Atmosphere I
Mixture of gases that surrounds Earth
Contains oxygen we use to breathe
Protects us from damaging rays from the Sun
Atmosphere
As altitude increases (further you go up), air pressure ______________
Decreases
Transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves
Radiation
The pressure differences are compensated by the airflow from ______________ .
the high pressure areas to the lower pressure areas
regular winds resulting from uneven heating of the sea and land, they change direction twice a year
monsoons
The Atmosphere is made up of 21% oxygen and 78% _________________
Nitrogen
Protects life on Earth by absorbing harmful UV radiation
Ozone layer
The Earth as a whole is in a state of____________ .
(heat balance)
Thermal equilibrium
Wind Earth Systems can be divided into 3 main categories:
still and prevailing winds
regular winds
local winds
How is the global air circulation performed?
in the form of three large cells
Solid particles in the atmosphere
ice crystals, microorganisms, soil, volcanic and cosmic dust, sea salt particles
Above the Stratosphere
Middle layer of the Atmosphere
*Coldest layer
Mesosphere
According to the annual precipitation we allocate four precipitation zones:
Humid warm zone
Dry warm zone
Humid temperate zone
Dry cold zone
What kind of still and prevailing winds are there?
trade winds/trades
western winds/westerlies
east winds/polar easterlies
What is the effect of Coriolis force?
the horizontal air flow deviates in the northern hemisphere to the RIGHT and in the southern hemisphere to the LEFT
Measure of the force the air molecules push on a surface is
Air pressure
Atmospheric layer :
*High temperature, but does not feel hot because the particles are too far away to transfer energy
Thermosphere
Balance between incoming energy and outgoing energy
Radiation balance
_____________ is caused by differences in air pressure due to uneven heating of the atmosphere.
Wind
What is temperature inversion?
opposite temperature stratification- mountains keep cooler air at the bottom of the basin, fog, and slopes and mountain peeks are warmed by the sun
Layer of atmosphere :
Where weather forms
Clouds
Water vapor
Densest atmospheric layer
90% of atmosphere's total mass
Troposphere
This atmospheric layer is found above the Troposphere
Gases are in layers- do not mix
Air is very thin
Little moisture
Extremely cold
*contains the Ozone layer that protects us from damaging UV rays from the Sun
Stratosphere
Name all climate factors:
1.latitude
2.distance from the oceans
3.general atmospheric circulation
4.sea currents
5.altitude
6.character of the Earth´s surface
7.human activity
Gases in the atmosphere absorb thermal energy and radiate it back to Earth *trapping the heat in
Greenhouse Effect
Name at least three local winds.
bora
fohn
valley/ mountain breeze
sea breeze