Ch 1 Notes: Atmosphere

Be able to… List types of weather

Identify the elements of weather Describe earth’s spheres

Who has the greatest variety of weather?

• United States has the greatest variety of weather of any country in the world. (avg. deaths per year)

– Tornadoes

– Flash floods

– Lightning

– Hurricanes

– Blizzards

(65)

(127)

(71)

(17)

Weather vs. Climate

• Weather is the state of the atmosphere at any given time.

• Climate is the sum of all statistical weather information that helps describe a place or region

– ‘average weather’

Elements of Weather

• Elements (atmospheric) – Those properties of the atmosphere that are measured regularly and that are used to express the nature of weather and climate.

– Temperature

– Humidity (moisture)

– Type and amount of cloudiness

– Type and amount of Precipitation

– Air Pressure

– Speed and direction of wind

The worst weather disaster to affect the U.S.

• Loss of Life

– 1900 Galveston Hurricane • ~ 8,000 deaths

• Cost

– 2005 Hurricane Katrina • $80 Billion

Earths 4 Spheres

Atmosphere

• Atmosphere – gases surrounding Earth

– Very shallow layer

– More than 99% of the atm. is within 20 miles of the Earth’s surface

– Protects us from the radiation (UV) emitted by the sun

– Gives us life on Earth

Atmosphere

• Atmosphere – gases surrounding Earth

– Composition of air • 78% - Nitogen (N2)

• 21% - Oxygen (O2)

• 1% - Argon, CO2, and other gases

Hydrosphere

• Hydrosphere – earth’s water

– Earth is sometimes called the blue planet

– A dynamic mass that is always in motion • Evaporating from the oceans to

the atmosphere

• Precipitating to the land

• Running back to the ocean

Hydrosphere • Hydrosphere – earth’s

water

• Oceans cover 71% of Earth

– Avg. depth 12,500 ft.

– 97% of earth’s water

– 3% - glaciers, ground water, lakes & rivers, and the atmosphere.