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wow science

Weather

The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.

atmosphere

gases that envelope Earth

the atmosphere consists of

nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor, other gases, liquids and solids

oxygen

21 percent

nitrogen

78 percent

argon and trace gases

<1 percent

water vapor

not same as steam (tiny droplets of liquid water)

Clouds

Form when water vapor in the air condenses to form liquid water or ice crystals

Rain or snow

form when droplets become heavy enough and contain dust, smoke, salt, and chemicals

Atmosphere system

Clouds, Air, Wind and NRG from the sun. Events in one part of the atmosphere effect the others

Air

has molecules and atoms therefore it has mass and density and pressure.

Density

mass per volume

pressure

the force pushing on area or surface

air pressure

result of weight of a column of air pushing on an area.

Barometer

instrument used to measure air pressure

two types of Barometers

mercury and aneroid

Mercury Barometer

long glass tube closed at one end and open at the other which is in a dish of mercury. Closed end has little air to the air pressure forces the column of mercury higher in the tube. LEVEL OF MERCURY in the tube shows the pressure of the air that day.

aneroid barometer

airtight metal chamber where the walls push IN when there's air pressure. Pressure DROPS walls bulge OUT. chamber shape changes the NEEDLE on the dial.

Weather reports

use inches in mercury to determine air pressure

National Weather Service

Use millibars to represent the airpressure

one inch of mercury

is 33.86 millibars

Altitude

Elevation above sea level

Altitude increases

density and air pressure decrease because there are fewer oxygen molecules.

Thermal NRG

total measurement of how fast particles move

Temperature

average measurement of how fast particles move

Thermometer

measures temperature in degrees Celsius or Fahrenheit

Fahrenheit to Celsius

F=9/5C+32

Heat

thermal NRG transferred from a hotter object to a colder one.

Three ways heat is transferred

conduction, convection, radiation

Conduction

transfer of heat by direct contact example: toilet seat

Convection

The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid Example: Lava lamp and mantle

heat transfer

fast moving molecules bump into slower ones and transfer their NRG to them.

Why do some solids have more conduction?

the closer together molecules are in a substance the better they conduct heat. Works best with metals, not liquids or gases.

Radiation

direct transfer of NRG by electromagnetic waves.

Infared radiation

heat from the sun which you cannot see but you can feel.

Convection currents

the upward movement of warm air and the downward movement of cool air. Also how heat is transferred in the troposphere.

electromagnetic waves

A form of energy that can move through the vacuum of space.

ultraviolet radiation

another form of radiation from the sun. invisible form of radiation with wavelengths shorter than violet light

electromagnetic spectrum

gamma rays---Xrays---ultraviolet---visible light---infared---microwaves---Radiowaves NRG increases towards gamma rays and the wavelength becomes shorter