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The Atmosphere

The Atmosphere. Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of gases that distributes heat and enables life to exist on Earth. Composition. Earth’s Atmosphere is a mixture of gases that distributes heat and enables life to exist on Earth. Gases that make up the atmosphere :

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The Atmosphere

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Presentation Transcript

  1. The Atmosphere Earth’s atmosphere is a mixture of gases that distributes heat and enables life to exist on Earth

  2. Composition • Earth’s Atmosphere is a mixture of gases that distributes heat and enables life to exist on Earth • Gases that make up the atmosphere : • Keep earth’s surface warm enough to have liquid water • Protect against dangerous radiation • Prevent Earth’s surface from getting hit by meteors or chunks of rock from space • Gases • Nitrogen 78% • Oxygen 21% • Other gases 1% • Water vapor <1% • Solids • Dust, volcanic ash, salt, dirt, smoke • Liquids • Water

  3. Composition

  4. Atmospheric Pressure & Temperature • Air pressureis the measure of the force with which air molecules push on a surface. • Air pressure is strongest at the Earth’s surface because more air is above you. • As altitude ( distance from sea level) increases, air pressure decreases • Air Temperature also changes as altitude increases due to the way solar energy is absorbed as it moves through the atmosphere • High % of gases that absorb solar energy= warmer • Less gases that absorb solar energy= cooler

  5. Layers of the Atmosphere • Troposphere: layer in which we live; contains almost all of the weather, carbon dioxide, water vapor, clouds, air pollution, and life-forms • Stratosphere: gases are layered and don’t mix; contains the ozone layer; protects life by absorbing harmful UV radiation • Mesosphere: middle layer; the coldest layer; most meteoroids burn up here, producing meteoroid trails • Thermosphere: temperature increases; does not feel hot; outer most part of atmosphere; no definite outer limit

  6. Atmospheric Heating

  7. Energy in the Atmosphere • Earth and it’s atmosphere are warmed by energy from the sun. • We are going to discuss the three ways that this happens: radiation, conduction, and convection

  8. Radiation: Energy Transfer by Waves • Radiation is the transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves • The earth receives only about2 Billionths of the energy radiated by the sun, but it’ enough to drive the weather cycle and make life on earth possible

  9. Conduction: Energy Transfer by Contact • Thermal Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy through a material by direct contact • Thermal energy is always transferred from warm to cold areas • When air molecules come into Direct Contact with the warm surface of earth, thermal energy is transferred to the atmosphere.

  10. Convection: Energy Transfer by Circulation • convection is the transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid or gas • Most thermal energy in the atmosphere is transferred by convection • As air is heated it becomes less dense and rise, Cool air is denser so it sinks, and as the cool air sinks it pushes the warm air up. • This cycle of warm air rising and cool air sinking causes a circular movement of air called a convection Current

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