Earth atmosphere

 Section 1: Earth’s Atmosphere Study Guide - Answer Key  

 Part 1: Vocabulary Review  

1. Troposphere – The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs and the highest density of air is found.  

2. Volcanic Outgassing – The release of gases, such as water vapor, carbon dioxide, and sulfur dioxide, from volcanoes, which contributed to Earth's early atmosphere.  

3. Carbon Dioxide – A greenhouse gas that traps heat in Earth's atmosphere; produced by respiration, combustion, and volcanic activity.  

4. Albedo – The measure of how much sunlight a surface reflects; lighter surfaces (like ice and snow) have high albedo, while darker surfaces (like oceans and forests) have low albedo.  

5. Energy Budget – The balance between the amount of solar energy Earth receives and the amount that is reflected or radiated back into space.  

6. Greenhouse Effect – The process by which greenhouse gases (such as CO₂, methane, and water vapor) trap heat in Earth’s atmosphere, keeping the planet warm.  

7. Electromagnetic Spectrum – The range of all types of electromagnetic radiation, from radio waves (longest wavelength, lowest energy) to gamma rays (shortest wavelength, highest energy).  

8. Infrared Radiation – A type of electromagnetic radiation with wavelengths longer than visible light, emitted by Earth as heat.  

9. Visible Light Radiation – The portion of the electromagnetic spectrum that is visible to the human eye, including the colors red through violet.  

10. Global Wind – Large-scale wind patterns caused by the uneven heating of Earth’s surface and the rotation of the planet.  

11. Heat – The transfer of energy from a warmer object to a cooler one, often by conduction, convection, or radiation.  

12. Temperature – A measure of the average kinetic energy of particles in a substance, indicating how hot or cold it is.  

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 Part 2: Practice Questions  

 Multiple Choice  

1. Which process led to the formation of Earth’s early atmosphere?  

   b) Volcanic outgassing  

2. What happens when the angle of insolation decreases?  

   c) Less solar energy is absorbed  

3. Which type of electromagnetic radiation is emitted by Earth as heat?  

   b) Infrared radiation  

4. How does albedo affect Earth’s climate?  

   c) Ice and snow help reflect solar energy, keeping Earth cooler  

5. How does specific heat influence Earth’s temperature?  

   d) All of the above  

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 Short Answer  

1. Describe how Earth’s atmosphere has changed over geologic time.  

   - Earth’s early atmosphere was primarily composed of gases from volcanic outgassing, including water vapor, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen. Over time, photosynthetic organisms introduced oxygen, leading to the development of the ozone layer. Human activity has further altered the atmosphere by increasing greenhouse gas levels.  

2. How does albedo impact the amount of solar energy absorbed by Earth?  

   - Surfaces with high albedo (such as ice and snow) reflect more sunlight, keeping temperatures cooler, while surfaces with low albedo (such as oceans and forests) absorb more sunlight, increasing temperatures.  

3. Explain the role of greenhouse gases in Earth’s energy budget.  

   - Greenhouse gases trap some of the heat radiated by Earth, preventing it from escaping into space. This helps maintain a stable climate but can lead to warming if greenhouse gas levels increase.  

4. Compare how land and water heat up differently and explain why.  

   - Land heats up and cools down more quickly than water because it has a lower specific heat. Water, with its high specific heat, takes longer to change temperature, helping to regulate coastal climates.  

5. What would happen to Earth’s temperature if the greenhouse effect strengthened?  

   - Earth’s temperature would increase, leading to more extreme weather patterns, melting ice caps, rising sea levels, and disruptions to ecosystems.  

6. What are the 7 categories on the electromagnetic spectrum? You should mark their relative energy level and wavelengths.  

   - Radio waves (longest wavelength, lowest energy)  

   - Microwaves  

   - Infrared radiation  

   - Visible light  

   - Ultraviolet radiation  

   - X-rays  

   - Gamma rays (shortest wavelength, highest energy)  

7. How do we see color?  

   Light reflects off objects.

The light that reflects off an object enters the eye.

The retina's cone photoreceptors detect the light.

The brain interprets the wavelengths of the light.

The brain mixes and categorizes the signals from the cone photoreceptors to perceive color.

8. How are the greenhouse effect and the electromagnetic spectrum related?  

   - The Sun emits energy across the electromagnetic spectrum, primarily in the form of visible light. Earth absorbs this energy and re-emits it as infrared radiation. Greenhouse gases trap some of this infrared radiation, warming the planet.