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Atmospheric BasicsChapter 11.1

Earth ScienceMr. Sroka

Wednesday, January 22, 14

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Atmospheric Composition! Air is a combination of many gases! The atmosphere extends from the Earth’s

surface to outer space! About 99% of the atmosphere is made of

nitrogen 78% and 21 %oxygen.! With small amounts of other gases


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Key Atmospheric Gases! The amount of water vapor can vary from

zero to as much as 4% of the atmosphere.! The percent varies with the

! Seasons! Altitude of a particular air mass! Surface features under the air


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Key Atmospheric Gases! Carbon dioxide and water vapor

! Regulates the amount of energy the atmosphere absorbs

! When water changes from one state to another (solid ! liquid ! gas)! Heat is either absorbed or released! Which affects atmospheric motions

" Weather patterns" Climates


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! Solids in the atmosphere! Dust & salt

! Used in cloud formation! Ice & snow


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Structure of the Atmosphere! Is made of different layers! Layers differ in

! composition ! temperature


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Solar Fundamentals! The sun is the source of all energy in the

atmosphere! Is transferred to Earth by

! Radiation


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Troposphere! Is the layer closest to Earth NASA chart


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Troposphere! Has the most mass of the atmosphere! Has the most weather! The most pollution! There is a general decrease in temperature

from the bottom to the top


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NASA chart


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Tropopause! Is the upper limit of the troposphere! Is the point where the temperature stops

decreasing! Varies in height

! 9 km at the poles! 16 km at the equator


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Stratosphere! Is a layer of concentrated ozone! Ozone absorbs more ultraviolet radiation

than air! The stratosphere increases in temperature

! From -60 ºC to about 0 ºC


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Stratopause! Is about 50 km above

the Earth’s surface

NASA chart


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Mesosphere

! Has No concentrated ozone! The temperature decreases again

! From about 0 ºC to -90 Cº


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Mesopause! Is the boundary between the mesosphere

and thermosphere! At 80 km above the Earth's surface


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Thermosphere! Has only a very small portion of the Earth’s

atmosphere! The temperature of the air does increase to

1000 ºC! Molecules are far apart from one another


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Ionosphere! Is part of the thermosphere ! Has electrically charged particles! Layers of progressively lighter gases NASA- Aurora borealis


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Exosphere

! Is the outer most layer of the atmosphere ! Made of lighter gases of helium & hydrogen! There is no clear boundary between the atmosphere

and space! There is just fewer and fewer molecules


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How to remember the order of the layers to the atmosphere! Troposphere! Stratosphere! Mesosphere! Thermosphere! Exosphere

! Track! Small! Meters! Through! Earth


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