Energy of the Atmosphere

Sun – 98% of the energy in Earth’s atmosphere comes from the sun in the form of electromagnetic waves.

Radiation – is the direct transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.

-visible light most

- infrared

-ultraviolet

Blue sky – is the product of the reflection and scattering of light in all directions causing the short wavelengths of blue and violet to appear.

Dusk and Dawn – the scattering of longer wavelengths (red and orange) due to light traveling through more atmosphere.

Dusk/dawn

Mid-day

Temperature

Thermal energy – the total energy of motion in the molecules of a substance.

Temperature – is the average amount of energy of motion of each molecule of a substance, thus the measure of how hot or cold a substance is.

Thermometer – a thin glass tube with a bulb on one end that contains a liquid (colored alcohol)

http://www.colorado.edu/physics/2000/waves_particles/wavpart2.html

---- temp-----When a liquid is heated up it will expand! This

expansion is restricted to going only two directions in a thermometer, UP or Down!

1.When it rises it indicates more energy in the liquid molecules and causing the liquid to expand up.

2.When heat (energy) is lost the molecules will come closer together taking up less space and indicating a lower temp will go down.

Heat Transfer

3 types

1. radiation – the direct transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.

2. Conduction – the direct transfer of heat from one substance to another substance that it is touching.

3. Convection – The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid.

Pg. 51

Energy at the surface

1. Absorbed by earth

2. Reflected back to atmosphere

3. Absorbed by the clouds and gasses in atmo.

Green house effect – is when energy is absorbed by water vapor, CO2, methane, and other gasses in the air, causing a warm “blanket” to form in the atmosphere.

Air Quality

Air pollution – mostly the result of burning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil, gasoline, and diesel fuel.

1. Solid particles – salt, dirt, pollen, and mold are floating around in the air as natural pollutants.

2. Smog – forms when particles of coal smoke combine with water droplets in humid air. OR when hydrocarbons are not burned completely and bonds with nitrogen in the air to produce photochemical smog.

radiation

eyr

Winds

Wind – is the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure.

- pressure differences are caused by

an unequal heating of the atmosph.

- cold dense air sinks and warm air

rises causing a movement of air (wind)

high pressure vs. low pressure.

Anemometer – measures wind speed.

Wind chill is the cooling of warm blooded mammals do to heat loss from wind.

Wind direction – Named (west wind) by the direction is coming from. So, a west wind would be coming from the west and blowing toward the east.

Local wind – winds that blow over short distances. Ste. Gen to Cape or smaller, do to unequal heating of surface of Earth.

Sea breeze – wind blowing inland from the sea.

Earth heats up quicker less pressure than air over water

more pressure. Day time.

Land breeze – wind blowing out to sea from the land, due to opposite of sea breeze. Night time

Monsoons – sea and land breezes over a large region that change direction with the seasons.

Global winds – (created by unequal heating) winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances. The movement of air from the equator to the poles as a result of convection is a global wind. See pg 59.

Coriolis Effect – The way Earth’s rotation makes winds curve. http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/gifs/coriolis.mpg

Jet stream – A high level stream of fast moving air. At altitudes of 6 miles high and at

speeds of 180km to 350km.

Evaporation – process by which water molecules escape into the air by radiant energy from the sun changing water into a gas (water vapor).

Relative humidity – the percentage of moisture the air holds relative to the amount it could hold at a particular temperature.

Psychrometer – instrument used to measure the amount of R. humidity in the air. It consist of two thermometers, one wet and one dry.

Cloud formation

Clouds form when water vapor in the air becomes liquid water or ice crystals. Water vapor changing into a liquid----CONDENSATION

The temperature at which condensation begins is called dew point. READ PAGES 63 & 64 ON HOW CLOUDS FORM.

Clouds

Cumulus – usually indicate fair weather. 2 to 7 miles in the sky (cotton balls).

Cumulonimbus – Thunderstorm clouds that produce severe weather, tornadoes, hail, strong winds. Have anvil shape to top of cloud.

Cirrus – Feathery or fibrous in appearance. Very high altitudes usually between 6 and 12 kilometers. Indicate the onset of rain or snow in a few hours.

Stratus clouds – smooth gray clouds that cover the whole sky and block out the sun are

called stratus clouds.

Precipitation – Water vapor that condenses and forms clouds that can fall to the Earth as rain, sleet, snow, freezing rain or hail.

sleet – water droplet that freezes when it falls through cold air. (winter)

snow – forms when water vapor changes directly to a solid.

Hail – ice balls that fall after water is frozen

in the air then pushed further up and collects more water and freezes again, over and

over until it becomes to heavy to stay suspended in the air. The stronger the uplift the larger the hail stone. (summer)

Freezing rain – rain that freezes upon contact with the ground.