Atmosphere and Heat Transfer

Atmosphere

The layer of gases surrounding Earth

Greenhouse Effect

Gases trap some outgoing heat and keep Earth warmer

Greenhouse Gases

Gases that absorb outgoing infrared radiation

Main Greenhouse Gases

CO2, water vapor, methane, and nitrous oxide

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A greenhouse gas involved in Earth's carbon cycle

Methane (CH4)

A strong greenhouse gas

Water Vapor (H2O)

A greenhouse gas that also transports heat

Nitrous Oxide (N2O)

A greenhouse gas that absorbs infrared radiation

Infrared Radiation

Heat energy emitted by Earth's surface

Greenhouse Warming

Effect that makes Earth about 31°C warmer than without it

Sensible Heat

Heat associated with temperature that we can feel

Latent Heat

Energy absorbed or released when water changes state

Convection

Movement of warm air upward and cool air downward

Adiabatic Cooling

Air cools as it rises and expands

Adiabatic Warming

Air warms as it sinks and compresses

Lapse Rate

The rate air temperature decreases with altitude

Atmospheric Lapse Rate

About 5°C to 9.8°C per kilometer

Moist Air Lapse Rate

Lower because condensation releases latent heat

Condensation

Water vapor changes to liquid and releases heat

Evaporation

Liquid water changes into vapor and absorbs heat

Heat Capacity

How much heat a material can store

Water's Heat Capacity

Water stores lots of heat and reduces temperature changes

Atmospheric Circulation

Large-scale air movement that redistributes heat

Hadley Cells

Circulation where air rises near the equator and sinks in the subtropics

Equatorial Low Pressure

Warm air rises near the equator and creates rainy conditions

Subtropical High Pressure

Sinking air creates warm and dry conditions

Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ)

Rainy low-pressure area near the equator where trade winds meet

ITCZ Movement

The ITCZ shifts seasonally with changes in solar heating

Trade Winds

Winds that blow toward the equatorial low-pressure zone

Coriolis Effect

Earth's rotation causes moving air and water to curve

Midlatitude Frontal Zones

Areas where cold polar air meets warmer tropical air

Midlatitude Low Pressure

Moving weather systems that often produce rain

Jet Stream

Fast winds high in the atmosphere around 30° to 60° latitude

High Pressure Zone

Area where air generally sinks and skies are often clear

Low Pressure Zone

Area where air generally rises and clouds often form

Atmospheric Heat Transfer

Movement of sensible and latent heat through the atmospher