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What is the atmosphere made of?
gasses
What is an example of adding or removing gasses in the atmosphere?
Breathing, photosynthesis, volcanic eruptions, decaying plants and animals
What is the function of the atmosphere?
insulate the surface of Earth
What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
Nitrogen
What percentage of Nitrogen makes up the atmosphere?
78%
How does nitrogen get in the atmosphere?
volcanic eruptions, decaying plants and animals
How does oxygen get used on Earth?
Breathing and Plants make it during photosynthesis
As you get closer to the surface of Earth, is the atmosphere more or less dense?
more
What is the aurora borealis?
Northern lights
Does warm or cold air rise in a convection current?
warm
What is the second most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
Oxygen
What percentage of the atmosphere is made up of nitrogen and oxygen?
99%
Why do planes fly at high altitudes?
air is less dense causing better fuel efficiency
What is reflection?
energy that changes direction (bounces back)
What is conduction?
the transfer of heat by air currents. Hot air rises and cold air sinks
What are the characteristics of the troposphere?
weather occurs here
What are the characteristics of the stratosphere?
contains the ozone layer
What are the characteristics of the thermosphere?
temperature gets hotter the higher you go up
What is absorption?
energy taken up by matter
What is convection?
the flow of energy (heat) from a warmer object to a colder object when the objects are placed directly in physical contact.
What are the 4 layers of the atmosphere in order from closest to Earth to higher?
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
What are the characteristics of the mesosphere?
blocks meteors from reaching Earth
What are the two sublayers of the thermosphere?
ionosphere and exosphere
What is the primary source of energy on Earth?
sun
What is radiation?
the transfer of energy across space and in the atmosphere