Layers of the Atmosphere
What is the atmosphere?
A thin layer of gases that surround the Earth
What is Absolute Zero?
When the molecules in a object are completely stopped vibrating. Scientists have never achieved this but they are very close.
What are the three types of heat transfer and the single words associated with them.
Radiation - waves
Conduction - touch/contact
Convection - density
What is Relative Humidity
The amount of water vapor in a volume of air relative to the amount of water vapor needed for that volume of air to reach saturation
What are the two was that water droplets can collect together to begin to form a cloud?
Condensation nuclei - water droplets gather around a dust particle slowly increasing in size
Coalescence - the term that describes water's capability to stick to itself and increase droplet size.
Starting at the surface, identify the five layers of the atmosphere.
Troposphere
Stratosphere
mesosphere
Thermosphere
Exosphere
What exactly is wind?
Horizontal movement of air from areas of high pressure to low pressure
If an object is decreasing in temperature, what scientifically is happening?
The object is giving away energy
When does saturation occur?
When the amount of water vapor in a volume has reached the maximum amount
What kind of clouds are formed during stable conditions and why? What about unstable conditions?
Stable - air mass is cooler/equal to the environment; therefore, masses do not need to rise high to achieve equilibrium and thus thin layered clouds can form
Unstable conditions - the air mass is hotter than the environment; therefore, needs to rise higher in the sky to achieve equilibrium. Thus thick thunderstorm clouds can form
What is the relationship between temperature and altitude in the troposphere? Why?
As altitude increases, temperature decreases because of moving away from the warm surface of the Earth
Explain why as you increase temperature, density will decrease.
- The higher the temperature, the more expansion is occurring. Meaning, the molecules are spreading out.
- Therefore the molecules are spread about further form each other have a low mass per volume unity a.k.a. density
What do the Greenhouse gases in the atmosphere do? Why can the greenhouse gas effect be bad?
Trap infrared radiation and direct it back to the surface which causes and additional buildup of heat at the Earth’s surface. This can be a bad thing because humans are also emitting these gases and therefore globally warming the planet.
A sample of air can hold 12 grams of water vapor per cubic meter. However, right now it is only at 58.3% relative humidity, How much water vapor is actually in the air?
approx. 7 grams per cubic meter
These clouds usually form in groups and are about one kilometer thick. They can be found at approx. 5,000m high
Altocumulus
What is the ionosphere? Where is it located? How does it help benefit society?
A region of lower part of the thermosphere that contains ions (electronically charged particles). This layer is used to transmit radio waves that reflect back to Earth on these ions.
What is temperature inversion? How does this occur? Why is it a problem?
When there is a sudden drastic change in Earth surface's temperature, becoming colder than a section above. This cold layer traps moisture and air pollutants in the breathing air. The warm layer also creates a pressure system that further increase the trapped air.
Give a specific example of of each of the types of heat transfers.
Answers may vary:
Conduction - feet on tile floor; food cooking in a frying pan
Convection - boiling water; fan circulating
Radiation - sunlight; campfire
Calculate the relative humidity of 1 m3 of air containing 12 g/m3 at 20 °C . (round to the nearest tenth) (see Ms. Douglass for graph or look at the graph from your yellow math hw)
12/15=80%
Describe the process on how sleet is formed?
Air currents partially freeze water droplets as they fall from the cloud
Name a "fun" fact about each of the 5 layers that makes them important to learn about.
Troposphere - we live here and all weather occurs here
Stratosphere - planes fly up in this layer; ozone layer is found here
Mesosphere - meteors burn up in this layer
Thermosphere - the auroras are located here along with the ionosphere
Exosphere - satellites orbit in this layer
Explain why as you increase air pressure temperature will also increase.
▪Pressure -> the collision of particles (force)
▪When temperature increases -> the movement of particles increases
▪The faster the particles are moving the more force a.k.a pressure!
What type of weather is associated with stable air? Unstable air?
BONUS: What natural phenomenon occurs during stable conditions
Unstable - creates storms because there is a big air pressure difference between regions
stable - has clear weather because very little air needs to circulate to achieve equilibrium between air pressure regions
Bonus: a temperature inversion - when the bottom half of the troposphere suddenly becomes cold and a warm layer forms in the middle.
What is the relationship between condensation and dew point? How does this relate to Latent heat?
Dew Point is the temperature at which condensation begins to occur. Therefore, when condensation occurs, energy is being released when changing the water vapor into liquid water. This ultimately slows down the cooling of air because the latent heat is being released, increasing the temperature slightly.
Describe the formation of a cloud through Convergance lifting.
Two air masses will collide causing the hotter air mass to rise up in the troposphere. From here, the mass will continue to rise due to density difference to the cooler air surrounding it. Once the mass has reached its dew point in the atmosphere, the water vapor will begin to condense into water droplets, creating a visible cloud. The air mass will continue to rise, increasing the cloud size, until the top of cloud has reached equilibrium.