Download Atmosphere Powerpoint

Ch 11
Atmosphere
Lesson 1
Atmospheric Basics
Think About It…
Why would it be a bad thing
if the atmosphere was
mostly oxygen?
Focus Question…
What is the composition and
structure of the
atmosphere?
Atmospheric Composition…
•
•
•
•
Nitrogen – 78%
Oxygen – 21%
Argon - .93%
Carbon Dioxide .03%
• Water Vapor - .0 to
4%
• Trace Gases
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/science/21c/atmosphere/chemicalsairrev1.shtml
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Oxygen
–Gas
–Living things
breathe oxygen
in order to break
down food for
energy
http://schoolworkhelper.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/07/oxygen-transport.jpg
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Carbon Dioxide
– Gas
– Has a minor role in
regulating the
amount of energy
the atmosphere
absorbs and…
– acts as a plant
fertilizer
http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101fa10/ccburke/Photosynthesis.html
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Ozone
–Gas
–Absorbs
ultraviolet
radiation from
the sun
http://mmedia.pl/ozone-layer-diagram-for-kids
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Water Vapor
– Gas
– Has a major role in
regulating the
amount of energy
the atmosphere
absorbs and…
– is the source of
clouds, rain, and
snow
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Water
–Liquid
–The source of
rain
Singing in the Rain!
http://mypeartreehouse.blogspot.com/
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Ice
–Solid
–Makes up snow,
sleet, and hail
http://www.austinskiers.org/trips0910/vail0910.htm
Legendary Vail Powder!
Key Atmospheric
Components
• Dust and Salt
– Solids
– Provide a solid
surface for water
vapor to condense
around so that
clouds can form
– See next slide…
http://www.kidsgeo.com/images/ocean-waves.jpg
http://www.weatherfreaks.net/images/dust_storm3.jpg
Salt Spray from Waves
Dust Storm
Condensation Nuclei…
http://www.sci.uidaho.edu/scripter/geog100/lect/05-atmos-water-wx/ch5-part-5-clouds-fog.htm
The Structure of the
Atmosphere …
•http://ds9.ssl.berkeley.edu/lws_gems/3/images_3/layat510.jpg
The Structure of the
Atmosphere – The Troposphere
• Description…
– 0-11 km
– highest air
pressure
– Contains most of
the gases of the
atmosphere
• Objects Found There
– Weather
– life forms
– jets
The Structure of the
Atmosphere – The Stratosphere
• Description…
– 11-48 km
– Molecular heat
rises due to the
ozone absorbing
heat
• Objects Found There
– Ozone layer
– Weather balloons
The Structure of the
Atmosphere – The Mesosphere
• Description…
– 48-95 km
– Molecular heat falls
b/c there’s not a
whole lot here!
• Objects Found There
– Meteors (shooting
stars) burn here
The Structure of the Atmosphere
– The Thermosphere
• Description…
– 95-550 km
– Molecular heat
rises
• Objects Found There
– Ionosphere
– Auroras
The Auroras…
http://www.lovethesepics.com/2011/02/24-amazing-auroras-aurora-borealisaurora-australis/
The Structure of the
Atmosphere – The Exosphere
• Description…
– Above 600 km
– Outermost layer
– Space!
• Objects Found There
– Some H and He
– Satellites
Temperature Variations with
Altitude
http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/atmosphere/atmosphere/layers.gif
What Happens to the Sun’s
Energy?
http://www.physicalgeography.net/fundamentals/images/cascade.GIF
Solar Fundamentals…
a. Radiation
– the transfer of
energy through
space by visible
light, ultraviolet
radiation, and other
electromagnetic
waves
– Earth’s surface is
warmed by the
sun’s rays
http://ossfoundation.us/projects/environment/global-warming/earths-radiation-budget
Solar Fundamentals…
a. Conduction
– the transfer of
energy that
occurs when
molecules collide
– The air molecules
above Earth’s
surface are
warmed when
they contact the
warm surface of
Earth
Solar Fundamentals…
a. Convection
– the transfer of
energy by the flow
of a heated
substance
– Warm air rises,
then cools and
sinks
http://avstop.com/ac/fig5-9.jpg
The Transfer of Heat in the
Atmosphere…
Copy the diagram your
teacher draws on the
board!
Lesson 2
The State of the
Atmosphere
Think About It…
What makes a hot air
balloon float?
Focus Question…
What are the physical
properties of the
atmosphere that create
weather?
Temperature of the Atmosphere…
a. What is temperature?
a. The measurement of how rapidly or
slowly molecules move around
b. What is heat?
b. The transfer of energy that occurs
because of a difference in temperature
between substances
Heat fuels atmospheric processes!
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
1. The thermosphere
is the hottest layer
of the atmosphere
but it feels so cold…
because even though
the molecules are
moving very fast
(which means they
are very hot), they
are so far apart that
there would be no
heat transfer.
http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Astronaut
Astronaut Bruce McCandless II
is feeling no heat!
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
o Fahrenheit…
o Boiling point …
212
o Freezing point …
32
o Absolute Zero …
-523
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
o Celsius…
o Boiling point …
100
o Freezing point …
0
o Absolute Zero …
-273
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
o Kelvin…
o Boiling point …
373
o Freezing point …
273
o Absolute Zero …
0
o There are NO
negative numbers
on the Kelvin scale!
Absolute Zero…
Absolute zero is the temperature at which molecular
motion theoretically stops! This does not occur anyplace in
the universe.
http://www.happynews.com/news/562009/happens-absolutezero.htm
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
3a. Dew Point is the temperature to
which air must be cooled at constant
pressure to reach saturation.
o That is when dew is formed!
o The higher the dew point, more humid
and uncomfortable the air.
o See next slide…
http://www.goerie.thinkhost.com/mt/st_weather/DEW_POINT_CHART_full.JPG
Dew Point…
Our classroom has a high dew point!
The Temperature of the
Atmosphere
3b. Condensation is the process of water vapor
changing into liquid water. It plays a role in
creating rain when water vapor in the atmosphere
becomes water droplets.
3c. Dew point is also called condensation temperature.
(Remember the condensation nuclei?)
Vertical Temperature
Changes
a. Altitude is height above ground or sea
level.
b. Why is the temperature of the lower
atmosphere cooler at higher elevations
and altitudes?
b. Because it is farther away from the source
of heat – Earth’s surface
c. Individual air masses moving upward
through the atmosphere will cool about
10 degrees C/1000 m.
Vertical Temperature
Changes
d. What is lifted condensation level?
d. The height at which condensation occurs
e. The LCL often corresponds to the base
of the clouds!
Air Pressure and Density…
1. Density is mass per volume.
2. As altitude increases (moving up
through Earth’s atmosphere), the
density of the air...
… decreases
3. Air pressure is…
… the force exerted by the molecules of
the atmosphere as they are pulled toward
Earth’s center.
4. As altitude increases…
… air pressure decreases
Air Pressure and Density…
5. Air at the bottom of the atmosphere
(the troposphere #6) has higher
density and pressure because...
… of the greater mass of the atmosphere
above you!
… Gravity is the force pulling all air
molecules in the atmosphere toward
Earth.
… This is similar to being at the bottom of
the ocean with tons of water above you!
… We are accustomed to the high air
pressure so it doesn’t squash us.
Temperature-Density
Relationship
1a. The Relationship
between Temperature
and Density: Warm Air…
i. As temperature
increases… density
decreases.
ii. Warm air is less dense
and will rise.
iii. The upward movement
of warm air lowers
pressure.
iv. So, warm air rising
causes low pressure.
Temperature-Density
Relationship
1b. The Relationship
between Temperature
and Density: Cold Air…
i. As temperature
decreases… density
increases.
ii. Cold air is more dense
and will sink.
iii. The downward
movement of cold air
raises pressure.
iv. So, cold air sinking
causes high pressure.
Temperature Inversion
a. when the upper layers of
the troposphere are
warmer than the lower
layers.
b. The warmer layer is
above the colder layer.
c. on a cold, clear, winter
night, Earth’s surface
cools rapidly and becomes
colder than the air above
it resulting in upper layer
of the troposphere being
warmer!
d. The warm layer can trap
pollution or melt snow.
–http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/slc/climate/TemperatureInversions.php
Creating
Wind…
a.
b.
c.
d.
Cool air, which is
denser, sinks.
This forces the warm
air, which is less dense
to move upwards.
Air moves from areas
of high density to
areas of low density.
In its simplest form,
wind can be thought of
as air moving from an
area of high pressure
to an area of low
pressure.
http://scifiles.larc.nasa.gov/text/kids/Problem_Board/problems/light/sim3.html
Humidity Changes with
Temperature…
1. What is humidity?
o The amount of water air can hold at a
given temperature. This is a constant!
2. What is relative humidity?
o The amount of water the air is actually
holding compared to how much it can
hold
Humidity Changes with
Temperature…
3. How much water vapor can a m3 of air hold at
25 degrees C?
o
24 grams
4. How much water vapor can a m3 of air hold at
15 degrees C?
o
13 grams
5. Why does the air hold more water at 25 degrees
than it does at 15 degrees C?
o
Warm air can hold more water than cold air because it
is less dense.
6. How much water (per m3) would the air hold in
a room at 25 degrees C if the relative humidity
was 50%?
o
12 grams
Lesson 3
Moisture in the
Atmosphere
Think About It…
Can you forecast the
weather by looking at
clouds?
Focus Question…
How are clouds formed and
what does each type
indicate about the
weather?
Three Ways Clouds Can
Form…
a. from convection
currents
b. from warm air rising
over mountains
(orographic lifting)
c. when air masses of
different temperatures
meet
Cloud Formation –
Convection Currents
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Cloud Formation –
Orographic Lifting
Clouds form over a mountain.
http://www.envi.hufs.ac.kr/gwlee/session6/lift.html
Cloud Formation – Frontal
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/images/cloudformation_Fronts_small.jpg
Cloud Types…
• Cirro– Above 6000m
• Alto – Between 20006000m
• Stratus – Below 2000m
http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/Atmosphere/clouds/cloud_heights.html
Cloud Types
•Cirrus
–Latin for
“hair”
–Wispy,
stringy
clouds
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wwhlpr/cirrus.rxml?hret=/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Cloud Types
•Cumulus
–Latin for
“pile” or
“heap”
–Puffy,
lumpy
clouds
Altocumulus
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wwhlpr/cirrus.rxml?hret=/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Cloud Types
•Stratus
–Latin for
“layer”
–Featureless
sheets of
clouds
Cirrostratus “Halo”
Nimbostratus
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wwhlpr/cirrus.rxml?hret=/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Cloud Types
•Nimbus
–Latin for
“cloud”
–Low, gray
rain clouds
Nimbostratus
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/wwhlpr/cirrus.rxml?hret=/guides/mtr/cld/cldtyp/home.rxml
Cloud Types
• Cumulonimbus
–Latin for
“puffy
cloud”
–Ginormous
rain clouds
http://ed101.bu.edu/StudentDoc/current/ED101sp10/erikalee/cumulonimbus%20clouds.html
http://www.uwsp.edu/geo/faculty/ritter/geog101/textbook/hydrosphere/hydrologic_cycle.html
The Water Cycle
a. Water on Earth’s
surface will turn to
water vapor in the
process of…
o
evaporation.
b. Water vapor in
clouds turns to
liquid by
o
condensation.
c. Rain, snow, sleet, or
hail falls to Earth’s
surface as
o
precipitation.
http://eo.ucar.edu/webweather/images/cloudchart.gif
Clouds…
More Clouds!
http://apollo.lsc.vsc.edu/classes/met130/notes/chapter5/summary.html
Lesson 3 Cloud Model…
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
p. 288
Create 10 clouds.
Get a piece of blue paper.
Title it “Clouds” and write your name(s)
on the bottom left.
Draw the ground.
Mark the altitude on left side.
Draw a sun.
Glue the clouds on and label them.
Draw rain drops under nimbus clouds.