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The Atmosphere

The Atmosphere. Atmosphere. Layer of gasses surrounding a planet Not all planets have an atmosphere Not all planets have atmospheres like Earth’s Makes conditions on Earth suitable for life. Earth’s Atmospheric Composition. Gasses 78% Nitrogen (N 2 ) 21% Oxygen (O 2 ) 1% Other gasses

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The Atmosphere

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  1. The Atmosphere

  2. Atmosphere • Layer of gasses surrounding a planet • Not all planets have an atmosphere • Not all planets have atmospheres like Earth’s • Makes conditions on Earth suitable for life

  3. Earth’s Atmospheric Composition • Gasses • 78% Nitrogen (N2) • 21% Oxygen (O2) • 1% Other gasses • Water Vapor (H2O) • Particulates • Liquids • Solids

  4. Particulates • Natural Sources • Mold • Pollen • Salt • Dust • Volcanic Ash • Human Caused • Dust • Ash (Carbon) • Soot (Carbon) • Pollution

  5. Air Pollution • Harmful substances in the air • Most from burning fossil fuels (fuels from once living things) • Oil, coal, • Chemical aerosols

  6. Types of Air Pollution • Smog • Photochemical – Mix of ozone (O3) and other chemicals • Acid Rain • Nitrogen oxides (NOx) Nitric acid (HNO3) • Sulfur oxides (SOx) Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) • pH normal rain = 5.6 • Inversion layer • Warm air traps cooler air keeping pollutants concentrated

  7. Acid Rain Formation physicalgeography.net

  8. Thermal Inversion globalchange.umich.edu

  9. What can be done to reduce air pollution? • Laws reducing emissions • Factories • Cars • What you can do • Drive less • Buy less • Buy local

  10. Air Pressure • Pressure = Force (Newtons) X Area (m2 or cm2) • Air has mass • Affected by gravity • Measured with barometer • Units • mm (in) of Hg (mercury) • Millibars • 1 in Hg = 33.87 millibars ems.psu.edu globalchange.umich.edu

  11. Altitude Affect on Atmosphere • Lower air pressure at higher altitude • Water boils at lower temperature at higher altitude • Lower air pressure lower air density • Less particles per volume • Why do athletes train at high altitudes? • More red blood cells to carry fewer oxygen atoms • How does altitude affect gravity? • Gravity decreases with altitude (slightly)

  12. Layers of the Atmosphere • Troposhpere • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Theremosphere • Ionosphere • Exoshpere Closest Farthest

  13. Troposphere • Tropo = turning or changing • 16 km thick at equator 9 km thick at poles • Temp changes -6.5°C for every 1 km up • Top layer - 60°C • Weather happens in this layer

  14. Stratosphere • Strato from stratum = layer or spreading out • ~ 15 km – 50 km above sea level • Lower layer ~ 60°C, upper layer warmer • Upper layer has ozone layer (O3) • Blocks UV radiation and absorbs energy • The reason upper layer is warmer

  15. Mesosphere • Meso = middle • 50 km – 80 km above sea level • ~ - 90°C • Protects us from meteoroids

  16. Thermosphere • Thermo = heat • 80 km – no outer limit • .001% as dense as air at sea level • 1,800°C • N2 and O2 absorb solar (Electromagnetic) energy • Transform solar to thermal energy to heat thermosphere

  17. Ionosphere • Iono = of ions • 80 km – 550 km • Northern and Southern lights • Aurora borealis and aurora australis • Suns energy creates ions (charged particles) • Radio waves bounce off ionosphere

  18. Exosphere • Exo = outer • 550 km – 1000’s km’s • Orbit of some communication satellites • TV, phone, spy

  19. The 4 Major Spheres of Earth • Atmosphere • Air • Hydrosphere • Water • Biosphere • Life • Lithosphere • Solid

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