Where’s the Air?

Earth’s AtmosphereInvestigation 2, Part 2

Earth from Space

• Turn to pg 8• Larger photo taken by

Apollo 17 astronauts in 1972

• The upper image taken by Space Shuttle astronauts.

• Shows only a small portion of Earth

Where?

Can you see the atmosphere?

Why can’t you see the atmosphere?

So thin it is not visible from far away

Can you see the atmosphere in the image of Earth taken from the shuttle? Yes, it is white, orange

layer above Earth’s surface

What objects can you see in the atmosphere?

Clouds

The layers of gases surrounding the EarthLocated between Earth’s surface(solid and liquid) and outer spaceWe live at the bottom of the atmosphere

5 Layers of the Atmosphere

• Based on the properties of the atmosphere

Layers of the Atmosphere

1.• Troposphere

– Lowest layer– Most of the air– Contains 85% of the air– Weather occurs– Represents 2% of height– Most complex part of the

atmosphere

2.• Stratosphere

– Ozone layer is found here

Layers of the Atmosphere

4.• Thermosphere

– Aurora Borealis occurs here

3.• Mesosphere

– Layer where meteors burn up

Layers of the Atmosphere

5.• Exosphere

– Farthest layer from Earth

– Thick layer– Contains very little air– Transition between

Earth’s atmosphere and outer space

– Mostly Helium

Trick to Remember!

• Two Troposphere• Silly Stratosphere• Monkeys Mesosphere• Threw

Thermosphere• Eggs Exosphere

• http://sunshine.chpc.utah.edu/labs/ozone/atmosphere_real.html

• http://www.sepuplhs.org/students/iaes/simulations/SEPUP_atmosphere.swf

Elevator to Space

• CD-Rom program• View the program and

see what happens as you move through the atmosphere.

Thin Blue Veil Reading

• Read starting on page 8, The Thin Blue Veil”.• When finished answer

the questions on page 5 of your lab book.

Thin Blue Veil ReadingAnswers

• What is the atmosphere?– The layer of gases (air) surrounding Earth

• Describe how the amount of air changes as you travel up through the Earth’s atmosphere?– Air gets thinner– There is less and less air

Thin Blue Veil ReadingAnswers

• Describe how the composition of gases change as you travel up through Earth’s atmosphere?– Nitrogen and oxygen stay pretty much the same– Carbon Dioxide, water vapor, and methane are

found only in the troposphere

Thin Blue Veil ReadingAnswers

• Describe how the temperature changes as you travel up through the atmosphere?– Temperature generally decreases as altitude

increases

Thin Blue Veil ReadingAnswers

• What layer of the atmosphere do you think is of greatest interest to meteorologists? Why do you think so?– Troposphere– This is where the clouds, wind, rain, and other

weather occur

Thin Blue Veil ReadingAnswers

• What gases are found in the atmosphere?– Nitrogen– Oxygen– Carbon dioxide– Water vapor– Hydrogen– Helium– Argon– Methane

• What gases are only found in the troposphere?– Carbon dioxide– Water vapor– Methane