Unit 2 Part 1 Weather Study Guide

What is the Atmosphere?

Layer of gases that surround the Earth.

what gases make up the Atmosphere that we breathe? What percentage?

Nitrogen 78%, Oxygen 21%, Other gases, <1%

What are the layers of the atmosphere?

Troposphere, ozone, stratosphere, mesosphere, ionosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

Important facts about the troposphere

the lowest layer of the atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface to 6-10 km high; has a steady drop in temperature with increasing altitude, cloud formation and weather occurs here

Important facts about the ozone

a form of oxygen, O3; in the upper atmosphere, it absorbs ultraviolet rays, thereby preventing them from reaching the surface of the earth

Important facts about the stratosphere

starts at the top of the troposphere to about 50 km, where most jets fly, ozone layer is found here, temperature increases with altitude because ozone absorbs UV rays which warms the air

important facts about the mesosphere

50-80 km above the earth's surface, the coldest layer of the atmosphere & temperature decreases with altitude, meteors burn in this layer

important facts about the ionosphere

roughly 30 to 600 miles above our heads, overlapping the mesosphere and thermosphere.

important facts about the thermosphere

temperature increases with altitude, hottest layer

important facts about the exosphere

top of the atmosphere, satellites orbit here, Aurora Borealis occurs here

what is air pressure?

the weight of the atmosphere per unit area

what is altitude?

the height of an object or point in relation to sea ground level

what is air pollution

the presence of harmful substances—like gases, dust, and smoke—in the air that can hurt humans, animals, plants, and buildings

What is stewardship of the air?

The careful and responsible management of the Earth’s Atmosphere.

what is the water cycle?

the journey water takes as it circulates from the land to the sky and back again

what is evaporation?

when a liquid to transform into a gas as a result of heating

what is the sun’s job in the water cycle?

gives off heat energy to the water

what is the cloud’s job in the water cycle?

Clouds hold tiny drops of water or ice. Their job in the water cycle is to move water through the air and drop it back to the ground as rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

Transpiration

the evaporation of water through the plant's leaves, stems and flowers in the form of water vapor

precipitation

rain, snow, sleet, hail.

runoff

the draining away of water (or substances carried in it) from the surface of an area of land, a building or structure, etc.

infiltration

the process where a substance or liquid passes or permeates through a barrier, pores, or a solid matrix.

ground water

the largest reservoir of liquid freshwater on Earth and is found in aquifers, porous rock and sediment with water in between