Earth Science Atmosphere

Water has a large heat capacity, so Earth is slow to heat up or cool down. This is why coastal cities have more moderate temperatures with less variation.

Because gravity is stronger at sea level.

Because air has weight, it exerts pressure on the Earth’s surface called atmospheric pressure. The atmospheric pressure keeps the ocean from boiling away.

Oxygen and Nitrogen

The lowest layer, which is where all weather occurs.

about 12km above ground on average 16km over the eqautorial regions 8km over the polar regions

90%

At the top of the troposhere the temperature is -50 degrees C The temperature in troposphere goes down 6 degrees for every km in increasing altitude.

The layer above the troposphere, where UV radiation from the sun is absorbed. The ozone layer is found here, which protects us from the UV rays from the sun by absorbing them. It extends up to 48km above the Earth’s surface.

-50 degrees C at the bottom to 0 degrees C at the top. The UV radiation causes this layer to warm up as it gets closer to the sun.

The layer above the stratosphere, it extends up to 86km above the Earth’s surface the 3rd layer

30 degrees F at the bottom to -120 degrees F at the top This is the coldest layer It is colder because it does not absorb UV radiation and the gases thin out

The layer above the mesosphere that extends from 86km to 115km above the Earth’s surface The gases are so spread out that their heat does not make it feel hot in this layer.

The ion rich region in the thermosphere and upper mesosphere. Ionization is greatest in the upper part where air density is low and solar radiation is high.

Auroras (Northern and Southern Lights) form when charged particles from the sun (solar wind) collide with gases in Earth’s upper atmosphere. Earth’s magnetic field directs these particles toward the poles, where they collide with oxygen and nitrogen, causing the atoms to heat up and emit vibrant, dancing colors of light. Auroras are formed in the ionosphere

The upper most layer just above the thermosphere, above 500 kilometers above the earth’s surface. Not a clear boundary between this layer and space

Because it is less bumpy and most weather does not extend above the troposphere.

Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Ionosphere (which is part of the mesosphere and thermosphere) Exosphere

1.25kg/m^3 1.25 kg per cubic meter

12 hours Equinox means equal nights

When CO2 and other gases trap the radiation from the sun, causing the planet to be warmer. This is essential to keeping our planet warm, so we can live on it. Without this our planet would be -18 degrees C.

When we have increased levels of CO2 in the atmosphere, this will warm the planet more than we need. This is a significant role in global warming.

The longwave infrared (heat) energy re-radiated upward from the Earth’s surface and atmosphere (typically 1–30) after absorbing solar energy crucial for the greenhouse effect

When warm air rises, the cooler air sinks to fill the space left by the warm air. This is a cycle that circulates air.