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Understanding the Earth's Atmosphere: Components and Structure

Explore the key components of Earth's atmosphere including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. Learn about the structure of the atmosphere, temperature variations, and important concepts like air pressure, density, and humidity. Discover how the atmosphere influences weather, life forms, and celestial phenomena.

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Understanding the Earth's Atmosphere: Components and Structure

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  1. Atmosphere

  2. Atmospheric Basics

  3. Atmospheric Composition… • Nitrogen – 78% • Oxygen – 21% • Argon - .93% • Carbon Dioxide - .03% • Water Vapor - .0 to 4% • Trace Gases http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/21c/atmosphere/chemicalsairrev1.shtml

  4. Key Atmospheric Components • Oxygen (O2) • Gas • Organisms need it to break down food for energy http://schoolworkhelper.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/oxygen-transport.jpg

  5. Key Atmospheric Components • Carbon Dioxide (CO2) • Gas • Minor role in absorbing heat • plant fertilizer http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/ccburke/Photosynthesis.html

  6. Key Atmospheric Components • Ozone (O3) • Gas • Absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun http://mmedia.pl/ozone-layer-diagram-for-kids

  7. Key Atmospheric Components • Water Vapor(H2O) • Gas • Major role in absorbing heat • source of condensation for clouds

  8. Key Atmospheric Components • Water • Liquid • source of rain Singing in the Rain! http://mypeartreehouse.blogspot.com/

  9. Key Atmospheric Components • Ice • Solid • Makes up snow, sleet, & hail Legendary Vail Powder! http://www.austinskiers.org/trips0910/vail0910.htm

  10. Key Atmospheric Components • Dust, Salt, Volcanic Ash • Solids • Provide solid surface for water vapor to condense (so that clouds can form) • Condensation nuclei • See next slide… Salt Spray from Waves http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/ocean-waves.jpg Dust Storm http://www.weatherfreaks.net/images/dust_storm3.jpg

  11. The Structure of the Atmosphere … • http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/lws_gems/3/images_3/layat510.jpg

  12. The Structure of the Atmosphere – The Troposphere • Description… • Tropo- (change) • 0-11 km • highest air pressure • Contains most gases of the atmosphere • Objects Found There • Weather • life forms • jets

  13. The Structure of the Atmosphere – The Stratosphere • Description… • Strato- (layer) • 11-48 km • Molecular heat rises due to ozone layer absorbing UV radiation • Objects Found There • Ozone layer • Weather balloons

  14. The Structure of the Atmosphere – The Mesosphere • Description… • Meso- (middle) • 48-95 km • Temperature falls b/c there’s not a whole lot here! • Objects Found There • Meteors (shooting stars) burn here

  15. The Structure of the Atmosphere – The Thermosphere • Description… • Thermo- (heat) • 95-550 km • Molecular heat rises • Objects Found There • Ionosphere • Auroras

  16. The Structure of the Atmosphere – The Exosphere • Description… • Exo- (outside) • Above 600 km • Outermost layer • Space! • Objects Found There • Some H and He • Satellites

  17. Temperature Variations with Altitude The layers are determined by temperature! http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/atmosphere/atmosphere/layers.gif

  18. What Happens to the Sun’s Energy? http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/cascade.GIF

  19. The State of the Atmosphere

  20. The Temperature of the Atmosphere The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the atmosphere but it feels so cold… b/c even though molecules are moving very fast (which means they are very hot), they are so far apart that there is no heat transfer. Astronaut Bruce McCandless II is feeling no heat! http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Astronaut

  21. The Temperature of the Atmosphere Dew Point - temperature to which air must be cooled (at constant pressure) to reach saturation. • Dew point tells us how much water is in the air. • This is when dew is formed! • The higher the dew point, more humid and uncomfortable the air.

  22. Vertical Temperature Changes How is dew point determined? … determine the temperature at which dew (condensation) forms by cooling the air.

  23. Humidity Changes with Temperature… What is humidity? The amount of water air can hold at a given temperature. This is a constant! What is relative humidity? The amount of water the air is actually holding compared to how much it can hold Relative humidity is determined by....using a wet/dry bulb thermometer & a relative humidity chart

  24. Air Pressure and Density… Density is mass (of air) per volume. Air pressure is… … force exerted by molecules of atmosphere as they are pulled toward Earth’s center by gravity.

  25. Air Pressure and Density… Air at the bottom of the atmosphere (troposphere) has higher density and pressure because... … of the greater mass of the atmosphere above you (it contains the most gases) … This is similar to being at the bottom of the ocean with tons of water above you! … We are accustomed to the high air pressure so it doesn’t squash us.

  26. Temperature-Density Relationship Warm Air… a. As temperature increases… air becomes less dense. b. Warm air is less dense and will rise. c. The upward movement of warm air lowers pressure. d. So, warm air rising causes low pressure.

  27. Temperature-Density Relationship Cold Air… • As temperature decreases… air becomes more dense. • Cold air is more dense and will sink. • The downward movement of cold air raises pressure. • So, cold air sinking causes high pressure.

  28. http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/kids/Problem_Board/problems/light/sim3.htmlhttp://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/kids/Problem_Board/problems/light/sim3.html Creating Wind… • Cool air, which is denser, sinks. • This forces the warm air, which is less dense to move up. • Air moves from areas of high density to areas of low density. • In its simplest form, wind can be thought of as air moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.

  29. Wind… The density imbalances that move air to produce wind are created by… The unequal heating of Earth’s surface Wind is measured by… anemometers (mph or kph) Wind speeds increase at high altitudes b/c… There are few to no obstacles there

  30. Moisture in the Atmosphere

  31. Three Ways Clouds Can Form… a. from convection currents b. from warm air rising over mountains (orographic lifting) c. when air masses of different temperatures meet

  32. Cloud Formation – Convection Currents http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml

  33. Cloud Formation – Orographic Lifting Clouds form over a mountain. http://www.envi.hufs.ac.kr/gwlee/session6/lift.html

  34. Cloud Formation – Frontal http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/images/cloudformation_Fronts_small.jpg

  35. Cloud Types…Altitude • Cirro- high • Above 6000m • Alto - middle • Between 2000-6000m • Stratus - low • Below 2000m http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/cloud_heights.html

  36. More Clouds! http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter5/summary.html

  37. Meteorology

  38. The Causes of Weather

  39. Energy in the Atmosphere… What two things are always in motion to distribute heat energy on and around the Earth? • ocean currents • global wind systems What explains why the poles are never very warm? • The Sun’s rays don’t hit Earth as directly at the poles as at the tropics. (So the same amount of solar radiation is spread over a larger area.)

  40. Air Masses… • Continental Tropical • Abbreviation - cT • Origin - land • Origin - tropical • Moisture Content - dry • Temperature - warm http://earth.usc.edu/~stott/Catalina/WeatherPatterns.html

  41. Air Masses… • Maritime Tropical • Abbreviation - mT • Origin – ocean/water • Origin - tropical • Moisture Content - humid • Temperature - warm

  42. Air Masses… Continental Polar • Abbreviation - cP • Origin - land • Origin – high latitudes • Moisture Content - dry • Temperature – cool or cold

  43. Air Masses… • Maritime Polar • Abbreviation - mP • Origin – ocean/water • Origin – high latitudes • Moisture Content - humid • Temperature – cool or cold

  44. Air Masses… • Arctic (Continental) • Abbreviation - cA • Origin – land • Origin - Arctic • Moisture Content – dry • Temperature – very cold

  45. Air Masses That Affect Our Weather…

  46. Global Wind Systems http://pulse.pharmacy.arizona.edu/9th_grade/from_global/earth_science/images/wind_patterns.gif http://www.topnews.in/files/atmosphere_wind_patterns.jpg

  47. 2. Chart:Global Wind Systems… • Polar Easterlies • Comes from the east • Located between 60 degrees latitude and the pole in both hemispheres • (60° - 90°)

  48. Global Wind Systems… • Prevailing Westerlies • Comes from the west • Located between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres • (30° - 60°) • This is the wind system that directs fronts across our country.

  49. Global Wind Systems… • Trade Winds • Comes from the east • Located between the equator and 30 degrees latitude in both hemispheres • (0° - 30°)

  50. The Intertropical Convergence Zone What is the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)? • The area near the equator where the trade winds converge. • Air is forced up and creates an area of low pressure. (Remember – warm air rising!) • The ITCZ provides the moisture for many of the world’s tropical rain forests. • Picture on next slide…

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