CLAVETE CIENCIAS AMBIENTALES

Atmosphere

is the gaseous layer that covers the earth and is held near the earth by the force of gravitational attraction. 

• Provide the oxygen we breathe
• Protect us from the harmful rays of the Sun
• Regulate temperature 

What is the atmosphere’s function?

• Dust
• Ash
• Salt
• Soil 
• Smoke 

What are some examples of solid particles in the atmosphere?

• Oxygen (20.9%)
• Nitrogen (78.1%)
• Argon and others (0.9%)

What are the elements found in the atmosphere?

• Vapor (gas) 
• Small liquid droplets (clouds)
• Ice crystals (clouds)

What are some examples of liquid particles in the atmosphere?

Atmospheric pressure

measurement of the force with which air molecules collide on the surface

air pressure drops

The further away you get from the Earth’s surface, the more the ____, since there are fewer gas molecules pushing you around.

Altitude

height of an object above the earth’s surface and sea level

decreases

At higher altitudes, the air pressure

sun

The difference in temperature is caused by the way in which energy is absorbed from the

energy

Some parts of the atmosphere are hot because they contain gasses that absorb the solar energy. 

Exosphere, Thermosphere, Mesosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere (top to bottom)

Layers of the atmosphere

tropopause

Boundary between the troposphere, and the stratosphere is called the

turning or changing

In the troposphere “Tropo” means

lowest and thinnest layer

The troposphere is the

90%

The troposphere is _ of the atmosphere’s mass

Troposphere

the temperature decreases with the altitude

50 C

The top of the Troposphere averages

weather

The troposphere is where the occurs.

layer or spread out

In the stratosphere “strato” means

dense (less water vapor)

The stratosphere is less

Stratosphere

The temperature increases with the altitude

ozone

The stratosphere contains a high level of

middle and is the middlest layer of the atmosphere

In the mesosphere “meso” means

10km to 50km above the ground

The stratosphere extends from

50km to almost 80 km high

The mesosphere extends from

dense

In the mesosphere gasses are less

mesosphere

temperature decreases as altitude increases

UV radiation

In the mesosphere gasses absorbs very little

meteoroids

The mesosphere protects the earth from

heat

In the thermosphere “thermo” means  

80 km, to almost 600 km high. 

The thermosphere extends from

Thermosphere

The temperature increases with the altitude

solar energy (UV radiation)

The thermosphere readily aborbs

1,500 C

In the thermosphere the temperature can go as high as

radio waves

The thermosphere reflects

Ionosphere

the sun's energy heats molecules to become ions.

aurora borealis

The ionosphere is known for causing

earth and space

The exosphere is the interface between

hottest layers

The exosphere is one of the

exosphere

In what layer do sattelites orbit?

escape to space

The exosphere is where atoms and molecules can

Electromagnetic Radiation

Form of Energy that exhibits wave-like behavior as it travels through space. 

Wavelength  (λ)

Is the shortest distance between equivalence point on a continuous wave

Frequency (v) f= cycles/time

Is the number of waves that pass a given point per second

Amplitude

Is the wave’s height from the origin to a crest

relationship

wavelength and frequency have an indirect

speed (3.00 x 108 m/s) [c = (λ)(v)]

All parts of the electromagnetic spectrum travel at the same

colors

• A prism separates sunlight a continuous spectrum of

• Short wavelengths have high frequency
• Long wavelengths have a low frequency

Electromagnetic wave characteristics: 

• High frequency waves have high energy 
• Low frequency waves have low energy

Electromagnetic waves & Energy characteristics: 

Larger amplitude more energy 

Amplitude & Energy characteristics: 

Atmospheric radiation

Is the flow of electromagnetic energy between the sun and the Earth’s surface as it is influenced by clouds, aerosols, and gasses in the Earth’s atmosphere.

solar radiation (sunlight) and long-wave (thermal) radiation

The atmospheric radiation includes both

Earth’s atmosphere

Several factors influence the amount of solar radiation reaching the Earth’s surface and the amount of radiation leaving the

heating of the land surface by sunlight drives the formation of convective clouds

Weather effects

long term changes in the amount of radiation reflected or absorbed by aerosols, clouds, or gasses may change temperature or precipitation patterns

Climate affects

Albedo

Is an expression of the ability of surfaces to reflect sunlight (heat from the sun)

dark

_ surfaces absorb the rays from the sun (low albedo)

sun rays back to the atmosphere (high albedo)

Light-coloured surfaces return a large part of the

The Stratospheric ozone (good)

• Protects Earth from harmful UV radiation
• Depletion is detrimental to life

Tropospheric ozone (bad)

ozone is a pollutant

CFC pollution

One of the main effects in ozone depletion is

break down

Radiation from the sun causes the CFCs to

Global Warming

An increase in Earth’s average surface temperature caused by an increase in greenhouse gasses

Greenhouse effect

The trapping of heat by gasses in the atmosphere

• carbon dioxide
• Sulfur dioxide
• Ozone
• CFCs
• Water vapor

Types of greenhouse gasses

energy transference

It is received in the form of radiation (only a small portion reaches Earth) 

electromagnetic waves (from infrared to UV) 

Radiation is transferred in the form of

heat

When radiation is absorbed it becomes

gasses

The Earth absorbs the energy and transfers it to the lower layers of the atmosphere, heating them and generating convection of 

cool air

air particles press together and air sinks

warm air

air particles move apart and air rises

Radiation

A method of heat transferred in the matter of waves. 

Convection

• Is when the lower heat rises until the point it gets colder, and by getting colder it goes down so it repeats itself over and over.
• This is a process of redistribution of energy on Earth. 

Conduction

• Is the transfer of heat between substances that are in direct contact with each other. The better the conductor, the more rapidly heat will be transferred.
• Emission of infrared waves that are later absorbed by gasses in the atmosphere 

Weather ()

Temporary behavior of atmosphere (what’s going on at any certain time)

Climate

Condition of the atmosphere at a particular location over a long period of time (from one month to many millions of years, but generally 30 years)

1. The SUN
2. Earth latitudes and altitude 
3. The Water cycle
4. wind
5. The Ocean

What factors affect weather & climate?

latitude

• The area that receives the most direct rays of the Sun (equator, 0) will have the hughes yearly temperatures
• The area that receives the least direct of the sun (poles, 90) will have the lowest yearly temperatures. 
• As it increases, average yearly temperatures decreases 

percolation

part of the water cycle where water infiltrate through the earth and stores in an aquifer (aquífero) 

interception

is the part of the rainfall that is intercepted by the Earth's surface and which subsequently evaporates. (Stores in plants mainly) 

Transpiration

also includes transpiration, which is the water movement from the soil to the atmosphere via plants.

Deposition

occurs when water vapor changes state directly from a gas to a solid.

Sublimation

is the conversion between the solid and the gaseous phases of matter, with no intermediate liquid stage.

winds

air in motion

• Uneven warming of the Earth
• Air pressure difference 
• High pressure = cold 
• Low pressure = warm 
• Convection and Conduction 

Why does air move?

direction

What is the difference between speed and velocity?

anemometer

With what instrument do you measure speed or velocity of the winds?

windsock

With what instrument do you measure the strength of winds?

• Earth rotation
• Uneven heating on the planet
• Formation of high and low pressures
• Change in density of air masses

Factors that affect winds

anticyclone

Air cools - high pressure zone - stability -

cyclone

Air heats up - low pressure zone - instability -  

convective cells

The planet occurs in six

cellular convection

Circular patterns caused by air rising and falling are called

wind moves

The more difference in pressure, the faster the

Gustave-Gaspard ******** (`1835)

Who created the Coriolis Force?

Coriolis force

The rotation of the Earth affects the movement causing it to travel in a curve instead of in a straight line. 

• Polar easterlies 
• Trade winds 
• Westerlies

Types of winds

regional winds

uneven heating of the ground