Atmosphere & Pollution Flashcards
(32 cards)
What are 2 types of barometers?
What are the main differences between them?
Mercury and Aneroid
Mercury use a liquid to indicate changes in air pressure & aneroid do not
How are Mass & Air Pressure related?
If there is more mass in a given volume of air, it will exert greater air pressure
How are Mass and density related?
If there is more mass in a given volume of air, then the density is greater
How do barometers work: why must there be a near vacuum inside the tube of a mercury barometer?
So that there is little air pressure inside the tube and the mercury can rise inside the tube
Density
The amount of mass of a substance in a given volume
Pressure
The amount of force pushing on an area
Air Pressure
The pressure caused by the weight of a column of air pushing down on an area
Barometer
An instrument used to measure changes in air pressure
Aneroid Barometer
Measures changes in air pressure without using a liquid
Altitude
Elevation above sea level
Troposphere
The lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere.
Rain, snow & storms occur
Stratosphere
The second lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. Contains the Ozone Layer.
This layer protects Earth from meteors
Mesosphere
The third lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. It is immediately above the Stratosphere. It is where most meteoroids burn up
Thermosphere
The outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere. It begins 80 km above the surface and extends to about 400 km.
It’s divided into 2 layers: Ionosphere & Exosphere
Ionosphere:
Define, plus 3 facts
The lower part of the Thermosphere.
- The Aurora Borealis occurs here.
- Radio waves bounce off the ions and back to Earth’s surface.
- Ions form in this layer
Exosphere
Outer portion of the Thermosphere. It extends from 400 km outwards for thousands of km’s
Ozone (Layer)
Protects earth from Ultraviolet radiation from the sun. Converts the energy from the sun into heat.
Ozone
A form of oxygen that has 3 oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of the usual 2.
Formed when lighting interacts with oxygen in the air
Nitrogen
Most abundant gas in the atmosphere (3/4 of the air we breathe). Each molecule consists of 2 nitrogen atoms
Oxygen
Second most abundant gas in the atmosphere (makes up less than 1/4 of the volume).
Plants and animals take oxygen directly from the air and use it to release energy from their food
Compare the Stratosphere & the Mesosphere:
In the Mesosphere the temperature drops as altitude increases
In the Stratosphere temperature generally increases as altitude increases
Why is the Mesosphere colder than the Stratosphere?
It contains few ozone molecules to absorb solar radiation
Why is the Thermosphere very hot?
The sun strikes this layer first
Characteristics of the Thermosphere:
What do you notice about the point where each layer begins?
It is near the point where the direction of temperature change levels off or reverses
