: the absorbed energy warms the atmosphere and the surface, greenhouse gases like water vapour, carbon dioxide work like a blanket over the earth’s surface to retain this heat from escaping to outer space

Question 5

what is acid rain?

Answer 5

precipitation with a pH value less than 7

Question 6

how does acid rain form

Answer 6

fossil fuel burns in factories and power stations that release sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides along with vehicle emissions that add more nitrogen oxides mix and react with water vapour and form weak nitric. and sulfuric acid solutions, prevailing winds then carry them and they fall to the earth as acid rain

Question 7

what is smog?

Answer 7

a yellowish or blackish fog formed mainly by a mixture of pollutants in the atmosphere, which are fine particles and ground level ozone, when sunlight and its heat react with these in the atmosphere smog is formed

Question 8

what is temperature inversion

Answer 8

during winter, the sun is closer to the earth and the earth is cold, gases emitted by houses, vehicles and industries release into the atmosphere, since the temperature is cold, cold air doesnt rise, so the gases emitted into the troposphere do not rise as well and sink and accumulate forming smog

Question 9

impacts of smog:

Answer 9

-leads to bronchial diseases
-leads to constant asthmatic attack
-irritation to the eye and reduces visibility
- leads to lung cancer
-deficiency in vitamin D which leads to ricket

Question 10

impacts of acid rain

Answer 10

• acidification of bodies of water
• affects the fish population
  -damage to crops and vegetation
  -damage to buildings

Question 11

what is ozone layer depletion

Answer 11

because of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ozone layer depletion is simply the wearing out or reduction of the amount of ozone in the stratosphere

Question 12

impacts of ozone layer depletion

Answer 12

-higher levels of untraviolet radiation reaching the earth’s surface which limits the reproduction of phytoplankton affecting the food web

• increase risk of skin cancer or retina damage
• damage to vegitation

-changes in biochemical composition of some plant leaves make them less attractive as food to animals