Athmosphere

• Atmosphere

  Blanket of gas
• Composition of atmosphere

  • 78% nitrogen
  • 21% Oxygen
  • 1% trace of other gas
• Functions of atmosphere

  • Protect from radiation
  • Filters out harmful UV rays from the sun
  • Protect from meteors
  • Medium for weather activity, regulates temperature
  • Oxygen for respiration
  • Carbon dioxide for photosynthesis
  • Allows sound to be heard
• Troposphere

  10km high<|>75% of total mass of atmosphere & 99% of atmosphere's water<|>Wind, clouds, and water vapor<|>Weather activity occurs<|>Temperature decreases as altitude increases
• Stratosphere

  Flow of air is stable<|>Temperature increases with altitude<|>Where ozone layer exists (40-60 km high)
• Mesosphere

  Temperature decreases with altitude<|>Coldest layer of earth<|>Where meteors disintegrate due to its temperature
• Thermosphere

  Absorbs large amount of solar radiation. <|>Temperature increases as distance becomes greater<|>Where international space station and space shuttle flies<|>Where aurora display happens
• Aurora borealis

  Northern lights
• Aurora australis

  Southern lights
• Ionosphere

  Iron rich region of thermosphere
• Exosphere

  Temperature varies from very hot to very cold<|>Has artificial satellites due to no friction
• Lithosphere

  Soil part of earth<|>100km<|>Made of granite continental crust, basaltic oceanic crust
• Soil components

  • Clay: fine particles
  • Silt: larger than clay but smaller than sand
  • Sand: largest particle, holds nutrients
  • Loam: accumulation of clay, silt, sand, and humus (decayed plant and animal material)
• Hydrosphere

  • Saltwater: 93% of earth's water
  • Freshwater: 7% of earth's water
  • Snow/glacier: largest source of water
  • Ground water: man's primary source of water
• Hydrologic cycle

  1. Evaporation: heat from sun converts water to water vapor

  2. Condensation: water vapor releases heat turning into droplets to form precipitation
• Waves

  • Caused by blowing across water's surface
  • Shapes shoreline
• Tides

  • Strongest force that moves the ocean currents
  • Balances earth's energy and regulation of climate
• Gyre

  Northern hemisphere gyre: clockwise<|>Southern hemisphere gyre: counter clockwise
• Weather


  Mix of daily atmospheric events that vary across different regions and change rapidly over short periods of time
• Atmosphere


  Composed mainly of nitrogen with traces of other gases, surrounds the Earth and is held in place by gravity
• Temperature


  Measure of the kinetic energy within the particles of an object, or how hot or cold an object is
• As height above sea level increases


  Temperature decreases
• Collision of hot and cold air masses


  Can affect the weather due to the differences in the density of the air masses
• Air pressure


  Amount of pressure exerted by the air in a particular air mass
• Air pressure


  The number of air molecules above a surface determines air pressure. As the number of molecules increases, they exert more pressure on a surface, and the total atmospheric pressure increases
• The normal range of the Earth's air pressure is from 970 MB to 1,050 MB
• Low pressure system


  An area with lower atmospheric pressure compared to its surroundings
• Low pressure system


  • Brings high winds, warm air, and atmospheric lifting
  • Produces clouds, precipitation, and other turbulent weather, such as tropical storms and cyclones
  • Brings warmer weather, storms, and rain
• High-pressure system


  Also called an anticyclone, an area where the atmospheric pressure is greater than that of the surrounding area
• Movement of high-pressure systems

  1. Clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere

  2. Counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

  3. Due to the Coriolis Effect
• High-pressure systems


  • Caused by subsidence
  • Bring cool temperatures and clear skies
• Wind


  Movement of air, forms because of differences in temperature and atmospheric pressure between nearby regions
• Wind is the great equalizer of the atmosphere, transporting heat, moisture, pollutants, and dust great distances around the globe
• Front


  Boundary between high pressure and low pressure
• Relation of front


  Causes different types of wind and weather patterns
• Humidity


  Amount of moisture, or water vapor in the air
• Humidity


  • Affects the weather by leading to the formation of clouds and precipitation
  • Can make an area feel warmer with high humidity, or cooler with low humidity
• Warm and tropical areas are typically very humid
• Precipitation


  Any liquid or frozen water that forms in the atmosphere and falls back to the earth
• Formation of precipitation


  Water vapor condenses into bigger and bigger droplets of water in the clouds