Term 1 notes

Atmosphere →air around the earth it shields living organisms

Air→made up of nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, other…

Layers in the Atmosphere

1. Thermosphere→ northern lights

2. Mesosphere→ above 80-85km earth’s Atmosphere

3. Stratosphere→ ozone layer 50km above earth surface

4. Troposphere → closest to earth ,clouds form

OZONE

Absorbs most of the harmful UV rays

CFC KILLING OZONE

→Ozone levels drop because of CFC

Effects of dying ozone?

1. Skin cancer

2. Cataract

3. Kills phytoplanktons

HOW THE ATMOSPHERE IS HEATED

solar radiation enters atmosphere and heats it up

2 types of radiation→long and short

Short waves come from sun heats up the earth and then earth heats up and send long waves into the Atmosphere.

What about incoming sun

Only 50% makes it to earth and the rest is lost by reflection [30% ]or absorption [20%]

Albedo→ measure of how much a surface reflects light.

WHAT IS THE GREENHOUSE EFFECT?

• Trapping of long wave radiation

Gasses responsible for this

• Carbon and methane

Global warming NB p 30-33

HOW DO CLOUDS FROM?

1. Warm air that heater vapour rises

2. Cools as It rises

3. High enough that temp matches dew point

4. Water vapour forms tiny drops wich makes a cloud

Types of clouds

• Stratus

• Cumulus

• Cirrus

  

RELIEF ,CONVECTIONAL AND FRONTAL RAINFALL