Atmosphere Flashcards
(176 cards)
1
Q
true or false
Earth is not the only habitable planet in the universe
A
FALSE, it is
2
Q
what is Earth often compared to
A
its closest neighbours (Venus and Mars)
3
Q
which planets are Earth’s closest neighbours
A
Mars and Venus
4
Q
Inner planets refer to
A
terrestrial/rocky planets
5
Q
the outer planets are
A
gaseous planets
6
Q
Why does Venus not have any liquid water
A
it’s too hot (it would evaporate)
7
Q
why does Mars not have any liquid water
A
its too cold (it would freeze)
8
Q
Earth and _____ have a similar size which means ____
A
Venus AND gravitational force is similar
9
Q
Green House gases
A
gases that absorb energy in heat
10
Q
why can’t an atmosphere have too much CO2
A
it changes the heat element of the atmosphere and changes the ability to hold heat
11
Q
what is an example of Green house gases
A
CO2
12
Q
what 3 benefits come from the atmosphere
A
- directly supports most of life’s processes
- protects against harmful radiation from the sun
- helps produce the ideal climate for lfie
13
Q
the atmosphere protects life from
A
harmful radiation from the sun
14
Q
the atmosphere is a
A
layer of gases that surround the planet
15
Q
the atmosphere directly supports
A
life processes
16
Q
true or false
the atmosphere helps produce the ideal climate for life
A
true
17
Q
without an atmosphere, there would be no _____
A
weather or life
18
Q
do other planets have atmospheres
A
YES, but they different from each other
19
Q
does the moon have an atmosphere and why
A
No= there isn’t enough mass to sustain a gravitation field/atmosphere
20
Q
what are two zones of the atmosphere
A
- ionosphere
- ozonosphere
21
Q
what do the two zones of the atmosphere do
A
removes most of the harmful wavelengths of incoming solar radiation and charged particles
22
Q
the ozonosphere is the portion of the ______
A
stratosphere
23
Q
where is the highest cluster of ozone found
A
in the ozonosphere
24
Q
_____ absorbs the shorter wavelengths of UV radiation
A
ozone
25
what absorbs the shorter wavelengths of UV radiation
ozone
26
what wavelengths do the zones of the atmosphere absorb
1. cosmic rays
2. gamma rays
3. x-rays
4. UV radiation
27
standard atmospheric pressure
values representing the average vertical distribution of pressure, temp and density in the atmosphere
28
at sea level what is the temperature of the atmosphere
15 degrees Celsius
29
at sea level, what is the pressure of the atmosphere
101.345 kPA
30
at sea level, what is the density of the atmosphere
1.23kg/m3
31
what differentiates between the fluids of liquid and gas
gases are able to be compressed while liquids can not
32
what state of matter is this
attraction is very small
gas
33
what state of matter is this
molecules are free to move independetly
gas
34
what state of matter is this
more freedom of movement
liquids
35
what state of matter is this
molecules are weakly attracted to each other
liquids
36
what state of matter is this
molecules are strongly attracted to each other
solids
37
what state of matter is this
attraction is binding, but can still vibrate slightly
solids
38
pressure is the
force per unit of area (P=f/a)
39
pressure _____ with height in the atmosphere
decreases
40
why does pressure decrease with height in the atmosphere
pressure results from the weight of the overlaying atmosphere (above us)
41
where is pressure greatest
where we are (on earth's surface)
42
density is the
mass per unit of volume (D=m/v)
43
density ____ with height in the atmosphere
decreases
44
why does density decrease with height in the atmosphere
because air is compressible
45
temp is the measure of
average kinetic energy
46
temp varies in
1. time
2. season
3. dirunal
47
diurnal
difference between night and day
48
heat is
a form of energy that flows from one object to another
49
what term is used when heat flows from one object to another (through solids)
conduction
50
what term is used when heat flows through fluid media
convection
51
what term is used when heat flows through empty space
radiation
52
conduction
the transfer of heat through solids
53
convection
the transfer of heat through fluids/liquids
54
what pattern of temps do we see in the different layers of the atmosphere
alternating patterns of increase and decrease
55
1
Thermosphere
56
2
Mesopause
57
3
Mesophere
58
4
Stratopause
59
5
Stratosphere
60
6
tropopause
61
7
Troposphere
62
the troposphere extends from
Earth's surface to ABOUT 11 km above the surface
63
why are the distances in the layers of the atmosphere AVERAGES
fluids have fuzzy boundaries which change and shift according to temp
64
what is the Troposphere boundary called
tropopause
65
for the Troposphere, temp ______ with height
decreases
66
what is the average decrease in temp per km in the troposphere
6.5 degrees C per km
67
how is the troposphere warmed
from CONTACT with the Earth's surface
68
true or false
the troposphere has a turbulent and well mixed vertical atmosphere
TRUE
69
where are almost all of the clouds found in the atmosphere
in the troposphere
70
where does weather take place in the atmosphere
troposphere
71
the troposphere is the most ____ withe the most ___
dense and mass
72
stratosphere extends from
troposphere (11 km) to ABOUT 50 km
73
what does the stratosphere reach
the stratopause
74
at the stratosphere, temp _____ with height
increases
75
how is the stratosphere warmed
through the absorption of UV radiation by the ozone
76
true or false
the stratosphere has little vertical movement or tubulance
TRUE
77
true or false
the lower we go in the stratosphere the MORE O3 (ozone gas) we will find
FALSE - higher = more O3
78
Mesosphere extends
from 50 km to about 85 km
79
where does the Mesosphere reach to
the Mesopause
80
in the mesosphere, temp ______ with height
decreases
81
how does the mesosphere warm
from CONTACT with the stratosphere (below it) - the absorption of ozone layer
82
the top of the atmosphere
thermosphere
83
thermosphere extends
has NO upper bounary
84
in the thermosphere, temp _____ with height
increases
85
how is the thermosphere warmed
heated from ABOVE by absorbing the shortest wavelengths of solar radiation
86
true or false
the thermosphere has very little mass and density
true - about 0.01% mass of atmosphere
87
what is the layer of electrically charged particles in the meso and thermosphere
Ionosphere
88
what do interactions with subatomic solar particles cause in the Ionosphere
1. aurora borealis (norther lights)
2. aurora australis (southern lights)
89
the chemical composition of the atmosphere is composed of both
1. constant gases
2. variable gases
90
examples of constant gases
1. nitrogen
2. oxygen
3. argon
91
examples of variable gases
1. water vapour
2. carbon dioxide
3. methane
92
constant gases are
gases whose concentrations remain the same on century timscales
93
constant gases have a _____ residence time
large
94
what chemical composition does this describe
well mixed horizontally and vertically to a height of 80 km
constant gases
95
variable gases
have concentrations that vary over time and space
96
variable gases have ____ residence time
small
97
what chemical composition is this
reactive and with small reservoirs
variable gases
98
which chemical composition is variable based on human life
variable gases
99
residence time
average amount of time that a substance might be expected to remain in the atmosphere or any of the other spheres of the Earth-atmosphere system
100
what is the atmosphere a reservoir composed of
1. sources
2. sinks
101
sources are ______ to a reservoir
inputs (increase)
102
sinks are ______ to a reservoir
outputs (decrease)
103
what constant gases have a LONG residence time
nitrogen and oxygen
104
nitrogen residence time
1600 000 years
105
oxygen residence time
3000 to 4000 years
106
GHG is a gas
in an atmosphere that absorbs and emits radiation within thermal infrared range
107
what do GHG result in
the greenhouse effect
108
greenhouse effect
process where thermal radiation from Earth's surface is absorbed by atmospheric GHG and is re-radiated in all directions
109
what is the result of the Greenhouse Effect
Earth keeps in heat
110
GHG are more _____ gases
variable
111
why is Venus hotter than Earth
More radiation is absorbed by Earth, but the higher CO2 levels keep Venus warmer
112
why is Mars colder than Earth
it has a very low atmosphere pressure means it has little ability to hold heat in despite having high CO2 levels
113
Nitrogen sink from the atmosphere
nitrogen fixation
114
nitrogen fixation
the conversion of nitrogen into forms that organisms can use (by bacteria and lightning)
115
nitrogen source
denitrification
116
denitrification
bacteria converts fixed nitrogen into N2 or N2O
117
oxygen Source
photosynthesis
118
oxygen sinks
1. respiration or anaerobic decomposition
119
how does carbon occur in the atmosphere
naturally as part of Earth's carbon cycle
120
true or false
CO2 is important to global temperatures
true
121
the present percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere is _____
small
122
how are past atmospheres studied
ice cores and the bubbles that are trapped within them
123
the present levels of atmospheric CO2 are ____ than any point in the past _____ years
higher AND 800 000
124
what has caused the atmospheric CO2 levels to increase
human activities
125
what is a by-product of civilization
CO2
126
when did humanity start to alter the CO2 levels in the atmosphere
with the start of the industrial revolution
127
true or false
the increase in atmospheric CO2 is decelerating
FALSE, its accelerating
128
what is a greenhouse gas linked to BOTH organic and inorganic processes
Carbon dioxide
129
sources of carbon dioxide
1. respiration
2. decomposition
3. combustion
130
sinks of carbon dioxide
1. photosynthesis
2. atmosphere-ocean exchange
3. burial of organic carbon
131
what has more energy inorganic or organic matter
organic compounds
132
true or false
carbon dioxide keeps heat very well
true
133
true or false
CO2 cannot dissolve in water
FALSE, it can
134
as water temps rise, ______ amount of carbon is removed from atmosphere
decreased
135
when is the CO2 concentrations the lowest
summer - plants can remove more CO2
136
when are CO2 concentrations higher
winter - less plants to remove CO2
137
temporal CO2 increases due to
human activities
138
true or false
CO2 is going into the atmosphere faster tan it ever has before
TRUE
139
what organic methods bring CO2 into the ATMOSPHERE
respiration
decomposition
weathering of rocks that have organic carbon
140
what are organic methods that bring CO2 OUT of the atmosphere
photosynthesis
organic carbon burial
141
what inorganic methods bring CO2 INTO the atmosphere
1. volcanism
2. atmosphere-ocean exchange
142
what inorganic methods bring CO2 OUT of the atmosphere
weathering of silicate rocks
carbonate sediments
atmosphere-ocean exchange
143
the hydrologic cycle involves _____ changes
phase and NOT chemical
144
water vapour source
evaporation
145
water vapour sink
condensation
146
true or false
water vapour is a powerful GH gas
true
147
what contributes to double the warming of CO2
water vapour
148
what balances the amount of heat retained in the earth
water, ice, and clouds as they affect the Earth's reflectivity
149
what separates water vapour from carbon dioxide
their resonance time
150
three primary roles of ozone
1. absorb ultraviolet radiation from the sun
2. absorb Earth's longwave radiation
3. it is a pollutant
151
true or false
Ozone protects life on Earth from harmful radiation
true
152
true or false
ozone is a greenhouse gas
true
153
true or false
ozone is a pollutant
true
154
CFC means what
chlorofluorocarbons
155
what is the impact of CFC
it was creating huge holes in the ozone layer
156
the longer wavelengths of UVA are
not absorbed by ozone
157
UVA makes up _____ of all UV radiation that reaches Earth
95%
158
_____ is absorbed ONLY by the ozone
UVB
159
did Mars, Venus and Earth ALWAYS have atmospheres
NO, they formed later
160
the primitive atmosphere had two probable sources
1. outgassing (release of gasses dissolved in rock)
2. comets and asteroids
161
atmospheric thining
when water vapour was lost from atmosphere as it was condensed into liquid water (oceans)
162
true or false
carbon dioxide was removed slowly from primitive atmosphere
true
163
when did oxygen start to increase in the atmosphere
2 billion years ago
164
around 4 billion years ago ____ began to increase in the atmosphere
N2
165
around 4 billion years ago ____ began to decrease in the atmosphere
CO2
166
when did photosynthesis roughly begin
3.5 billion years ago in aquatic environments (oceans)
167
when did oxygen begin to accumulate in the air
roughly 2 billion years ago
168
are greenhouse gases abundant in the atmosphere
NO (not the main makeup of the atmosphere)
169
are greenhouse gases bad
NOT in small quantities (without the world would have no liquid water)
170
are greenhouse gases natural
yes (added to the atmosphere through natural means WITHOUT people)
171
true or false
Greenhouse gases have something to do with the sun and solar radiation
FALSE - only relates to TERRESTRIAL radiation
172
what percent of the atmosphere is nitrogen
78%
173
what percent of the atmosphere is oxygen
21%
174
what percent of the atmosphere is Aragon
1%
175
Why is it hard to breathe as you increase your elevation
with each breath you consume less oxygen because the particles are spread out the higher you go
176
where are pressure and density the heaviest
at the BOTTOM of the atmosphere
