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Chapter 16 - Atmosphere Part 1

The document discusses the composition, structure, and heating of the atmosphere. It describes the major components of the atmosphere including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. It also explains how atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude and defines the layers of the atmosphere. The document then covers how the Earth's orientation to the sun causes seasons and discusses the mechanisms of atmospheric heating.

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adingmarasigan
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95 views

Chapter 16 - Atmosphere Part 1

The document discusses the composition, structure, and heating of the atmosphere. It describes the major components of the atmosphere including nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. It also explains how atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude and defines the layers of the atmosphere. The document then covers how the Earth's orientation to the sun causes seasons and discusses the mechanisms of atmospheric heating.

Uploaded by

adingmarasigan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Chapter 16 Lecture

Earth Science
Fourteenth Edition

The Atmosphere:
Composition,
Structure, and
Temperature

Jennifer Mangan
James Madison University

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Weather and Climate

• Weather
– Weather is over a short period of time
– Constantly changing
• Climate
– Climate is over a long period of time
– Generalized, composite of weather

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Weather and Climate

• Elements of weather and climate


– Properties that are measured regularly
– Most important elements
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Cloudiness
• Precipitation
• Air pressure
• Winds speed and direction

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Composition of the Atmosphere

• Air is a mixture of discrete gases


• Major components of clean, dry air
– Nitrogen (N) – 78 percent
– Oxygen (O2) – 21 percent
– Argon and other gases
– Carbon dioxide (CO2) – 0.0397 percent – absorbs heat
energy from Earth

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Composition of the Atmosphere

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Composition of the Atmosphere

• Variable components of air


– Water vapor
• Up to about 4 percent of the air’s volume
• Forms clouds and precipitation
• Absorbs heat energy from Earth

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Composition of the Atmosphere

• Variable components of air


– Aerosols
• Tiny solid and liquid particles
• Water vapor can condense on solids
• Reflect sunlight
• Help color sunrise and sunset

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


• Acid Rain

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Composition of the Atmosphere

• Variable components of air


– Ozone
• Three atoms of oxygen (O3)
• Distribution not uniform
• Concentrated between 10 to 50 kilometers above the surface
• Absorbs harmful UV radiation
• Human activity is depleting ozone by adding
chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Antarctic Ozone Hole

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Structure of the Atmosphere

• Pressure changes
– Pressure is the weight of the air above
– Average sea level pressure
• Slightly more than 1000 millibars
• About 14.7 pounds per square inch
– Pressure decreases with altitude
• One-half of the atmosphere is below 3.5 miles (5.6 km)
• Ninety percent of the atmosphere is below
10 miles (16 km)

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Air Pressure and Altitude

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Structure of the Atmosphere

• Troposphere
– Bottom layer
– Thickness varies – average height is 12 km
– Outer boundary is named the tropopause

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Structure of the Atmosphere

• Stratosphere
– About 12 km to 50 km
– Temperature increases
at top
– Outer boundary is
named the stratopause
• Mesosphere
– About 50 km to 80 km
– Temperature decreases
– Outer boundary is
named the mesopause

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Structure of the Atmosphere

• Thermosphere
– No well-defined upper limit
– Fraction of atmosphere’s mass
– Gases moving at high speeds

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Atmospheric Layers

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Earth-Sun Relations

• Earth motions
– Rotates on its axis
– Revolves around the Sun
• Seasons
– Result of
• Changing Sun angle
• Changing length of daylight

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Changing Sun Angle

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Relationship of Sun Angle and Solar
Radiation

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Seasons

• Caused by Earth’s changing orientation to the Sun


– Axis is inclined 23½º
– Axis is always pointed in the same direction

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Seasons

• Special days (Northern Hemisphere)


– Summer solstice
• June 21–22
• Sun’s vertical rays are located at the Tropic of Cancer
(23½º N latitude)
– Winter solstice
• December 21–22
• Sun’s vertical rays are located at the Tropic of Capricorn
(23½º S latitude)

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Seasons

• Autumnal equinox
– September 22–23
– Sun’s vertical rays are located at the Equator (0° latitude)

• Spring (Vernal) equinox


– March 21–22
– Sun’s vertical rays are located at the Equator (0° latitude)

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Seasons

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Characteristics of the Solstices and
Equinoxes

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Atmospheric Heating

• Heat is always transferred from warmer to cooler


objects
• Mechanisms of heat transfer
– Conduction through molecular activity
– Convection
• Mass movement within a substance
• Usually vertical motions
– Radiation (electromagnetic radiation)
• Velocity: 300,000 kilometers (186,000 miles) per second in a
vacuum

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Mechanisms of Heat Transfer

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Atmospheric Heating

• Mechanisms of heat transfer


– Radiation (electromagnetic radiation)
• Consists of different wavelengths
– Gamma (very short waves)
– X-rays
– Ultraviolet (UV)
– Visible
– Infrared
– Microwaves and radio waves

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


The Electromagnetic Spectrum

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Atmospheric Heating

• Mechanisms of heat transfer


– Radiation (electromagnetic radiation)
• Governed by basic laws
– All objects, at whatever temperature, emit radiation
– Hotter objects radiate more total energy per unit area than do
cooler objects
– The hotter the radiating body, the shorter the wavelength of
maximum radiation
– Objects that are good absorbers of radiation are good emitters
as well

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.


Atmospheric Heating

• Incoming solar radiation


– Atmosphere is largely transparent to incoming solar
radiation
– Atmospheric effects
• Reflection – albedo (percent reflected)
• Scattering
• Absorption
– Most visible radiation reaches the surface
– About 50 percent absorbed at Earth’s surface

© 2015 Pearson Education, Inc.

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