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Earth’s Atmosphere

Explore the layers, composition, and functions of Earth's atmosphere. Learn about greenhouse gases, thermal energy transfer, and the importance of each layer to life on Earth. Discover how energy from the Sun affects our atmosphere and the role of different gases.

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Earth’s Atmosphere

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  1. Earth’s Atmosphere Why is it so important to life on Earth?

  2. Earth’s atmosphere is made up of 5 different layers…

  3. What makes up our atmosphere? • Nitrogen - 78% • Oxygen - 21% • Water Vapor – 0 to 4% • Carbon Dioxide - .037% • Argon - .93% • Traces of neon, helium, methane, krypton, xenon, hydrogen, and ozone

  4. Did you know that Thailand's Science Makes the Energy? • Troposphere • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Thermosphere • Exosphere • Thailand's • Science • Makes • The • Energy

  5. Why is the atmosphere divided into 5 different layers? • The atmosphere changes with altitude giving us different layers. • Two properties change with altitude, the AIR PRESSURE and the AIR TEMPERATURE

  6. Air Pressure and Altitude • Gravity pulls the atmosphere towards Earth. • A column of air exerts pressure on anything below it. • The air is less dense at higher altitudes, exerting less pressure.

  7. Temperature and Altitude • In Tropo. & Meso. temps decrease with altitude • In Strat. & Therm. Temps increase with altitude, Strat has ozone • Therm. receives large amount of energy over small amount of particles

  8. Energy From the Sun • The Sun’s energy reaches Earth through radiation (transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves) • Visible light (what you can see) • Ultraviolet light (UV) • Infrared Radiation (IR) • At Earth’s surface, visible light converted into thermal energy, or HEAT

  9. Incoming Radiation

  10. Balancing the incoming radiation • Land, water, plants and other organisms absorb solar radiation. • Then it bounces back into the atmosphere, mostly Infrared radiation which human eyes cannot detect • This process heats our atmosphere

  11. The Greenhouse Effect • Greenhouse gases act like glass to allow sunlight in, but traps Infrared Radiation (IR) • Water Vapor, Carbon Dioxide, and Methane • Additional buildup of thermal energy (heat) at Earth’s surface

  12. Thermal Energy Transfer • Three Types of Transfer: • Radiation • Conduction • Convection • REMEMBER: Radiation is the process that transfers energy from the Sun to Earth

  13. Conduction • Conduction: transfer of thermal energy by collisions between particles of matter • Particles must be close enough to touch • Conduction occurs where the atmosphere touches Earth

  14. Convection • Convection: the transfer of thermal energy by movement of particles within matter • Molecules close to Earth are heated by conduction then they spread apart. • Models spread and air becomes less dense. • Less dense air rises, transferring thermal energy to higher altitudes.

  15. Latent Heat and Water • Latent heat is the exchanged when water changes from one phase to another • Latent heat energy is transferred from Earth’s surface to the atmosphere.

  16. The first layer of the atmosphere is the… TROPOSPHERE • The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere nearest to earth. • The troposphere goes from 0km to 16km. • All weather happens in the troposphere. • More than half the air in the total atmosphere is in this layer. • The temperature drops as the altitude increases. • Harmful ozone is found here…IT CREATES SMOG!

  17. What is OZONE? • A gaseous layer in the upper atmosphere that protects the earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. • At lower levels, ozone becomes a major pollutant. What is SMOG? • Pollution formed by the interaction of pollutants and sunlight • Restricts visibility, and occasionally hazardous to health.

  18. The second layer of the atmosphere is the… STRATOSPHERE • The stratosphere goes from 16km to 50 km. • The temperature goes up with altitude. • Most jets fly in this layer. • The protective ozone is at the top of the atmosphere (It protects us from the ultraviolet radiation of the sun.) • Rivers of air, called Jet Streams, can be found at the base of this layer.

  19. The third layer of the atmosphere is the… MESOSPHERE • The Mesosphere goes from 50km to 90km. • In the mesosphere, the temperature drops with altitude. • The mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere. • Meteors burn up in this layer. • Radio waves are reflected back to earth in the mesosphere.

  20. The fourth layer of the atmosphere is the… THERMOSPHERE • The thermosphere goes from 90km to 300km. • In the thermosphere the temperature goes up with altitude. • The thermosphere is the hottest layer of the atmosphere. • Curtains of light called auroras occur in this layer. • The Ionosphere is found in the thermosphere. This is the component of the thermosphere that makes the auroras.

  21. The last layer of the atmosphere is the… EXOSPHERE • The exosphere is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. • The temperature in the exosphere goes up with altitude. • Satellites orbit earth in the exosphere.

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