Leveling Up
Where is the ionosphere, and what makes it useful to us?
17
The ionosphere is a stretch of the atmosphere ranging from the upper mesosphere to the lower parts of the thermosphere. It is useful to us in radio communication, as radio signals can bounce off of it to extend their range.
What is atmospheric pressure?
1b
Atmospheric pressure is pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all objects within it.
As you are outside on a cold winter night, you being to shiver from the cold. Your companion says that you are shivering from the heat. Is your companion correct? Why or why not?
11
Your companion is correct! Heat is energy that is being transferred. The reason you are cold is that energy is being transferred from your body to the surrounding air. You get cold because of transferred energy!
What is heat?
1j
Heat is energy that is transferred as a consequence of temperature differences.
What makes it possible for CFCs to travel up to the ozone layer and being destroying ozone?
16
The polar vortex lifts the CBCs into the ozone layer.
Name the three regions of the homosphere, from lowest to highest.
7
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere
Although the temperature gradient changes from region to region in the homosphere, there is one gradient that stays the same. It continues to decrease as you increase in altitude, no matter where you are in the homosphere. To what gradient am I referring?
8
I am referring to the "amount gradient" or "pressure gradient."
Two vials contain air samples taken at different altitudes. The first is composed of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other. The second is 95% helium, 4% hydrogen, and 1% other. Which came from the homosphere?
5
The first vial came from the homosphere. In the homosphere, the mixture of gases in the air is the same throughout.
Define barometer.
1c
A barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure.
Even though human civilization is responsible for less than 1% of all chlorine in the atmosphere, it is responsible for 80% of all ozone-destroying chlorine? Why?
15
Some kinds of human-made molecules that contain chlorine can survive the trip up to the ozone layer, while most naturally produced chlorine-containing molecules cannot.
A plane is experiencing a lot of problems because of a storm in the area. Is the plane flying in the troposphere or the stratosphere?
9
The plane is flying in the troposphere.
Suppose the earth's atmosphere contained twice the number of molecules it does today. Would atmospheric pressure be greater than, equal to, or less than it is now?
2
Atmospheric pressure would be greater than it is now.
Two students make two different barometers. Although they are placed sided by side so that they are both exposed to exactly the same atmospheric pressure, the column of liquid in the first student's barometer is significantly lower than the column of water in the second student's barometer. Assuming both students made their barometers correctly, what explains the difference?
3
The students used different liquids.
What is the thermosphere?
1l
The thermosphere is the region of atmosphere between altitudes of roughly 80 kilometers and 460 kilometers.
Why will the ban on CFCs mostly likely result in a tragic loss of human life?
14
A ban on CFCs will most likely cost many lives because refrigeration, surgical sterilization, and firefighting will all be less efficient, causing death by starvation, death by eating food-borne illness, death by surgical infection, and death by fire.
Suppose there were a layer of carbon dioxide gas in the mesosphere. What would happen to the temperature gradient in that region?
12
The temperature gradient would reverse, getting warmer near that region.
The average, sea-level value for atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch, which is the same as 29.9 inches of mercury. If the atmospheric pressure is 0.85 atms, which of the following values would correspond to atmospheric pressure as reported in a weather report?
a. 31.1 inches of mercury,
b. 29.9 inches of mercury, or
c. 25.4 inches of mercury
4
An atmospheric pressure of 25.4 inches of mercury would be reported.
You are reading the data coming from a data-gathering balloon as it rises in the atmosphere. You have no idea what altitude it is at, but the balloon is sending a signal from its thermometer, telling you the temperature of its surroundings. How will you know when the balloon enters the stratosphere? How will you know when it enters the mesosphere?
6
The balloon enters the stratosphere when its temperature readings cease to decrease and begin increasing. The balloon enters the mesosphere when the temperature readings cease increasing and begin decreasing again.
What is the troposphere?
1f
The troposphere is the region of the atmosphere that extends from ground level to roughly 11 kilometers (7 miles) above sea level.
Why will the ban on CFCs most likely not save or improve people's lives?
13
A ban on CFCs will probably not save or improve lives because CFCs cause a depletion of ozone only during a few months out of the years and mostly over Antarctica.
The atmosphere can be divided into two general layers. The _______ is the lower layer, and it contains air that has the same ____ as the air at sea level. The upper layer is called the _____, and the mixture of gases in this layer is not _____. Throughout both layers, however, the total amount of air_____ with increasing altitude.
Page 50 (5)
The atmosphere can be divided into two general layers. The homosphere is the lower layer, and it contains air that has the same composition as the air at sea level. The upper layer is called the heterosphere, and the mixture of gases in this layer is not uniform. Throughout both layers, however, the total amount of air decreases with increasing altitude.
Page 50 (5)
When measuring atmospheric pressure, several units can be used. ___________ tells you how many pounds are exerted on an 1-inch by 1-inch square. When reported in _______, it tells you the height of a column of mercury in a barometer, in English units. When reported in _______, it tells you the height of a column of mercury in metric units. Finally, pressure can also be reported in _______, which tells you the pressure relative to earth’s average atmospheric pressure at sea level.
Page 50 (4)
When measuring atmospheric pressure, several units can be used. Pounds per square inch tells you how many pounds are exerted on an 1-inch by 1-inch square. When reported in inches, it tells you the height of a column of mercury in a barometer, in English units. When reported in mmHg, it tells you the height of a column of mercury in metric units. Finally, pressure can also be reported in atm, which tells you the pressure relative to earth’s average atmospheric pressure at sea level.
A scientist has two vials of ammonia gas. She tells you that in the first vial, the gas molecules are traveling with a average speed of 1,000 miles per hour. In the second vial, they are traveling with an average speed of 1,300 miles per hour. Which vial contains the gas with the higher temperature?
10
The second vial contains the gas with the highest temperature.
Define temperature.
1k
Temperature is a measure of the energy of random motion in a substance's molecules.
The "hole" in the ozone layer is actually a seasonal __________ in the concentration of ozone in the ozone layer. It is centered over ________. Human-made substances called ___________ are at least partially to blame. Unlike many chemicals, they are so _______ that they can survive the trip up to the ozone layer, where they can destroy ozone.
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The "hole" in the ozone layer is actually a seasonal decrease in the concentration of ozone in the ozone layer. It is centered over Antarctica. Human-made substances called CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) are at least partially to blame. Unlike many chemicals, they are so unreactive that they can survive the trip up to the ozone layer, where they can destroy ozone.