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Name:______________________________________ Date:__________________ ______
Unit 6 – Atmosphere Note Sheet
Brief Review
• What was the composition of the original atmosphere like?
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What evolved on Earth that drastically changed the composition?
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How did these organisms change the composition of Earth’s atmosphere?
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What is the structure of the atmosphere?
What is the structure of the atmosphere?
• ___ layers from bottom to top
• last layer sometimes _____________________ in half to make ____
o Troposphere – __________________ layer, _________________ happens here
o Stratosphere – next layer up, __________ fly here, ____________________
found here
o Mesosphere – ___________________ burn up here
o Thermosphere – ___________________ layer, _______________ stations here
 Ionosphere – where ______________________ take place
 Exosphere – __________________ layer, space stations
How are layers divided?
• According to temperature _____________________
• Each layer is separated by a ___________________
o ______________________ between troposphere and stratosphere etc
• What happens to the temperature in each layer of the atmosphere?
o Troposphere – temp _____________________
o Stratosphere – temp _____________________
o Mesosphere – temp ______________________
o Thermosphere – temp _____________________
What is the atmosphere made of?
• Mostly ___________________ (N) – about 78%
• ________________ (O) – about 21%
• Carbon Dioxide (CO2) – about _________
Remember radiant energy?
• Comes from the _______________
• In many ___________________
• Represented by the _____________________________
___________________________!
• When it comes in contact with the ionosphere it can often create light shows called
_________________.
How does air move?
• In large ___________________ called air ___________________
Air masses move based on _______________________
High pressure systems move toward low pressure systems
(_______________________________)
How do air masses affect weather?
• They pick up the _________________________ of the area in which they form
• They are very large (up to 1600km) making _________________________ fairly
_______________________
• They carry ________________________ and __________________________ over
the area where they are moving
How are air masses classified?
• Overall __________________________
• Where they _______________________
• ____ major types
• ______________________ –cold temps
• ______________________ –warm temps
• _____________________ –dry air
• _____________________ – wet air (high water vapor content)
• ______________________ – very cold and dry
• Type of air mass will consist of ______ words (write an example
here:_________________________________)
What kind of air masses influence North American weather?
• Mostly influenced by ____________________________________________ (mT) and
________________________________________ (cP)
What are continental polar air masses like?
• Cold dry ___________________
• Cool dry ___________________
• __________ associated with ____________________________
• Subject to the “_________________________________” when crossing the Great
Lakes
• Pick up moisture from the Great Lakes and may bring some
_______________________________
What are maritime tropical air masses like?
• Warm and loaded with ______________________________
• Usually _________________________
• Source of most precipitation in the ______________________ ____
What are maritime polar air masses like?
• Come from the ____________________________________________
• ___________________ and dry turns into ____________________ and humid
• ________________________
• Accompanied by low clouds and _____________________ –
_____________________ in mountains
What are continental tropical air masses like?
• ____________________________ influence in North America
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• _________________ and __________________
• Only ___________________________ affect weather outside their source region
How do air masses move again?
• Air ______________________
• Exerted in ___________ _______________________________
• Object pushes back on the air with exactly the __________________
__________________
• Measured using a __________________________
• Typical air pressure:
o 1 atmosphere (__________)
o 760 __________________ (mercury)
o 980 _______________________
How does pressure affect air masses?
• Air masses move from ____________  ____________ pressure
• Causes ______________________
• Unequal heating of Earth creates __________________________
_______________________________
• How does land heat up compared to water?
•
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Solar radiation is the ultimate source of ________________
3 factors
o _________________
o _________________ effect
o ____________________
Fronts
Come back to back
How can we tell where air masses are going?
• Look for ___________________
• Red H is ___________________ pressure
• Blue L is ______________________ pressure
• Sometimes pressure is shown on maps in ______________________, similar to
isotherms
• Iso means _____________________
• Isobars are ________________ showing __________________
__________________________
What is weather like in a high pressure system?
• ______________________
• ______________________
• ______________________
• High _____________ and low _____________________ temperatures
• _________________________
• Dew and _______________________
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What
What
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What
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_______________ and mist
Stable ______________________________ air
is weather like in a low pressure system?
___________________________
__________________________ sun
___________________________
___________________________ temperatures for the time of year
_____________________________
_____________________________ weather
_____________________________ rising air
is the difference in a cyclone and an anticyclone?
Anticyclone
cyclone
is a front?
The area where _____ air masses _______________________
________kinds of fronts
___________________ front
___________________ front
___________________________ front
___________________________ front
Each front has a _________________________
Side of the line the symbols are on indicate ______________________ of movement
does each front mean?
Warm front – ________________ air is ____________________________ cold air
Cold front – __________________ air is ___________________________ warm air
Stationary front – air masses are ___________ ______________________________
due to similar pressures
• Occluded front – warm air is pushed up due to _____________ air moving in from
___________________ ____________________________
What happens when cold and warm air meet?
• Cold air sinks and _____________________ air _________________________
• Warm air _____________________ moisture
• Moisture ___________________________
• _____________________ form
• Once air is saturated with moisture, ___________________________ in some form
occurs
What happens before and after a warm front?
before
After
What is dewpoint?
• The temperature at which air is ______________________ enough for water to
________________________
• ___________________ dewpoint – temperature and dewpoint are
___________________ together
• ___________________ dewpoint – temperature and dewpoint are
___________________ apart
• ___________________ a dewpoint
What happens before and after cold fronts?
before
After
What to expect from a stationary front?
• ______________________ winds and temperatures when ___________________
from one side of the front to the other
• _____________________ ____________________ in air masses keeps them from
moving
What can you expect from an occluded front?
• Developing ________________________ usually have a warm front and a
______________________ moving ___________________ front to wrap around
them
• Occluded fronts form when ____________________ air _____________________
_______ to a warm front that is trapped behind a cold front already in place
• ___________________________ in temp, dewpoint, or wind possible
Clouds
How they form and what they mean
What happens as water evaporates?
• Humidity – the _________________________ of _____________________ in the
air
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How
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Amount of water vapor ________________________ =
_________________________ humidity
Air ________________________ increases as amount of water
______________________ _____________________
Air is ___________________________ when water entering air = water
_______________________ to surface
_____________________ air contains __________________ ________________
than cold air
is humidity measured?
Using a ____________________________
Relative humidity – ___________________ of ___________________ amount of
water in the air compared to the amount of water air __________________
______________________ at that temperature and pressure
If amount of water vapor is constant, what will happen to the humidity if you raise the
temperature? Lower it?
So how do clouds form?
• Temperature can change ____________________ heat input or loss
• These changes are called __________________________ temperature changes
• Happens when air is ______________________ or _____________________
• Expansion ___________________
• Compression ______________________
What happens to air and vapor as it rises?
• Overall, air ___________________ lifting
• _______ factors make air light enough to be lifted
o ________________________ lifting
o ________________________ wedging
o ________________________
o Localized __________________________ lifting
What is oographic lifting?
• Elevated ____________________ _______________________ air from moving
forcing it to go up and over
• Causes the _______________________ effect
• _________________________ places on the _________________________ side of
mountain
• Lifting air reaches ___________________ __________________ and condenses 
____________________ form  air is pushed higher and forced to
__________________ _________________________ as precipitation
• By the time air gets to the other side of the mountain the moisture has mostly been
_____________________
What is frontal wedging?
• Air masses ____________________ in flatter areas
• Area ______________________ two air masses is a front
Cooler air sinks and _____________________ air ______________________ 
condenses  forms clouds
Brief Review
• What is a front?
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What are the 4 different types of fronts?
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Draw each front as it appears on a weather map.
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How does weather change as each front moves through?
What is convergence?
• Air in lower atmosphere ___________________ together and is
__________________ _____________________
• Air converging from _____ _______________________________ directions must go
somewhere, down is not an option
• Example
o Ocean winds blow _________________ the shore
o In Florida, this happens on _______________ sides of the state so air flows
____________________
o Produces many ____________________________ storms
What is localized convective lifting?
• Due to _____________________ heating of Earth’s surface
• Causes ________________________ of air to be ___________________ than
surrounding air
• Example: _______________________ __________________
• Warm air will rise creating ________________________
• Birds and hang-gliders use these to ___________________ higher with less energy
• Warm air rises  reaches _______________________  clouds form
What is the difference in stable and unstable air?
• Air is forced to rise and its temperature is ________________________ by
____________________________
• Cooler air sinks to its original position – ___________________________
• If it does not sink to its original position – ______________________________
o _______________ weather
What’s the difference in stable and unstable air rising?
• _________________ air _____________________ vertical movement but some
factors force it to rise
o What are the 4 things that can make air rise?
When stable air rises – clouds are ____________________________ and
_________________
• Unstable air rising – clouds are __________________ and cover a
________________________ area
• ______________________________
What makes air density different?
• _________________________
• Warm – _____________________
o Like hot air _______________________
• Cool – _________________________
• ____________________________
• High – air is _______________ dense
o Particles ___________ apart
• Low – air is ________________ dense
o Particles ___________________ together
How does water condense to make clouds?
• Usually a _________________________ for cooling water to condense on
o ____________________________
o Small ________________________ – dust, soot, particles of pollution
• Small surfaces are called condensation ______________________
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Cloud types
How are clouds categorized?
• Based on ___________________________ and _______________________
• _______ main types
o _________________________
o _________________________
o _________________________
What are cirrus clouds?
• ________________, white, and ___________________
• Patches or __________________ fibers – may appear
_____________________________
• 3 types
o ______________________
o ____________________________ – flat layers
o ____________________________ – fluffy masses
• Usually signify _________________ weather
o When replaced by _______________________________ clouds and increased
coverage – sign of bad weather approaching
What are cumulus clouds?
• ______________________ of clouds
• __________________________ cloud masses
Normally with ________________ _______________ in domes or
___________________________
• ______________________ clouds
• ______ other types of middle clouds
o Alto – prefix meaning ______________________
o ____________________________ – rounded masses that are larger and more
dense than cirrocumulus
o ____________________________ – uniform white – greyish sheet, sun or moon
visible as a bright spot
• Often ___________________ or _______________________ accompany these
What are stratus clouds?
• _________________ clouds
• ________________________ or layers
• No _________________________ cloud masses
• _____ other types of low clouds
o _______________________________ – long parallel with a rolling bottom
o _______________________________ – main precipitation markers form in
stable conditions
Are there any clouds that reach through several cloud layers?
• ______________ ____________________________ with tops that reach into the
high regions
• From _____________________________ air
• __________________________________
• Usually grown from cumulus clouds and signify __________________________
Do clouds ever touch the ground?
• ____________ is a cloud with its base on or near the ground
• No ________________________ difference with any other cloud
• Difference is in _____________________________ and
____________________________
• Usually the result of warm air moving ________________ a cooled surface
• Can form when cool air moves over warm water – _________________________
appearance
• Forms when enough _____________________________________ brings about
____________________________
How does precipitation form in cold clouds?
• Supercooling and supersaturation – ___________________________ process
• Cloud droplets do not freeze at 0°C, instead it must be about -40°C ______________________________
o Freezing _____________________ cause water droplets to freeze
• Greater than 100% humidity – _______________________
o Ice and water cannot exist ____________________________ in clouds
o Evaporating water quickly produces _____________________________ or ice
How does precipitation form in warm clouds?
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Does
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Rainfall in clouds is well below freezing – even in ___________________________
Collision – coalescence process – water absorbing particles remove moisture forming
___________________ _______________________________
o Drops _________________________ and ____________ with smaller slower
droplets
ice form in warm clouds?
__________________
Forms in ____________________________________ clouds
Starts ________________________
Updrafts carry hail through supercooled layers
________________________________
Forms _____________________________
Climate and Climate Change
Something wicked this way comes...
What is the difference in climate and weather?
• Weather
• State of the atmosphere at a _________________________
___________________
• What atmospheric layer does this happen in?
Climate
• _______________________ weather patterns over a
_______________________ period of time
How is climate classified?
• ________________________ classification
• _______ major climate systems
• ____________________________________
• ____________________________________
• ____________________________________
What is a temperate climate?
• Moderate changes between _____________________
• _____________________ summers and winters
• Between _______ and _______ degrees north and south of the equator
What is a tropical climate?
• Constant ________________ temperatures with high
__________________________
• Around the __________________________ between 0 and 25 degrees
What is a polar climate?
• Constant _________________ temperatures
• _____________________ of daylight in summer and 24 hours of _______________
in winter
• ________________________ tundras or glaciers
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How are humans causing climate change?
• ____________________ fossil fuels and ___________________ down trees
increases gases such as carbon ____________________, carbon
__________________________, and _________________________ in the
atmosphere
• These gases act as a ________________________ and retain radiation from the sun in
the form of heat – the _________________________________
______________________________
• Gases responsible for this effect are greenhouse ____________________
• Some _______ is necessary to keep Earth ____________________ enough for life
Isn’t CO2 absorbed by the ocean?
• Yes by ___________________________
• Some of this carbon reacts with water to form weak ______________________
_______________
• Makes the __________________ of marine creatures
_______________________
• Increases __________________________
• Decreases our ______________________ source
• How will increased CO2 affect sea level?
Are there natural phenomena that cause climate change?
• Yes
• __________________________
• __________________________________ activity
• El __________________ and La Niña
• Shifts in ________________________
• Naturally fluctuating__________ levels
How do sunspots cause climate change?
• __________________________________
• Sunspots are _____________________ spots on the surface of the sun
• Increase in sunspots correlates to an increase in ___________________________ and
vise versa
• Spots are ________________________ spots in the sun and area around them warms
to make up for the difference
• Less spots = _______________ solar wind = ____________________ clouds =
_________ sun hitting Earth
How do volcanic eruptions cause climate change?
• Massive amounts of __________, ___________, and _____________________
released into the atmosphere
• Ash ______________ rapidly
• Gas ______________ in the ___________________ atmosphere
• Sulfer dioxide ____________________ light back into space – causes
_______________________
• CO2 causes warming – ___________________________ effect
How do El Niño and La Niña influence climate change?
• What are trade winds like in a typical year on the western coast of continents?
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What do these winds do to warm water?
_______________________________ change in _____________________ Ocean
around the equator
• Affects Northern hemisphere’s __________________________
• Area of typical thunderstorms moves ___________________________
• Due to a reduction of ____________________________ in the eastern ocean
What about La Niña?
• _________________________ of El Niño
• Caused by _________________________ surface temperatures
What are the results of El Niño?
• ___________________ winters in __________________________ _______
• __________________________ in Indonesia and Australia
• ______________________ _________________ to further reduce upwelling and
cause El Niño to grow – positive feedback
• Irregular but generally happen every __________ years
How does a shift in Earth’s orbit produce climate change?
• What is precession? How does it affect climate?
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How
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What is nutation? How does it affect climate?
Eccentricity – distance between ____________________ and ______________
• Varies slightly as the ________________________ of the sun changes position
Long term effects – triggers beginnings and ends of _____________
_______________
does CO2 fluctuation change climate?
Higher levels of CO2 contribute to the ______________________________
________________________
Higher levels = higher ___________________________
_____________________ as well as human influenced
• Volcanoes and burning fossil fuels
• ________________________ – higher levels in the winter… why?
Do gases do anything else to affect climate?
• Some _____________________ easily in water to make acid rain
• ________________ oxide
• ______________________ dioxide
• Can be _____________________ far by winds and __________________ areas
___________ __________________ from where it developed
Are there any other human affects on our atmosphere?
• Chlorofluorocarbons (___________) – only created by humans, found in old aerosol cans
(hairspray etc…)
• Destroy ______________________
• 1 CFC can destroy __________________________ of ozone particles
• No longer used or made in _____________________
• Created a large ____________________ in ozone over Antarctica – conditions here
have begun to _________________________
What are aerosols and what do they do?
• _______________________ particles ____________________________- in the
atmosphere
• In high amounts they can ________________________ sunlight and prevent it from
____________________________ Earth
• Common in any aerosol ___________ (hair spray, cool whip, can cheese etc…)
• Also ____________________ – volcanoes, meteors
How is climate change affecting the biosphere?
• If the climate warms ______________________- than organisms can adapt to it they
will become ________________________
• ___________________ extinction if we lose many species within a few centuries
• Ecosystems will lose _____________________ as organisms die
• Insects are able to ______________________ to higher elevations – mosquitos
• Agriculture will become _____________________________ as weather warms and
rains decrease
• What will climate change do to human health?
What can you do to stop climate change?
• Decrease dependence on _________________________ fuels
• __________________ or ride a bike
• Eat seasonal or locally grown ____________________________
• Eat less ________________________
• Be energy efficient – _______________ ________________ lights/water
• Choose __________________________ power
• _______________________ – reduce – reuse
• _______________________ less
• Stay ___________________________
• Stay ___________________________
• Support and ________________________ to politicians who are in favor for
environmental regulations