The

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The Atmosphere Structure and Temperature Ch.
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weather
the state of the atmosphere at a given time and
place
climate
observations of weather over a long period of time
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atmosphere

• A thick blanket of gases surrounding the Earth
• composed of AIR (a mixture of gases)

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Observe a visual model of Earth's spheres.
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What gases are in air?
Nitrogen (N) 78 Oxygen (O) 21 Also, H2O
Vapor, Carbon Dioxide (CO2), and Argon (Ar) in
small amounts
the source of all clouds and precipitation
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The atmosphere rapidly thins as you travel away
from Earth until there are too few gas molecules
to detect.
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• Tropospherelayer of the atmosphere closest to
  the Earth- temperature decreases with an increase
  in altitude
• ?where weather happens
• Stratosphere second layer of the atmosphere-
  temperature remains constant to a height of about
  20 kilometers
• ?where the ozone layer is
• ?where airplanes fly

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• Mesosphere third layer of the atmosphere-
  decreasing temperatures with height
• ?where meteors burn up
• Thermosphere outmost layer of the atmosphere-
  increasing temperatures due to the absorption of
  very short-wave solar energy by oxygen
• ?where auroras happen

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3 oxygen atoms bonded together
ozone
O is an atom of Oxygen (O) O2 is atmospheric
Oxygen (O-O) O3 is ozone (O-O-O)
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• Absorbs 99 of harmful ultraviolet rays from the
  sun
• ozone layer is about 10 to 20 km thick (found in
  the stratosphere)
• thinning is the result of chloroflorocarbons
  (CFCs) containing chlorine, fluorine, and carbon

One chlorine atom can destroy 10,000 ozone
molecules!
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This shows a hole in the ozone
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Almost all of the Earths energy comes from the
sun and is called radiant energy

• most reaches the atmosphere and is reflected back
  to space

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• Some is absorbed by the Earth and is spread
  throughout the atmosphere as
• Radiation transfer of energy in form of waves

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Energy travels from the sun to the earth by means
of electromagnetic waves. The shorter the
wavelength, the higher the energy associated with
it. This is demonstrated in the animation below.
As the drill's revolutions per minute (RPMs)
increase, the number of waves generated on the
string increases, as does the oscillation rate.
The same principle applies to electromagnetic
waves from the sun, where shorter wavelength
radiation has higher energy than longer
wavelength radiation.
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conduction direct transfer of energy from one
substance to another
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• convection transfer of energy in a fluid
• air is a fluid- hot air rises, cool air sinks

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greenhouse effect trapping of the suns energy
by the Earth -greenhouse gases trap heat example
CO2
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• increased by the burning of fossil fuels- coal,
  oil, and natural gas- adds CO2 into air
• warming effect may melt glaciers and raise sea
  levels

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Hot air acts like a lid on the atmosphere During
the heat of summer, a layer of hot air in which
the temperature increases with height often forms
high above the Earth. The layer of hot air
prevents polluted air near the surface from
mixing with cleaner air above it. To make matters
worse, the heat helps trap pollution from
automobile exhaust and factory emissions.
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Houston on a smoggy day (left) and a clear day
(right).
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Greenhouse gases trap heat like a blanket,
causing the Earths atmosphere to warm. Carbon
dioxide (CO2) released from the burning of coal
and other fossil fuels is the predominant
greenhouse gas, although methane emissions from
agriculture are estimated to be 21 times more
effective at trapping heat than CO2. In North
Carolina, CO2 emissions have grown steadily along
with increases in energy consumption, with
emissions of CO2 increasing by more than 30
since 1990. North Carolinas residential energy
consumption is expected to increase by about 50
by 2020. Source Understanding Climate Change
for North Carolina
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From website http//www.2think.org/keeling_curve.s
html
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• Air pollutants airborne particles and gases that
  occur in concentrations large enough to endanger
  the environment
• primary pollutants emitted directly from an
  identifiable source

transportation vehicles account for nearly half!
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• secondary pollutants form in the atmosphere
  where reactions take place among primary
  pollutants and other substances

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Emissions from transportation vehicles account
for nearly half the primary pollutants by weight.
How environmentally safe is your car?
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Air Pollution fromCoal-burning Power Plants
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Clean Air Act

• Passed in 1970 and strengthened in 1990
• Gives the Environmental Protection Agency the
  authority to regulate automobile emissions
• Eliminated lead gas

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Global Warming
Once a thick tongue of ice that poured into the
Gletsch valley (inset), the Rhone Glacier has
shrunk dramatically since 1850. In 2003, the
Rhone Glacier and other Swiss glaciers retreated
more than any other year since scientists began
taking measurements in the 1800s. While the
summers extreme temperatures caused the glaciers
to thin more than usual, scientists say that the
glaciers retreated in response to long-term
warming.
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Vostok Ice Core Record - 4 Glacial Cycles
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Source Petit et al., 1999, Nature 399, p.
429-346.
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Kilimanjaro Glacier, Feb. 1993
http//earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImage
s/images.php3?img_id10856 viewed 3/17/03
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Burning Fossil Fuels
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Air Pollution
Climate Change
Asthma Attacks Other Respiratory
Illnesses Premature Death from Lung and Heart
Diseases
Heat-Related Deaths Infectious Diseases Injuries
from Extreme Weather Events Allergies
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temperature

• average kinetic energy of the atoms or molecules
  in a particular substance
• the more energy the molecules have, the hotter it
  feels

the energy transferred from one object to another
because of a difference in their temperatures
heat
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isotherm lines on a map that connect places that
have the same temperature
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thermometer instrument that measures
temperature alcohol and mercury thermometers
used (mercury more accurate)
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water freezes at 0ºC or 32 ºF water boils at
100ºC or 212ºF
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? Land and Water
Land heats more rapidly and to higher
temperatures than water. Land also cools more
rapidly and to lower temperatures than water.
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Mean Monthly Temperatures for Vancouver and
Winnipeg
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? Geographic Position
The geographic setting can greatly influence
temperatures experienced at a specific location.
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Mean Monthly Temperatures for Eureka and New
York City
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Mean Monthly Temperatures for Seattle and Spokane
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? Altitude
The altitude can greatly influence
temperatures experienced at a specific location.
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Mean Monthly Temperatures for Guayaquil and Quito