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15.2 Atmospheric layers

15.2 Atmospheric layers. The Water Cycle Continues. Learning Targets. List the major layers of the atmosphere and their temperatures Discuss why all weather takes place in the troposphere Discuss how the ozone layer protects the surface from harmful radiation. Air Temperature.

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15.2 Atmospheric layers

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  1. 15.2 Atmospheric layers The Water Cycle Continues

  2. Learning Targets • List the major layers of the atmosphere and their temperatures • Discuss why all weather takes place in the troposphere • Discuss how the ozone layer protects the surface from harmful radiation

  3. Air Temperature • Changes with altitude • Warm air rises. Why? • Move vigorously & takes up space (more energy) • Air pressure and density decreases • Cool air sinks. Why? • Sluggish and takes up little space (less energy) • Air pressure and density increases • Cooler air sinks because it is denser than the air beneath it

  4. Atmospheric Layers • Composition of Elements • Same throughout • As altitude increases: • Pressure and Density decreases • Temperature Varies • Changes in temperature is NOT regular • Temperature gradient – change in temperature with distance

  5. Atmospheric Layers • Based on how the temperature in that layer changes with altitude • Troposphere • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Thermosphere • Exosphere

  6. TROPOSPHERE

  7. Troposphere 0-10 km • Heat source – Earth’s surface • Absorbs heat and radiate back in atmosphere • Most dense~ 75% all atmospheric gases • Higher gravity • Temperature decreases with altitude • Cold air on top of warm air • Unstable wind and weather • Thicker at equator; thinner at the poles • Caused by rotation of earth • Tropopause – thin layer which temperature does not change with height

  8. Inversion • Inversion: cold air is trapped beneath warm air • Stable; may persist for many days • Contributes to smog and air pollution over cities • Often occurs in low lying regions

  9. STRATOSPHERE

  10. Stratosphere 10-50 km • Heat source - Sun • Temperature increases with altitude • Warm air on top of cold • Stable; calm • Airplanes fly here • Ozone Layer • Ozone = O3 • 3O2 + UV radiation  2O3

  11. MESOSPHERE

  12. Mesosphere 50-80 km • Heat source - Stratosphere • Temperature decreases with altitude • Very few molecules to absorb Sun’s radiation • Very low pressure and density • Very cold • 99% of all atmospheric mass is below • Meteors burn

  13. THERMOSPHERE

  14. Thermosphere 80+ km • Heat source - Solar Energy • Temperature increases with altitude • Feels cold due to low pressure • Feels cold because: • Large amount of space between molecules = no transfer of energy • Solar wind causes auroras • International Space Station orbits in the upper part of the Thermosphere

  15. Thermosphere 80+ km • Ionosphere – Solar radiation ionizes gas molecules freeing electrons to create electric current • Aurora – Charged particles energize oxygen and nitrogen gas molecules • Each gas emits a particular color of light

  16. Northern Lights

  17. Southern Lights

  18. Northern Lights

  19. EXOSPHERE

  20. Exosphere • Essentially outer space • Trace amounts of gas • Some gases escape into space • No outer limit • Solar wind – high-speed particles traveling outward from Sun • Sounds cannot be heard

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