Meteorology - Lesson 3 - Exam 1

Layers of the atmosphere by TEMPERATURE

1. Troposphere

2. Stratosphere

3. Mesosphere

4. Thermosphere

Layers of the atmosphere by COMPOSITION

1. Homosphere

2. Heterosphere

Layers of the atmosphere by IONIZATION

1. Neutrosphere

2. Ionosphere

3. Protonosphere

Layers of the atmosphere by ESCAPE VELOCITY

1. Exosphere

2 competing processes that determine the gaseous composition of the atmosphere

1. Mixing

2. Molecular diffusion

_______ keeps the lower atmosphere uniform, and dominates in the lower atmosphere

Mixing

_________ ________ separates gases by mass in the upper atmosphere.

Molecular diffusion

Homosphere

• Lower region of the atmosphere

• Composition of air remains fairly uniform due to turbulent mixing

• Contains constant and trace gases and aerosols

Heterosphere

• Atmospheric gases are separated by mass

Atmosphere is separated by what 3 pauses?

1. Tropopause

2. Stratopause

3. Mesopause

Temperature decrease with height is called the ________ _____ ____

Environmental lapse rate

A POSITIVE lapse rate means…

Temperature DECREASES with height

A NEGATIVE lapse rate means…

Temperature INCREASES with height

All life and weather occurs in the __________

Troposphere

Temperature decreases with height in the troposphere due to ________ ______

Adiabatic expansion (gas expanding without gaining or losing heat)

The altitude of the _________ varies with latitude and season

Tropopause

The ________ ______ is present in the Stratosphere

Ozone layer

Planes fly in the __________

Stratosphere

In the stratosphere, temperature _______ with height due to Ozone converting UV radiation to heat

Increases

T/F Temperature decreases with height in the Mesosphere

True

The _________ is the coldest region of the atmosphere

Mesopause

Temperature decreases in the mesosphere because…

There is little ozone to absorb solar energy

Gases in the mesosphere are thick enough to slow down _______

Meteors!

When meteroids enter Earth’s atmosphere, they are called ________

Meteors

T/F In the thermosphere, temperature decreases with height

False

The ______ occur in the thermosphere due to interactions between charged particles and atmospheric gases

Auroras

_____ ________ is the minimum speed an object needs to break free from a celestial body’s gravitational pull

Escape velocity

The _______ is the outermost layer of the atmosphere

Exosphere

Earth retains its atmosphere because most gas molecules…

Move too slowly to escape the atmosphere

T/F auroras come in a variety of colors depending on solar activity

True

Aurora Borealis occurs in the _______ hemisphere while Aurora Australis occurs in the _______ hemisphere

Northern, Southern

In terms of magnetic field, the __________ is considered the uppermost border of the Earth’s atmosphere

Mangetopause

What does the magnetopause do?

Separates solar wind particles

Gas law formula

PV = nRT