Transcript Earth`s Atmosphere and Climate

Earth’s Atmosphere and
Climate
The Atmosphere
 Atmosphere –
envelope of air
around Earth that
allows the support of
life.
 It extends from 0 to
600 km above Earth.
Atmosphere’s jobs
1. It absorbs energy from the sun
2. It recycles water and other elements
3. It creates a moderate climate
4. It filters the suns radiation
Layers of the Atmosphere
1. Troposphere Layer
 Lowest layer (called lower
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atmosphere)
Extends from 0 to 8-15 km high
Dense layer
Area where weather is experienced
Temperature decreases with height.
From 17 to -52 degrees Celsius
2. Stratosphere
 Extends 50 km above
troposphere
 Dry and less dense
 Upper region contains the
ozone layer
 Ozone layer
 Made of O3 molecules
 Filters ultraviolet radiation
from the sun
3. Mesosphere
 Extends from 50 –
85 km above the
Earth
 Temperature falls to
around -93 Celsius
4. Thermosphere
 Extends 85-600 km above Earth
 Temperatures increases due to
the suns direct energy
 Temperatures can get up to 1,727
C
 This is the upper atmosphere
Atmosphere Make Up
 The atmosphere is made up of a
mixture of gases
 Nitrogen
 Makes up 78%
 Oxygen
 Makes up 21%
 Trace elements
Trace Elements
 Make up 1 % of the atmosphere
 Examples: Argon, Helium, methane, ozone, carbon
dioxide, Nitrous oxide, and water vapor
 The last five are known as the greenhouse gases
 These cause the greenhouse effect
Greenhouse Effect
 Keeps Earth from getting too hot or too cold
 Gases trap some of the suns energy from leaving and
prevent too much of the suns energy from entering.
 Without this trapped heat temperatures would be 33 C
colder at night ( -18 C).
 Life would not be able to exist
Human Involvement
 Human activities have increased the greenhouse
gases.
 Burning fossil fuels releases Carbon Dioxide into the
atmosphere. This is the primary reason for the
increase in carbon Dioxide.
Natural Involvement
 Plant respiration and decompositions release up to 10x
more Carbon Dioxide than human activity.
 This used to be balanced with Carbon Dioxide
absorption by the plants but no longer is.
 Deforestation has reduced the number of plants to
absorb CO2 while increasing the CO2 released by
decomposition.
 Burning fossil fuels.
Climate
 Characteristic condition of the atmosphere near
the earths surface at a certain place on earth.
 Climate:
 The average weather of a location
 Includes a location general weather patterns,
seasons, and extreme weather (ex.
Hurricanes, droughts, tornadoes etc.)
Global Climate
 Influenced by energy
earth receives from the
sun and how it is stored
and redistributed through
the world atmospheres
and oceans
Global Climate
 Oceans store more energy
than the atmosphere.
 Energy in oceans is
redistributed around the
earth by system of ocean
currents
 Heat that is transferred
between the atmosphere
and oceans influence
regional climate.
Regional Climate
 influence the different
biomes around the
world
 -biome – a large
geographical area of
distinctive plant and
animal groups that are
adapted to a particular
environment.
Regional Climate
3 factors influence regional
climate
 Latitude
 Most important
influence
 Equator warmer
because more direct
sunlight
 Poles much colder
Regional Climate
 Latitude
 Temperature difference
between low and high latitude
creates a circulation within the
atmosphere (prevailing winds,
jet streams)
 Circulation transfers heat away
from equator and towards
poles.
Regional Climate
 Air temperature and Precipitation are the other
two factors that influence regional climate.
 Both are influenced by interactions between
land, oceans, and mountain ranges.
 Ex. Mountains can divert winds, so the
other side of the mountain doesn’t get the
rains and becomes a dry climate.
 Gulf Stream (East Coast of US), an ocean
current, influences Northwestern Europe's
weather.
3 Climate Groups
 Based on temperature, precipitation, and latitude
1. Low-latitude climate
 climate controlled by equatorial tropical air masses
 From 0 – 30 degrees latitude
 Include tropical rainforests, savannas, and deserts
2. Mid-latitude climate
 Climate affected by both tropical air masses and polar/arctic
air masses
 From 30 – 60 degrees latitude
 Include steppes, chaparrals, grasslands, and temperate
deciduous forests.
3 Climate Groups
 Based on temperature, precipitation, and latitude
3. High-latitude climate
 Climate controlled by polar and arctic air masses
 From 60 – 90 degrees latitude
 Include taigas, tundra, and alpine regions
4. Aquatic biomes
 found throughout most latitude
 Include oceans, freshwater lakes and rivers
Climate Groups