Atmosphere Structure and Global Energy Budget | AQA A-Level Environmental Science Revision | Primrose Kitten

Atmosphere

A vital layer of gases surrounding the Earth, crucial for supporting life forms and regulating climate.

Role of the Earth's mass in the formation of the atmosphere

The gravitational force of the Earth that holds atmospheric gases in place, preventing them from escaping into space.

How does the atmosphere deflect UV radiation?

The ozone layer deflect harmful UV radiation from the Earth's surface

Dynamic equilibrium

A state of balance in which the processes within the atmosphere remain relatively stable, with no significant increases or decreases over time.

Troposphere

The lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, where weather phenomena occur and it is closest to the Earth's surface.

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, where the ozone layer is located, playing a crucial role in absorbing and deflecting ultraviolet radiation.

Mesosphere

The layer above the stratosphere, characterized by a decrease in temperature with increasing altitude.

Thermosphere

The uppermost layer of the atmosphere, closest to the sun, where temperatures rise significantly due to the absorption of solar radiation.

Tropopause

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, marking a significant change in temperature and vertical wind patterns.

Stratopause

The boundary between the stratosphere and the mesosphere, where temperature ceases to decrease with height.

Mesopause

The boundary between the mesosphere and the thermosphere, where temperatures start to rise with increasing altitude.

Global energy budget

A graphical representation of the distribution and balance of different wavelengths of light in the Earth's atmosphere, illustrating the energy exchanges within the system.

Ultraviolet (UV)

A form of solar radiation with shorter wavelengths, capable of causing genetic mutations and eye damage in living organisms.

Infrared (IR)

The type of electromagnetic radiation emitted by objects and the ground as heat, trapped by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, contributing to the phenomenon of global warming.

Albedo

The measure of the reflectivity of the Earth's surface, influencing the absorption of ultraviolet energy and the regulation of the planet's temperature.

A white object will have a ........ albedo

High!