Earth Science Unit 5

The study of weather and climate

Meteorology

The day-to-day changes in temperature, moisture, pressure, etc; over a short period of time & constantly changing

Weather

Generalized, composite of weather that is over a long period of time

Climate

What are the major gases in the atmosphere?

Nitrogen (dominant), Oxygen, Argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, & others

Located naturally in the stratosphere; a pollutant in the lower atmosphere

Ozone

Human-added element that depletes the ozone layer; breaks the oxygen atoms apart leaving oxygen ions and oxygen gas, which cannot trap UV radiation

Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

What are the 4 layers/spheres of Earth’s atmosphere?

• troposphere

• stratosphere

• mesosphere

• thermosphere

bottom layer of the atmosphere where weather and life occur. Most gases are concentrated in this layer; thickness varies.

Troposphere

Height above the ground

Altitude

Upper boundary of the troposphere

Tropopause

2nd layer of the atmosphere; temperature increases at the top due to the presence of the ozone layer

Stratosphere

Upper boundary of the stratosphere

Stratopause

3rd layer of the atmosphere; temperature decreases again with altitude; meteors tend to burn up in this layer due to increased friction from the gases that are getting thicker

Mesosphere

Upper boundary of the mesosphere

Mesopause

Final layer of the atmosphere; consists of only a fraction of atmosphere’s mass, gases move at high speeds, where Auroras occur

Thermosphere

Upper portion of the thermosphere

Thermopause

Beyond the thermosphere

Space (exosphere)

Earth’s motion on its own axis (gives day & night)

Rotation

Earth’s motion around the Sun (contributes to seasons)

Revolution

What causes seasons?

• the tilt of Earth’s axis: the angle of the Sun changes as Earth revolves around it

• the changing length of daylight

The measure of the internal thermal energy

Heat

The average internal kinetic energy of the molecules

Temperature

Transfer of heat through matter in contact with matter (solids)

Conduction

Transfer of heat through bulk motion of fluids (liquids and gases)

Convection

Transfer of heat/energy through electromagnetic waves

Radiation

Radiant energy; what the sun gives off

Solar radiation

Radiation that is absorbed and radiated back into the atmosphere - only longer wavelengths of radiant energy

Terrestrial radiation

energy bouncing back

Reflection

energy dispersing in other directions

Scattering

energy retaining heat

Absorption

energy bending/changing the wavelength

Refraction