Transcript Layers of the Atmosphere

May 2, 2014
pg. 142
TG: review the layers of the atmosphere,
analyze wind and the coriolis effect
HW: answer foldable questions, air pressure
reading and questions
Warm-Up: Brainstorm
What is wind?
Are there different types of wind?
In what direction does wind move? Why?
How is the atmosphere like a sandwich?
Clouds and
Layers of the Atmosphere
Key Concepts
A Weather
Predictor
UNDERSTANDING CLOUDS
Clouds are usually the most obvious feature of
the sky. They reflect weather patterns and play a
role in what the weather does. They are sources
of precipitation as well as affect the
temperatures of our atmosphere. Clouds block
incoming sunlight during the day, which cools
the air, but they can also block outgoing
WHAT ARE CLOUDS
Clouds are water,
either small liquid
water drops or tiny
pieces of ice.
Meteorologists rank
clouds according to
their height and
whether they are
puffy or flat.
HOW ARE CLOUDS FORMED
Clouds form when the air
rises and evaporation and
transpiration occurs.
As temperatures and air
pressure drop, water
droplets clump together
causing condensation or
a cloud.
When the droplets are too
heavy to float in the air
they fall to the ground in
the form of rain or snow
called, precipitation.
CLOUD CLASSIFICATION
• Cirrus-high level clouds that have bases
below 7,000 feet
• Cumulus- mid-level clouds that have
bases between 7000-18,000 feet
• Straus-low level clouds that have bases
below 6,500 feet
• Vertical-tallest of all clouds that can go up
to 60,000 feet.
CIRRUS
•
•
•
•
High altitude and wispy
Composed of ice crystals
Thin with hairlike strands
Some have a wavelike
appearance
• Some have a sheetlike
appearance
• Are usually thin allowing
moonlight and sun to
shine through
CUMULUS
• Contains ice crystals
or rain
• Usually puffy
• Noticeable vertical
development
• Have popcorn appearance
• Can be widely scattered
or clumped
• Appears thick
STRATUS
• Lowest of the low
clouds
• Appear as an
overcast, but can be
scattered
• Can be in layers
VERTICALLY FORMED
CLOUDS
Can produce lightning, heavy rains, hail, strong winds,
and tornados. They are the tallest of all clouds and
have an anvil shaped top due to the stronger winds at
those altitudes.
Label the Cloud Types Below
cirrostratus
cirrus
cirrocumulus
cumulonimbus
altocumulus
altostratus
cumulus
stratus
stratocumulus
nimbostratus
The Atmosphere
• The Atmosphere is the
layer of gases that
surrounds a planet.
• The atmosphere has
many different layers.
• The Atmosphere keeps
living conditions stable
for life to occur.
• The layer of the
atmosphere that we
live in and that all
weather occurs is
troposphere
called the __________.
What Makes Up the
Atmosphere?
• The atmosphere is made up of many
gases.
• Most of the air is made of Nitrogen
(78%) and Oxygen (21%).
Nitrogen - 78%
• Most abundant gas
in the atmosphere.
• Nitrogen is an
odorless, colorless,
tasteless gas.
Oxygen – 21%
• Oxygen is necessary for all
animals (AND HUMANS) to
live!
• Most Oxygen has two
atoms of Oxygen (O2).
• Oxygen with 3 atoms is
called Ozone (O3)
• Ozone helps reduce the
amount of ultra-violet light
AND RADIATION from the
sun from reaching the
surface of the Earth.
(Protects Humans)
Carbon Dioxide - .036%
• Carbon dioxide (CO2) is
made up of 1 carbon
atom and 2 oxygen
atoms.
• CO2 is the gas that
animals breath out and
plants use to make
sugars.
• CO2 is one of the gases
that traps heat from the
sun in our atmosphere
(greenhouse gases.)
• CO2 is also produced by
burning fossil fuels.
Water Vapor
• Water vapor is
water in its
gaseous form.
• In order for water
vapor to make a
rain drop it must be
able to condense
on a particle of
dust.
•Otherwise, the vapor remains a vapor.
Composition of Air



There are many
different types of gasses
in the atmosphere
They include nitrogen,
oxygen, argon, carbon
dioxide and other noble
gasses
The gas that is most
abundant is nitrogen
Humidity
• The amount of water vapor in the air.
• There is water vapor all around us!
Does Air Have Mass?
• You may think that air has
no mass.
• But, air is made of atoms
and molecules which
have mass.
• So, air must have mass!
• Because air has mass, it
also has other properties
like density and pressure.
Air Pressure
• The result of the weight of
air pushing down on an
area.
• Molecules in the air push in
all directions – down, up,
and sideways.
•As you move up in
the atmosphere, air
pressure decreases.
Energy at the Surface
• Some energy reaches
our surface and is
reflected back into
the atmosphere.
• Some is absorbed by
land and water and
changed into heat.
• The uneven heating of
the surface of the
Earth by the sun’s
energy is called
weather
_________.
Layers
Bun
Mayonnaise
Lettuce
Tomato
Hamburger
Bun
Earth
Order of the Layers
1. Thermosphere
2. Mesosphere
3. Stratosphere
4. Troposphere
Facts
5. Coldest temperatures80 km
6. Hottest temperaturesThermosphere
7. Temperatures increase in the
Stratosphere and Thermosphere
8. Temperatures decrease through
the Mesosphere
Troposphere
The
layer of the
atmosphere where
weather occurs
Stratosphere
The
layer of the
atmosphere that
contains ozone
Mesosphere
The
layer of the
atmosphere where
most meteoroids
burn up
Thermosphere
The
hottest layer of
the atmosphere
that’s divided into
two parts
Ionosphere
Thermosphere
layer that bounces
radio waves
Exosphere
Outermost
layer of
the thermosphere
Layers of the atmosphere


There are 4 layers in the
atmosphere
They are the
troposphere,
mesosphere,
thermosphere, and
stratosphere
Atmospheric Structure
Label the layers of the
atmosphere below:
Troposphere 1._____________
contains dust, moisture,
weather.
Stratosphere 2._____________
contains protective ozone
3._____________
Mesosphere coldest layer
Thermosphere 4._____________
contains auroras, high
4.
3.
2.
1
.
Review heat transfer
• The transfer of heat by
direct contact between
objects (touching).
• cooking on a stove
• hot sand touching your feet
• Burning your mouth on a
bite of pizza
http://viewpure.com/IYfEj3JSMbA
• Heat transferred by the
movement of a liquid or
gas from warmer areas to
cooler areas.
Examples: Wind, Boiling
Water, Steam
Convection also produces
CURRENTS.
– Remember convection
currents
http://viewpure.com/ON2Y3FEk_UI
Radiation – The direct transfer of electromagnetic
waves. Cannot see it, but can feel heat
How does heat energy get from the
Sun to the Earth?
There are no particles between
the Sun and the Earth so it
CANNOT travel by conduction or
by convection.
?
RADIATION
• Transfer of energy
between two objects
that are NOT
touching.
• EXAMPLES: The sun’s rays
causing a sunburn.
• heat from toaster
• heat from a light bulb
• heat from a fire
• MICROWAVE!
http://viewpure.com/2JZciWtK6vc
2.3
The transfer of energy as heat can be
controlled.
• Energy can be transferred by conduction, convection, and
radiation.
• Different materials are used to control the transfer of energy.
conduction
conductor
insulator
Types of Energy Transfer
Conduction
• Energy transferred by
direct contact
Convection
• Energy flows directly
from warmer object to
cooler object
• Occurs in gases and
liquids
• Movement of large
number of particles in
same direction
• Can occur within one
object
• Occurs due to difference
in density
• Continues until object
temperatures are equal
• Cycle occurs while
temperature
differences exist
convection
Radiation
radiation
• Energy transferred by
electromagnetic waves
such as light,
microwaves, and
infrared radiation
• All objects radiate energy
• Can transfer energy
through empty space
SECTION
OUTLINE
Heat Transfer Processes
1. _____________
Radiation Sun heats Earth’s
surface in the form
of rays or waves
Conduction
2. _____________
Earth’s warm
surface heats lower
atmosphere by
direct contact
3. _____________
Convectionheat is distributed
by warm air rising
and cold air sinking
Chapter Review
1. What are the three major gases of our atmosphere?
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon
2. What are the four layers of the atmosphere?
Troposphere, Stratosphere, Mesosphere,
Thermosphere
3. What are the three methods by which heat is transferred?
Radiation, Conduction, Convection
4. List ten types of clouds.
Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus, Altostratus, Altocumulus,
Stratocumulus, Nimbostratus, Stratus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus
5. What are the three processes that make up the water cycle?
Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation
Move to Wind
Draw a picture of
what you think
the atmosphere
looks like.