Atmosphere Atmosphere Study GuideStudy Guide

Air PressureAir Pressure

Textbook pages 4 &5Textbook pages 4 &5

Layers of the AtmosphereLayers of the Atmosphere

Textbook pages 6-9Textbook pages 6-9

1

DirectionsDirections

Read through each slide one at a Read through each slide one at a time.time.

Whenever you see a “Whenever you see a “Question”Question”

*write your answer on the answer *write your answer on the answer sheet before moving on. sheet before moving on.

You may use your textbook or notes.You may use your textbook or notes.2

AIR AIR PRESSURE PRESSURE

REVIEWREVIEW

3

If you were lost in the desert, If you were lost in the desert, you could survive for a few you could survive for a few days without food and water. days without food and water.

However, you wouldn’t last However, you wouldn’t last more than 5 minutes without more than 5 minutes without the atmosphere.the atmosphere.

Question #1: Question #1: Why wouldn’t you Why wouldn’t you last more than 5 minutes? last more than 5 minutes?

(Always place your answer on your answer sheet)(Always place your answer on your answer sheet)

4

Hopefully, you answered correctly. Hopefully, you answered correctly. We can last a few days without food We can last a few days without food

and water, but we and water, but we need air to need air to breathebreathe. .

We would also need the atmosphere We would also need the atmosphere to to protect usprotect us from sun’s damaging from sun’s damaging rays. rays. -The ozone traps the harmful -The ozone traps the harmful uultraviolet lightltraviolet light

5

Question #2:Question #2:

In your own words, what In your own words, what is the Atmosphere?is the Atmosphere?

(If you know, write your answer down on the answer (If you know, write your answer down on the answer sheet. If you don’t know or wish to verify, you can look it sheet. If you don’t know or wish to verify, you can look it

up on page 4 in your textbook before moving on. )up on page 4 in your textbook before moving on. )

6

With the opportunity to With the opportunity to look it up, I’m sure you look it up, I’m sure you answered correctly.answered correctly.

The Atmosphere is the The Atmosphere is the “layer of gases that “layer of gases that surrounds the Earth.” surrounds the Earth.”

7

Composition of Composition of AtmosphereAtmosphere

In class, we talked about all of the In class, we talked about all of the gases that are in the atmosphere. gases that are in the atmosphere. We even did a pie graph of the We even did a pie graph of the gases. gases.

Question #3:Question #3: What two gases What two gases make up most of the Earth’s make up most of the Earth’s atmosphere.atmosphere.

(If you are unsure of the answer or wish to verify, please go to (If you are unsure of the answer or wish to verify, please go to page 4 in your textbook, left side)page 4 in your textbook, left side) 8

Nitrogen=This is the most Nitrogen=This is the most abundant gas. It comes from all abundant gas. It comes from all the dead plants and dead animals the dead plants and dead animals breaking down year after year. breaking down year after year. Volcanoes erupt and give off Volcanoes erupt and give off nitrogen, too.nitrogen, too.

Oxygen=This is the 2Oxygen=This is the 2ndnd most most abundant gas. It is released by abundant gas. It is released by plants and little plankton in the plants and little plankton in the water give off a lot of it also. water give off a lot of it also.

9

After Nitrogen and Oxygen… We learned the next two main We learned the next two main

gases are Argon and Carbon gases are Argon and Carbon Dioxide.Dioxide.

Finally, trace gases. Finally, trace gases.

Question #4: Question #4: What does it mean What does it mean when scientists say trace gases?when scientists say trace gases?

10

I hope you made a I hope you made a good guess!good guess! Trace gases are gases that are Trace gases are gases that are

incredibly small. incredibly small.

Some trace gases could be water Some trace gases could be water vapor, krypton, and xenon. vapor, krypton, and xenon.

11

With all that With all that nitrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon argon, carbon dioxide and traces dioxide and traces gases pushing down gases pushing down on you it builds up on you it builds up pressure. pressure.

Pressure is the Pressure is the column of air that is column of air that is above you. above you.

There is so much air There is so much air above you that you above you that you have 14.7 pounds have 14.7 pounds per square inch per square inch pushing on you!pushing on you!

12

Question #5:Question #5:With all of that air pushing down us With all of that air pushing down us (14.7 pounds per square inch), why (14.7 pounds per square inch), why

are we not crushed?are we not crushed?

13

WHY? WHY? I hope you got it….I hope you got it…. Air pressure is equal in all Air pressure is equal in all

directions.directions. So, air pushes equally on all So, air pushes equally on all

sides of us. sides of us. The forces are The forces are balancedbalanced!!

14

Air PressureAir Pressure Pressure is a force Pressure is a force

that acts over a that acts over a certain area.certain area.

With air pressure, the With air pressure, the force will always try force will always try to to equalize.equalize.

You see this when you You see this when you get a hole in your get a hole in your bicycle tire.bicycle tire.

15

Tire Example/BallsTire Example/Balls Air inside a tire or Air inside a tire or

a ball pushes a ball pushes against the sides. against the sides.

The more air we The more air we put into a ball, the put into a ball, the more the more the molecules push. molecules push.

The air pressure The air pressure is high and if the is high and if the tire or ball “pops” tire or ball “pops” the air will rush the air will rush out of the object out of the object to equalize.to equalize. 1

6

Question #6: Question #6:

When air pressure tries to When air pressure tries to equalize, will it go from areas of equalize, will it go from areas of low to high pressure, or high to low to high pressure, or high to low pressure? Explain. low pressure? Explain.

17

Way to go. Air pressure always Way to go. Air pressure always wants to go from areas of wants to go from areas of high high pressure to areas of pressure to areas of lowlow pressure. pressure.

Remember our elevator example. Remember our elevator example. If you were jammed into an If you were jammed into an elevator with many people and the elevator with many people and the doors open, you would want to doors open, you would want to rush out into the walkway. You rush out into the walkway. You would try to equalize the pressure, would try to equalize the pressure, just like air does. just like air does.

18

19

Question #7:•We have discussed and looked at these two photos in our textbook.

•Why are there fewer molecules at higher altitudes and more molecules at lower altitudes?

There are less molecules due to There are less molecules due to the the gravitational pullgravitational pull of the of the Earth’s atmosphere.Earth’s atmosphere.

Remember our “claw” example. Remember our “claw” example. The gravitational pull is greater at The gravitational pull is greater at Earth’s surface which means more Earth’s surface which means more molecules closer to Earth. The molecules closer to Earth. The pull is less as you increase pull is less as you increase altitude, which means less altitude, which means less molecules. molecules.

20

Question #8:Question #8:

If you were to climb Mount If you were to climb Mount Everest, you would become very Everest, you would become very cold as you climbed to the cold as you climbed to the summit. You may even summit. You may even experience severe weather experience severe weather changes. Explain why air changes. Explain why air temperature changes as you temperature changes as you increase altitude.increase altitude.

21

Air temperature changes as Air temperature changes as altitude increases. altitude increases.

There are less gases to absorb the There are less gases to absorb the sun’s energy (heat). sun’s energy (heat).

Cold Up Here…see the snow!

Warm Down Here…

22

Altitude and DensityAltitude and Density

Question #9:Question #9:

Another thing that Another thing that would happen to you would happen to you when you climb Mount when you climb Mount Everest would be Everest would be difficulty in breathing. difficulty in breathing. Why?Why?

23

You guessed it! As you increase You guessed it! As you increase altitude, you decrease gases. altitude, you decrease gases.

A climber has less oxygen to go A climber has less oxygen to go into their lungs as they go higher into their lungs as they go higher and higher. Therefore, they need and higher. Therefore, they need an oxygen tank to reach the top. an oxygen tank to reach the top.

24

Earth’s Earth’s AtmosphereAtmosphere

ReviewReview

25

•We learned that technology helped scientists realize the atmosphere existed beyond our Earth.

26

Question #1:Question #1:

What did scientists What did scientists decide to use in order decide to use in order to determine the to determine the layers of the layers of the atmosphere?atmosphere?

27

Correct!Correct!Each layer is based on Each layer is based on

its its temperaturetemperature..

28

Temperature and the Temperature and the TroposphereTroposphere Close to Earth: Close to Earth:

temperature at temperature at surface is warmed surface is warmed by the earth by the earth absorbing energy absorbing energy from the sun.from the sun.

The air cools by The air cools by about 44°F for about 44°F for every mile above every mile above the ground.the ground.

29

TROPOSPHERE TROPOSPHERE

The Troposphere layer contains The Troposphere layer contains the most matter and mass of the most matter and mass of any of the layers.any of the layers.

Question #2:Question #2:

Name “5” things you would find Name “5” things you would find in the troposphere layer. in the troposphere layer.

30

Some possible items…Some possible items…

People, animals, water, weather, People, animals, water, weather, clouds, planes, cars, kites, clouds, planes, cars, kites, helicopters, mountains, a lot of helicopters, mountains, a lot of oxygen, plants, etc. oxygen, plants, etc.

31

Temperature and the Temperature and the StratosphereStratosphere

At the bottom of the At the bottom of the Stratosphere, it very Stratosphere, it very cold. cold.

At the top of the At the top of the Stratosphere it gets Stratosphere it gets very warm.very warm.

32

StratopshereStratopshere

Question #3:Question #3:

What is in the Stratosphere layer What is in the Stratosphere layer that would cause the upper part that would cause the upper part of it to suddenly get so warm?of it to suddenly get so warm?

33

OzoneOzone

The Stratosphere contains the The Stratosphere contains the Ozone Layer. The Ozone’s gases Ozone Layer. The Ozone’s gases traps the sun’s harmful ultra-traps the sun’s harmful ultra-violet energy waves and makes violet energy waves and makes that area very warm. that area very warm.

34

Also in the Also in the Stratosphere..Stratosphere.. We also stated that the Jet Stream We also stated that the Jet Stream

is found here. is found here. Question #4:Question #4:a. Why is the Jet Stream important a. Why is the Jet Stream important

to the United States?to the United States?b. What direction does the Jet b. What direction does the Jet

Stream travel?Stream travel?c. Why do pilots like the Jet Stream?c. Why do pilots like the Jet Stream?

35

Jet StreamJet Stream

a.a.The jet stream is important to the The jet stream is important to the U.S. for it gives us all of our U.S. for it gives us all of our weather patterns.weather patterns.

b.b.WEWE love the jet stream… love the jet stream…wwest to est to east direction.east direction.

c.c.Pilots enjoy using the jet stream Pilots enjoy using the jet stream when they can to make quicker when they can to make quicker travel time and save money on gas. travel time and save money on gas.

d.d.

36

Temperature and the Temperature and the MesosphereMesosphere

This layer has no This layer has no molecules in it. molecules in it.

It does not It does not absorb energy absorb energy from the sun, so from the sun, so it is freezing!it is freezing!

Check out those

negative numbers!

37

MESOSPHEREMESOSPHERE

Question #5:Question #5:

What wonderful thing happens in What wonderful thing happens in the Mesosphere that helps the the Mesosphere that helps the Earth every single day?Earth every single day?

38

Burns ‘em Up!!Burns ‘em Up!!

You guessed it. The Mesosphere You guessed it. The Mesosphere is so cold that it “burns” up the is so cold that it “burns” up the meteors that shower us meteors that shower us throughout the day. throughout the day.

39

Temperature and the Temperature and the ThermosphereThermosphere

The air is so thin here The air is so thin here that it takes special that it takes special instruments to instruments to measure the measure the temperature temperature accurately.accurately.

So even though it is So even though it is very hot (over 1832°F), very hot (over 1832°F), it would feel cold in it would feel cold in places because there places because there are so few particles to are so few particles to transfer heat to you.transfer heat to you.

40

The ThermosphereThe Thermosphere Very top layerVery top layer

Air is very, very thin, about Air is very, very thin, about 1/10001/1000thth as dense as the air as dense as the air where we livewhere we live

““Thermo” means heatThermo” means heat

Question #6:Question #6: What is the lower and What is the lower and

upper part of the upper part of the Thermosphere called?Thermosphere called?

41

The Ionosphere-lower The Ionosphere-lower portionportion

Energy from sun strips the Energy from sun strips the electrons from the gas electrons from the gas molecules creating charged molecules creating charged particles called ions.particles called ions.

Radio waves can bounce off Radio waves can bounce off of ions, allowing radio waves of ions, allowing radio waves to travel great distances.to travel great distances.

The aurora borealis The aurora borealis (Northern Lights) occur here(Northern Lights) occur here

42

The Exosphere-Upper The Exosphere-Upper PortionPortion

““Exo” means Exo” means outerouter

Extends for Extends for 1000’s of miles1000’s of miles

Satellites orbit Satellites orbit herehere

No definite edgeNo definite edge Molecules Molecules

gradually escape gradually escape out into spaceout into space

43

Question #7: Answer Question #7: Answer the following…..the following….. a.a.Which layer has the most amount of Which layer has the most amount of

gases found in it?gases found in it? b.b.Which layer is the hottest?Which layer is the hottest? c.c.Which layer contains living Which layer contains living

organisms?organisms? d.d.Which layer contains satellites?Which layer contains satellites? e.e.Which layer contains shooting Which layer contains shooting

stars?stars? f.f.

44

a.a.TroposphereTroposphere b.b.ThermosphereThermosphere c.c.TroposphereTroposphere d.d.Thermosphere’s Exosphere Thermosphere’s Exosphere

PortionPortion e.e.Mesosphere Mesosphere

FANTASTIC JOBFANTASTIC JOB.. Log off/plug in lap top.Log off/plug in lap top. Put this assignment in your folder. Put this assignment in your folder. If time, use your study strips.If time, use your study strips.

45