The Atmosphere
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Name the 4 main Earth systems.
Atmosphere, Hydrosphere, Lithosphere, Biosphere
What are the proportions of the following gases in our atmosphere? Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon dioxide, rare gases, Ozone
Nitrogen 78% Oxygen 21% Carbon dioxide 0.04% Rare gases 1% Ozone 0.0000007%
Name the three electromagnetic waves in solar insolation.
Ultraviolet radiation (UV), infrared radiation (IR) and visible light.
Why will some solar insolation be reflected back into space?
As it hits a surface that has a high albedo- e.g. snow, ice, clouds
What will occur to some UV radiation when it reaches the stratosphere?
It will be absorbed by the ozone layer and emitted as infrared radiation.
What will occur to some visible radiation when it reaches the lithosphere?
It will be absorbed and converted to IR.
What will occur to infrared radiation when it is emitted from the lithosphere?
It will either be: Emitted into space. Absorbed by greenhouse gases and then emitted as IR radiation back into space or absorbed by the Earth.
Name the 4 layers of the atmosphere, starting with the layer closest to the lithosphere.
Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere.
What is the section of the atmosphere between the troposphere and the stratosphere called?
Tropopause
What is the section of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the mesosphere called?
Stratopause
What is the section of the atmosphere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere called?
Mesopause
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
The stratosphere.
Which layer of the atmosphere contains human made greenhouse gases?
The troposphere.
Describe and explain the temperature change in the troposphere.
Describe: As altitude increase, temperature decreases. Explain: As the air higher up is further away from the Earth’s surface that is emitting IR.
Describe and explain the temperature change in the stratosphere.
Describe: As altitude increases, temperature increases. Explain: Due to the ozone layer absorbing UV and emitting IR.
Describe and explain the temperature change in the mesosphere.
Describe: As altitude increases, temperature decreases. Explain: As the air higher up is further from the ozone layer and the lithosphere which emit IR radiation.
Describe and explain the temperature change in the thermosphere.
Describe: As altitude increases, temperature increases. Explain: As getting closer to the solar insolation emitted from the Sun.
What is a greenhouse gas?
An atmospheric gas that absorbs infrared radiation.
Name 2 natural greenhouse gases.
Any 2 from: carbon dioxide, methane and water vapour.
What does the term anthropogenic mean?
Caused by human activity.
Name 3 anthropogenic greenhouse gases.
Any 2 from: carbon dioxide, methane, water vapour, nitrogen oxides, tropospheric ozone and CFCs
What is meant by the “relative effect” of a greenhouse gas?
How much warming it does compared to carbon dioxide.
Which greenhouse gas has a relative effect of 1?
Carbon dioxide
What is the relative effect of methane?
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