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Earth's atmosphere
Science
| Question/Term | Answer/Definition |
|---|---|
| Atmosphere | the whole layer of air that surrounds Earth -Supports & protects life on Earth by: -Absorbing harmful radiation from the sun -Maintaining Earth's temperature -Providing elements essential for life |
| What would the earth be like if there was no atmosphere? | it would be a cold, dry, lifeless rock. |
| How big is the atmosphere compared to the Earth? | If Earth were the size of a peach, the atmosphere would only be the peach fuzz. |
| About how many miles above earth is considered “outer space?” | About 300 miles |
| What percentage of the atmosphere’s mass is 20 miles above the surface? | 99% |
| Altitude | the distance above sea level |
| Fill in the blank: Atmosphere's density_______ as altitude _______. | Atmosphere's density decreases as altitude increases. |
| Nitrogen(N) is what percentage of the atmosphere? | 78% |
| Oxygen(O2) is what percentage of the atmosphere? | 21% |
| Argon (Ar2) is what percentage of the atmosphere? | 0.93% |
| Carbon dioxide (CO2) is what percentage of the atmosphere? | 0.04% |
| Other Elements are what percentage of the atmosphere? | 0.01% |
| Water vapor (H2O) is what percentage of the atmosphere? | 0-4%**varies at times |
| The amount of gases and particles in the air change depending on what? | -location -time of day -season -other ongoing processes and sudden changes -Ex. Forest fires, storms, dust storms, volcanic eruptions |
| The Water Cycle(first 2 bullets) | -Different forms of water cycle between Earth’s surface & the atmosphere -Liquid H2O from oceans & lakes evaporates into the atmosphere as water vapor(gas form) |
| The Water Cycle(last 3 bullets) | -Plants release water vapor from their leaves -Liquid H2O falls from atmosphere as rain -ALL PHYSICAL CHANGES! |
| Energy from the sun is either _______ or _________. | absorbed or reflected |
| What percentage of solar radiation is absorbed? | 70% and it becomes different forms of energy |
| What percentage of solar radiation is reflected by clouds and atmosphere? | 30% |
| Radiation | energy that moves across distances in the form of waves -visible light is a type of radiation |
| What 3 things transfer energy into the atmosphere? | Radiation, conduction, & convection |
| Conduction | transfer of energy from one substance to another through direct contact |
| Convection | transfer of energy from place to place by the motion of heated gas or liquid -Ex. Convection oven |
| True or false: Atmosphere's temperature changes with altitude. | True |
| Troposphere | -Closest to surface -Contains all water vapor present in atmosphere -Warmed by the ground below -temps. rise |
| Stratosphere | -Contains ozone layer -Ozone protects life on Earth from harmful radiation -temps. increase due to presence of ozone (a gas that absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation) |
| Mesosphere | -Most meteors burn up here -Heated by the Stratosphere (why temp. decreases as you rise) -temps. decrease w/altitude |
| Thermosphere | -Becomes outer space -Air has high temp. because molecules absorb certain type of solar radiation -Would still feel cold to you because molecules are so far apart they wouldn’t conduct energy on your skin! -temps. decrease w/altitude |
| Ozone(O3) is made out of what 3 atoms? | 3 oxygen atoms |
| What does ozone absorb? | It absorbs ultraviolet (UV) radiation that has more energy per wave than visible light. |
| What can UV radiation cause? | -sunburn, skin cancer, and it can damage eyesight -It also can harm crops & materials like plastics and paint |
| True or false: The greenhouse effect keeps Earth cold. | False. The greenhouse effect keeps Earth warm. |
| Where does the greenhouse effect occur? | In the troposphere. |
| True or false: Water vapor, CO2, and other gases absorb solar radiation keeping Earth warm | True |
| Without the greenhouse effect the Earth would be what? | It would be like the moon (extremely hot in the sun, and extremely cold in the shade) |
| Air pollution | harmful materials added to the air that can cause damage to living things & the environment -Comes from natural sources like volcanoes or human activities like burning fossil fuels |
| Fossil fuels | energy sources formed from the remains of ancient plants and animals -Ex. Oil, gasoline, & coal |
| How do humans increase greenhouse gases that destroy the ozone layer? | They produce chemicals. |
| Air pressure | the force of molecules pushing on an area -Gravity pulls air molecules toward Earth’s surface -Air pushes in all directions -Related to altitude and density -Density decreases as altitude increases -Air pressure decreases as altitude increases |
| Barometer | an instrument that measures air pressure -It measures "barometric pressure" |
| Weather | the condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time & place -Wind is an important part of the weather |
| Wind description | -Uneven heating of Earthâs surface causes air pressure to differ at the same altitude -Causes air to move horizontally as wind -Wind moves toward areas of low pressure -Wind patterns can also change with the seasons |
| Global wind patterns | winds that travel long distances in steady patterns for weeks -Ex. Jet streams |
| Jet stream description | -High speed global wind patterns -Usually in the upper troposphere -Can travel at more than 125 mph -Always move west to east (the same way the Earth rotates) |
| What are the 2 types of local winds? | -Sea breeze -Land breeze Local winds can change daily |
| Monsoons | winds that change direction with the seasons -Can sometimes bring heavy rains like summer in India |
| What affects water vapor in the air? | Temperature |
| What are the 4 parts of the water cycle? | 1. Evaporation 2. Condensation 3. Precipitation 4. Transpiration |
| Evaporation | the process by which liquid water changes into a gas (water vapor) |
| Condensation | the process by which a gas (water vapor), changes into a liquid -Occurs when moist air cools>>clouds! -Dew & frost are condesation |
| Preciptation | any type of liquid or solid water that falls to Earth's surface -Rain, freezing rain, snow, sleet, & hail |
| Humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air -Varies from place to place & time to time |
| Clouds | -made of condensed water vapor -clouds have different characteristics -named according to their altitudes, the ways they form, and their general characteristics -3 main types -Cirrus -Cumulus -Stratus |
| Cirrus | -have a feathery appearance -means "curl of hair" -form in very cold air at high altitudes |
| Cumulus | -Puffy white clouds like cotton balls -Means “heap” or “pile” -Separated from one another & can grow very tall |
| Cumulonimbus | -Clouds that produce precipitation contain the word part nimbo- or -nimbus -Tallest clouds aka thunderheads -Produce thunderstorms and heavy rainfall -Can tower more than 10 miles high |
| Stratus | -Form in flat layers -Ex. When the whole sky looks gray -Means “spread out” -Form when air over large area cools |
| Dew, frost, and fog | -Dew is condensation on the Earth’s surface -Frost is frozen dew -Fog is a cloud that rests on the ground -Forms when surface is colder than air above it |
| Precipitation | -Any kind originates from a cloud -About a million cloud droplets combine to form a single raindrop -Air temp. determines the type of precipitation |
| What are the 5 types of precipitation? | 1. Rain/Drizzle/Showers 2. Freezing rain 3. Sleet 4. Snow 5. Hail |
| Rain/Drizzle/Showers | -Most common -Light rain with small drops called drizzle |
| Freezing rain | -Raindrops that freeze AFTER they hit the ground -Can coat the surface in ice |
| Sleet | -Raindrops that freeze BEFORE they hit the ground |
| Snow | -Ice crystals grow and fall through cold air |
| Hail | -Lumps or balls of ice -Ice crystals grow and get tossed around clouds growing as they bounce around -Eventually fall -Largest ever found was the size of a CD |
Created by:
aparrish1