Atmosphere Basics
This layer of gases surrounds Earth.
What is the atmosphere?
The gaseous form of water.
What is water vapor?
The force created by air molecules colliding with surfaces.
What is air pressure?
Water changing from liquid to gas.
What is evaporation?
A factory releases pollution into the air. What type of atmospheric particles is it adding to the atmosphere?
What are aerosols?
This gas makes up 78% of the atmosphere.
What is nitrogen?
Small particles like dust and pollen in the atmosphere.
What are aerosols?
Instrument used to measure air pressure.
What is a barometer?
Water vapor leaving plant leaves.
What is transpiration?
You notice the mercury in a barometer is rising. What is happening to the air pressure?
What is increasing?
This gas is needed for respiration.
What is oxygen?
These gases trap heat in the atmosphere.
What are greenhouse gases?
As this increases, pressure decreases.
What is altitude?
Water vapor cooling into liquid droplets.
What is condensation?
A mountain climber feels short of breath near the top of a mountain. Why?
What is there is less oxygen/less dense air at high altitude?
Without Earth's atmosphere, temperatures would be extremely hot during the day and extremely cold at night because the atmosphere acts like this.
What is an insulator
An aerosol source that occurs naturally.
What is a volcano or wildfire?
Force that pulls air molecules toward Earth's surface.
What is gravity?
This process returns water from clouds to Earth as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.
What is precipitation?
Warm air molecules move faster and spread farther apart. What happens to the air's density?
What is it decreases
The principle that says Earth's conditions are "just right" for life.
What is the Goldilocks Principle?
This atmospheric gas helps shield Earth from harmful UV radiation.
What is ozone?
Warm air is less dense and usually creates this type of pressure.
What is low pressure?
Temperature at which condensation begins.
What is dew point?
Earth receives the same sunlight, but suddenly all greenhouse gases disappear. What would most likely happen to Earth's average temperature?
What is Earth would become much colder because heat could escape into space?