Transcript File

The Atmosphere
Warm-Up Questions
CPS Questions 1-2
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Chapter Overview
 Lesson
1: The Atmosphere
 Lesson 2: Weather Elements
 Lesson 3: Aviation Weather
 Lesson 4: Weather Forecasting
Lesson 5: The Effects of Weather on
Aircraft
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Lesson Overview
 The
atmosphere’s regions
 The roles of water and particulate matter
in the atmosphere
 The primary causes of atmospheric
motion
 The types of clouds
 How the atmospheric layers impact flight
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Quick Write
What are some of the advantages to
using low-tech equipment? What are some
of the disadvantages?
(Note to teacher: Use “Pick a Student” button in CPS)
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA
The Atmosphere’s Regions
Extends more than 350 miles
from Earth’s surface
 Life on earth is supported by
atmosphere, solar energy, and
magnetic fields
 Nitrogen 78 % of the
atmosphere’s gases, oxygen 21
%; and argon, carbon dioxide,
and traces of other gases 1%

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Reproduced from US Department of Transportation/Federal
Aviation Administration
Five Distinct Layers—
Troposphere
 Lowest
layer reaches from sea level
to about four to nine miles
 Dense stretch of atmosphere
where most weather takes place
 Boundary layer called tropopause
traps moisture and weather
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Stratosphere
Above the troposphere and extends about 30
miles
 Drier and less dense than troposphere
 Temperature begins to rise again to about
26.6 ⁰
 Stratopause boundary layer separates it from
next layer

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Reproduced from US Department of Transportation/Federal
Aviation Administration
Mesosphere
Above the stratosphere to about 53 miles
 Temperatures dip as low as -135.4⁰ F
 Chemicals exist in an excited state, they
absorb energy from sun
 The boundary layer at the top is the
mesopause

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA
Thermosphere —Exosphere
Thermosphere starts above the mesosphere
and extends about 350 miles
 Temperature goes as high as 3,140.6 ⁰ F
 Chemical reactions occur faster here than
on Earth’s surface
 Boundary layer is the thermopause
 Exosphere—Stretches to the edges of space
at around 6,200 miles

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Activity 1:
Atmospheric Regions
 Match
the atmospheric region to its
appropriate place on the illustration
provided
 Add additional features about each region
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Roles of Water
in the Atmosphere
Evaporation—transformation of liquid to
gaseous state
 Sublimation—solid changes to gas without
going through liquid state

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Roles of Water
in the Atmosphere, cont.
Condensation—change of water from gas—
water vapor—to a liquid
 Deposition—gas changes to solid without
going through liquid state
 Melting
 Freezing

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA
Evaporation
Oceans are source of 86% of
evaporation
 Evaporation requires heat
 Air loses heat when water changes to vapor
 Condensing water forms clouds
 Water in clouds can fall as rain, snow, some
other form
 Moisture falling seeps into soil and
groundwater through infiltration

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA/Historic NWS Collection
Sublimation
Sublimation takes place in colder climates
 Temperatures can be too cold on a mountaintop
to melt snow and ice to liquid
 Intense sunlight with strong winds can transform
snow and ice into water vapor

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA/Goddard/Sarah DeWitt
Humidity and
Relative Humidity
Humidity - amount of water in
atmosphere at a given time
 Relative humidity - amount of moisture
in air compared amount of moisture the
air could hold at that temperature

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Dew Point
Temperature at which air can hold no more
moisture
 Air becomes saturated, water condenses as
fog, dew, frost, clouds, rain, hail, or snow

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NASA/Ben Smegelsky
Particulate Matter
Water vapor and cloud droplets make up a
cloud
 Water vapor clings to particulate matter to
condense into cloud droplets
 Bits of particulate matter act as nucleus—or
core—of the raindrop

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of Sean Waugh NOAA/NSSL
Learning Check Questions
CPS Questions 3-4
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
The Primary Causes of
Atmospheric Motion
Heat causes air to
circulate around Earth’s
surface
 Rising warm air and
heavy, sinking cool air
results in atmosphere’s
circular motion
 Tilted axis affects
atmospheric circulation

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Modified from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration.
Coriolis Force
How Earth’s rotation affects
the motion of air
 Deflects air to the right in
Northern Hemisphere and
left in Southern
Hemisphere
 Breaks up flow of air into
three cells at different
latitudes in each
hemisphere

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Activity 2:
Atmospheric Motion
 Read
the information in Part 1 and Part 2,
and answer the questions
 Conduct the experiment outlined in Part 3
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Types of Clouds—Low Clouds
Near Earth’s surface up to
about 6,500 feet
 Low clouds are stratus,
stratocumulus,
nimbostratus, and fog
 Can make visibility
difficult, pilots rely on
instruments to fly
through them

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, National Weather
Service (NWS) Collection. Photographer: Ralph F.
Kresge.
Middle Clouds
Around 6,500 feet and
reach up to about 20,000
feet
 Made of water, ice
crystals, and supercooled
water droplets
 Middle clouds are
altostratus and
altocumulus

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, National Weather
Service (NWS) Collection. Photographer: Ralph F.
Kresge.
High Clouds
 Above
20,000 feet,
usually form only in
stable air
 Contain ice crystals,
pose no real risk of
turbulence or icing
 High clouds are cirrus,
cirrostratus, and
cirrocumulus
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library, National
Weather Service (NWS) Collection,
Photographer: Captain Albert E. Theberge Jr.,
Cumulus Clouds
Lots of vertical development
 Flat base that forms in low or
middle cloud regions
 Cumulus, particularly
cumulonimbus clouds, can
mean turbulent weather
ahead
 Can be most dangerous cloud
to encounter in flight

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of NOAA Photo Library
Activity 3:
All About Clouds
 Name
and describe some of the features
of the clouds pictured
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Learning Check Questions
CPS Questions 5-6
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Atmospheric Layers
Impact Flight—Density
 Lower
altitudes, density
of air increases, higher
altitudes, density
decreases
 Air that is less dense:
engines and propellers
are less efficient, take in
less air
Courtesy of NASA
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Pressure
Increasing altitude affects
atmospheric pressure
 Means to measure pressure
is standard conditions
 Atmosphere’s weight at
18,000 feet is half what it is
at sea level
 Regulations require cabin
altitude of 8,000 feet

Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Temperature

Temperatures drop
dramatically with
altitude; drop continues
until around 36,000 feet

Airplanes have systems
that regulate
temperature and heat
cabins
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Reproduced from US Department of
Transportation/Federal Aviation Administration
Learning Check Questions
CPS Questions 7-8
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Activity 4:
Atmospheric Factors

Write a short paper about how aircraft today
address the effects of air density, pressure,
and/or temperature

Conduct and investigate research using the
sources identified
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Summary
 The
atmosphere’s regions
 The roles of water and particulate matter
in the atmosphere
 The primary causes of atmospheric
motion
 The types of clouds
 How the atmospheric layers impact flight
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Review Questions
CPS Questions 9-10
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Next….

Done – the atmosphere

Next – weather elements
Chapter 2, Lesson 1
Courtesy of Robert
Schwemmer/NOAA/NOS/CINMS