Understanding The Earth's patterns and Atmosphere

study guide for science quiz

geosphere

geosphere

Earth's crust and mantle

hydrosphere

all water on Earth

biosphere

all living organisms on Earth

atmosphere

gasses surrounding Earth

mixture

formed from an assortment of gas molecules and atoms

troposphere

contains more than half of Earth's atmosphere, where air is heated from the ground up, most clouds, where weather occurs, atmosphere is slightly unstable, temperature decreases with increase in altitude

stratosphere

where many jet aircraft fly, stable atmosphere, contains ozone layer which absorbs harmful UV rays, temperature increases with increase in altitude

mesosphere

where meteors burn up, lowest temperatures, temperature decreases with increase in altitude

thermosphere

where auroras occur, where space shuttle orbits, area first heated by Sun, very thin air, highest temperatures, temperature increases with increase in altitude

air pressure

accumulated weight of all the air particles above a surface

average air pressure

1013.25 mb (29.92" Hg)

high air pressure

more than 1013.25 mb of mercury

low air pressure

anything less than 1013.25mb of mercury

Earth's Energy Budget

shows how much of the solar energy is used by Earth

infrared radiation

invisible radiation that we detect as heat

visible light

radiation we "see" as light

ultraviolet radiation

invisible high-energy radiation that can damage living tissue

greenhouse effect

Earth's atmosphere is like a greenhouse, trapping some heat from the sun

greenhouse gases

water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, ozone

heat transfer

Conduction, Convection, Radiation

convection currents

movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure created by uneven heating of Earth

sea breeze

cooler air sinks, warm air rises

land breeze

cold air rises, warm air sinks

fronts

boundaries between two air masses classified as to which type of air mass (warm or cold) is replacing the other

cold front

leading edge of cold air mass displacing a warmer air mass, showers and thunderstorms, cumulus and cumulonimbus clouds

warm front

leading edge of warm air mass displacing a colder air mass, cloudy and rainy, stratus clouds

tornado

forms over strongly heated land, forms during thunderstorm from low cumulonimbus clouds

hurricane

forms over warm ocean water, has an 'eye' of calm in center

drought

less than normal amounts of precipitation

tornado formation

updrafts to create thunderstorm, enough energy for thunderstorm to become supercell, very warm, humid air near the surface + colder air aloft = instability

anatomy of a hurricane

eye: circular region at center of storm, few clouds, very light winds; eyewall: wall of clouds surrounding the eye, most deadly part, heavy rain, extreme wind; rainbands: regions of heavy thunderstorms that spiral out from center of hurricane