Apes Unit 2 introduction to climate

atmosphere

divided into several layers characterized directional change in temperature caused by differences their absorption of solar energy

• where the layers split is where we have a directional change in temp

density and atmospheric pressure in the layers

both are influenced by gravitys pull on gas

density is the amount of molecules in a specific volume

atmospheric pressure is the force or the mass per unit area of a column of air

both are higher at sea level

troposphere

the layer closest to the earths surface and contains 75-80% of the air mass

made up of 78% nitrogen and 21% oxygen

water vapor makes up to about 0.1% at the poles to 4% at the equator

trace amounts of soot, dust, and other gases such as ozone and greenhouse gases like methane, carbon dioxide, and nitrous oxide

movements of air in the troposphere play a key role in the earths weather and climate

primary greenhouse gases

• water vapor H20

• Carbon Dioxide Co2

• Methane Ch4

• nitrous oxide N2O

visible light in the lower atmosphere

visible light shines right through earths surface (green house gases allow it)

infrared radiation in the lower atmosphere

this gets blocked by greenhouse gases

the earth absorbs solar energy and transforms it to infared radiation, longer wavelength or heat which then rises in the lower atmosphere

• the natural warming is the greenhouse effect which allows our planet to be habitable

human enhanced global warming

is caused by humans releasing green house gases (burning fossil fuels and impairing earths ability to remove greenhouse gases (deforestation)

• as we get coal and get oil which creates a thicker window of gases and I.R does not escape as easily

stratopshere

second closest layer to the earth, 11 miles (5 poles) to about 30 miles above the earth

it contains less density (molecules per volume) and the concentration is roughly the same except for water vapor (1000x less) and the ozone layer is much higher in concentration

• ozone layer is known as the global sunscreen

ozone layer

1000x stronger in the stratosphere than the troposphere

is formed by a chemical reaction of 3o2 + UV=2O3

• it absorbs UV causing it to split into o2 and o which creates o3 which keeps 95% of the UV radiation from reaching earth—> protects us from sunburn, cancer,etc

• it also keeps o2 in the troposphere from converting to o3 which is considered a pollutant in earths surface (it is a good thing in the stratosphere though)

weather

condition of the atmosphere at a given time and place

• humidity, wind speed, temperature, and rain fall

• it fluctuates day to day

climate

the “average of the weather”w

seasonal effects over long periods of time

it is a major force in determining the distribution of living organisms and their abundance

what does uneven heating of the earth by the sun do

it causes air to circulate in the troposphere and lower stratopshere which distributes heat and moisture

light on earth

• around the equator light hits earth directly so it has a higher energy/surface area

• towards the poles earth decreases the intensity of light and heat

tropical climate zone

between 23.5 N (topic of cancer) and23.5 degrees S (tropic of Capricorn)

temperate climate zone

between 23.5 and 66.5 degrees north and south

weather is more variable

high and low fronts are less predictable

polar

between 66.5 degrees and 90 degrees

artic and antarctic circle

cold bc its farthest away from equator