The Atmosphere

Shreya Patel

Composition

Nitrogen-78%: fundamental for living organisms

Oxygen-21%:produced through photosynthesis

Water Vapor 0-4%:higher or lower depending on region

Carbon Dioxide <<1%: currently increased due to fossil fuels, greenhouse gas

Methane-<<<1%: greenhouse gas-400 million tons per year

Nitrous Oxide-<<<1%: greenhouse gas-6million tons per year

Ozone-<<<1%: absorbs harmful UV radiation form the sun, very important, depleted due to photochemical smog

Ionosphere (aurora)

Layers

Troposphere- 0-7 miles above the surface, 75% of the atmosphere’s mass is in the troposphere, weather occurs here

Stratosphere- temperature increases with altitude due to absorption of heat by ozone, contains the ozone layer

Mesosphere- temperature decreases with altitude, meteors burn up in this layer

Thermosphere (Ionosphere) – temperature increases with altitude due to gamma rays, X-Rays, and UV Radiation, northern lights aurora occurs here

Weather

Where does weather occur? THE TROPOSHERE

Weather is-caused by the movement or transfer of heat energy which influences temperature, air pressure, humidity, precipitation, etc.

-Energy can be transferred through Radiation (solar energy), Conduction (collisions of heat-carrying molecules), or Convection (primary way energy is transferred from hot to cold)

Regions near the equator receive the most solar energy.

Air Mass-large body of air with similar temperature and moisture content

Air Pressure- decreases with altitude, low pressure causes stormy weather, high pressure creates fair weather

Albedo- reflectivity- snow and ice have high albedo

Altitude- greater altitude equal colder temperature

Angle of Sunlight- areas close to equator receive most sun

Carbon Cycle- carbon dioxide increases warming

Clouds- hold water vapor, cause rain (high level clouds are ice crystals)

Distance to Oceans- the closer to an ocean, the more humid an area is

Fronts- cold fronts, warm fronts

Factors that Influence Climate

Land Changes- deforestation and urbanization

Landmass Distribution- different materials absorb different amounts of heat

Latitude- the higher, the less solar radiation

Location

Humidity- moisture traps in heat causing warmth

Mountain Ranges- effects rain receiving, mountain altitude makes cooler air, shadows make cooler air

Plate Tectonics and Volcanoes- produce carbon dioxide creating warming

Wind Patterns

Earths Rotation

Human Caused problems- pollution

Factors of Climate Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E7DLLxrrBV8

Major Climate Periods

2,000,000 B.C.E to 12,000 B.C.E= Pleistocene Ice Age- large glacial ice sheets covered North America, Europe, and Asia

12,000 B.C.E to 3000 B.C.E- The Earth started to warm up after the ice age.

Coriolis Effect

-the influence of Earth's rotation, which tends to turn air and water toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere and toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere

Atmospheric Pollution

Atmospheric pollution can be defined as the introduction into the atmosphere of chemicals, particulate matter, or biological material that are harmful or humans and other living organism, as well as damage the environment.

The main pollutant is fossil fuels. (sulfur oxides, nitrogen oxides, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, methane and other volatile organic compounds(VOCs), particulate matter, persistent free radicals, and heavy metals.)

2.4 million people die each year from diseases caused, or made worse, by atmospheric pollution.

The first picture shows space junk around the Earth. Second shows an ozone hole. The one above this is photo-chemical smog.

Some strange but helpful YouTube videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CCXC1tOCB0I

Just in case you didn’t know the difference between temperature and climate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkaY1dvZer4

Just in case you didn’t know the layers of the atmosphere.

Helpful Sites and Study Aides for the Atmosphere

http://www.ucar.edu/learn/1_1_1.htm

http://www4.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/atmosphere/atmospheric_composition.html

http://quizlet.com/4052445/ap-environmental-science-atmosphere-and-winds-flash-cards/