Atmosphere

Thin protective blanket that protects Earth from outer space, absorbs solar energy/UV rays, and moderates Earth's temperature

Atmosphere

Percentage of Nitrogen in Earth's atmosphere

78.08%

Percentage of Oxygen in Earth's atmosphere

20.95%

Percentage of Argon in Earth's atmosphere

0.934%

Percentage of Carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere

0.039%

Percentage range of water vapor in Earth's atmosphere

0.0–4.0%

Percentage of trace gases in Earth's atmosphere

0.01%

Four minor noble gases present in Earth's atmosphere

Neon, Krypton, Helium, and Xenon

Gas in the atmosphere that serves as the source for plant photosynthesis

Carbon dioxide (CO_2)

Gas in the atmosphere that serves as the source for cellular respiration

Oxygen (O_2)

Gas provided by the atmosphere used by N-fixing bacteria and NH3-manufacturing plants

Elemental Nitrogen (N_2)

Two types of high-energy radiation absorbed or filtered by the atmosphere to protect Earth's surface

Cosmic rays and electromagnetic (UV) radiation

Consequence on Earth's surface temperature if the atmosphere did not exist

Below freezing temperature

Atmospheric property defined as the average kinetic energy of particles

Temperature

Atmospheric property defined as the pressure exerted on a surface by the weight of the atmosphere above it

Air pressure

Trend of air pressure as altitude increases

Decreases

Atmospheric property characterized by atoms and molecules becoming farther apart as altitude increases

Density

Movement of air from regions of higher density to regions of lower density

Wind

Factor on Earth's surface that can slow down wind movement

Friction

Amount of water vapor in the atmosphere at a given location

Humidity

Two methods used to measure humidity

Relative humidity and dew point

Amount of moisture in the air relative to the amount of water vapor needed to reach saturation

Relative humidity

Condition when the amount of water vapor in a volume of air has reached its maximum amount

Saturation

Temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to reach saturation

Dew point

Relative humidity condition when the dew point equals the air temperature

High relative humidity

Feel of air when the dew point is less than 55°F

Dry

Feel of air when the dew point is between 55°F and 60°F

Comfortable

Feel of air when the dew point is between 60°F and 65°F

Unpleasant

Feel of air when the dew point is between 65°F and 70°F

Damp

Feel of air when the dew point is greater than 70°F

Oppressive

Extra thermal energy stored in water vapor compared to liquid water

Latent heat

Phase change process that releases latent heat, providing energy to weather systems like hurricanes

Condensation

Process where temperature changes without the addition or removal of thermal energy from a system

Adiabatic process

Process where air temperature increases because the air is compressed

Adiabatic heating

Process where air temperature decreases because the air expands

Adiabatic cooling

Rate of temperature change for dry air as it rises, equal to 10°C per 1000 m

Dry adiabatic lapse rate

Rate of temperature change for moist air as it rises, equal to 6°C per 1000 m

Moist adiabatic lapse rate

Movement of particles in all directions

Random motion

Energy produced from particle movement

Kinetic energy

Total energy of particles in an object due to their random motion

Thermal energy

Transfer of thermal energy from one object or system to another

Heat

Three modes of thermal energy transfer in the atmosphere

Radiation, Conduction, and Convection

Transfer of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves

Radiation

Percentage of incoming solar energy absorbed by Earth's surface

50%

Percentage of incoming solar energy reflected back into space

30%

Percentage of incoming solar energy absorbed by the atmosphere

20%

Two factors that determine the rate of solar radiation absorption

Physical characteristics of the area and amount of radiation

Comparison of heating and cooling rates between water and land

Water heats and cools more slowly than land

Comparison of energy absorption rates between dark and light objects

Darker objects absorb energy faster than light-colored objects

Transfer of thermal energy between objects when their atoms or molecules collide

Conduction

States of matter in which conduction occurs most easily compared to gases

Solids and liquids

Location in the Earth system where atmospheric conduction primarily occurs

Between Earth's surface and the lowest part of the atmosphere

Transfer of thermal energy by the movement of heated material from one place to another

Convection

Primary mechanism for energy transfer in the atmosphere, occurring mainly in liquids and gases

Convection

Atmospheric layer extending from 0 to 10-16 km altitude

Troposphere

Percentage of total atmospheric mass contained in the troposphere

80%

Percentage of total atmospheric water vapor contained in the troposphere

99%

Variation of troposphere thickness across the globe

Lower at the poles and higher at the equator

Biological processes occurring in the biosphere/troposphere interface supported by atmospheric gases

Photosynthesis and respiration

Atmospheric layer where most of the planet's weather occurs

Troposphere

Boundary at the top of the troposphere where temperature stops decreasing with altitude

Tropopause

Minimum temperature reachable at the tropopause

-60°C

Reason why the sky appears blue in the troposphere

Gaseous molecules scatter sunlight reflecting a blue hue

Reason why particulate matter in the troposphere causes reddish skies

Particulate matter scatters light toward the red side of the visible spectrum

Atmospheric layer extending from 12-50 km altitude

Stratosphere

Percentage of atmospheric gases contained in the stratosphere

19%

Key protective layer located within the stratosphere

Ozone layer

Temperature behavior in the lower stratosphere versus upper stratosphere

Constant in lower stratosphere; increases with altitude in upper stratosphere

Dust particles found within the stratosphere originate from this source

Meteors (meteoric dust)

Molecule composed of three oxygen atoms (O_3)

Ozone

Primary function of stratospheric ozone for life on Earth

Absorbs harmful UV rays

Percentage of total atmospheric ozone found in the stratosphere

About 90%

Type of ozone that acts as an atmospheric pollutant and greenhouse gas

Tropospheric ozone

Two chemical precursor categories that react with sunlight to produce tropospheric ozone

VOCs (Volatile Organic Compounds) or NOx (Nitrogen Oxides)

Health impact of tropospheric ozone on humans

Penetrates lungs and harms the respiratory system

Radiation with shorter wavelength and higher energy than visible light

UV radiation

Health risks associated with overexposure to UV radiation

Skin cancer, cataracts, and premature skin aging

UV radiation type with wavelength 320–400 nm that is not absorbed by ozone and reaches the dermis

UV-A

UV radiation type with wavelength 290–320 nm that is mostly absorbed by ozone and causes sunburn

UV-B

UV radiation type with wavelength 100–290 nm that is completely absorbed by the ozone layer

UV-C

Atmospheric layer extending from 50–80 km altitude

Mesosphere

Coldest part of the Earth's atmosphere system located in the upper mesosphere

Mesopause

Reason for low temperatures in the mesosphere

Absorbs very little radiation

Phenomenon occurring in the mesosphere that protects Earth from space debris

Meteors burn up

Atmospheric layer extending from 80–700 km altitude

Thermosphere

Lowest part of the thermosphere containing ionized particles

Ionosphere

Reason temperature increases with height in the thermosphere

Extremely low atmospheric density

Space station that orbits within the thermosphere

International Space Station (ISS)

Atmospheric layer extending from 700 to 100,000 km altitude

Exosphere

Lightest gases present in the exosphere

Hydrogen (H) and Helium (He)

Behavior of gas particles in the exosphere

Rarely collide and escape into space

Luminous light displays visible in the thermosphere/exosphere near the poles

Aurora borealis and Aurora australis

Boundary separating the troposphere and stratosphere

Tropopause

Boundary separating the stratosphere and mesosphere

Stratopause

Boundary separating the mesosphere and thermosphere

Mesopause