The Atmosphere

Unit 3

Origin of Modern Atmosphere

original atmosphere surrounded the homogenous planet
Earth and probably was composed of H and He
second atmosphere evolved from gases from molten Earth
H2O, CO2, SO2, CO, S2, Cl2, N2, H2, NH3, and CH4
allowed formation of oceans and earliest life

modern Atmosphere
evolved after Cyanobacteria started photosynthesizing
oxygen produced did not reach modern levels until about 400
million years ago

www.degginger.com/digitalpage.html

 compared to the size of the Earth (104 km),

the atmosphere is a thin shell (120 km).

Composition
Nitrogen (N2, 78%)
Oxygen (O2, 21%)
myriad of other very
influential
components are also
present which
include the Argon ,Water ,Ozone, Carbon Dioxide
.

Atmosphere
Layers

Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere

Troposphere
8 km (at poles) to 16 (at equator) kilometers high
density decrease with altitude;
80% of total mass of atmosphere is in troposphere;
the temperature drops from about with altitude (6.5
degrees Celsius/km of altitude);
temperature stop decreasing at tropopause (area between
troposphere and stratosphere);
jet stream located just below the tropopause.
almost all weather is in this region; contains most of the
water vapor.

Stratosphere
extends to 50 kilometers (31 miles) high
dry and less dense
temperature in this region increases gradually
due to the absorption of ultraviolet radiation
ozone layer absorbs and scatters the solar
ultraviolet radiation
ninety-nine percent of "air" is located in first
two layers
every 1000-m 11% less air pressure

Electromagnetic Spectrum
UV Light is one form of energy the Earth receives from the sun. UV has a
shorter wavelength than visible, and is energetic enough to cause sun
burns, skin cancer and other problems.

http://www.badgerbalm.com/uploads/images/electromangetic-spectrum-uv.JPG

UVC, the ultraviolet light with the shortest

wavelength is completely removed by ozone. Most
of UVB (the second most energetic) is absorbed.

http://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/education/resources/highschool/chemmatters/past-issues/archive-2012-2013/ozone-layer-ourglobal-sunscreen/_jcr_content/mainContent/columnsbootstrap/column0/textimage_0/image.img.jpg/1368218980203.jpg

Without the
ozone layer, life
on Earth would
not survive.

http://irons.conroeisd.net/Teachers/apell/0F73BE42-00870B2F.3/UV%2520rays.gif?src=.gif?src=.BMP

Mesosphere
- The mesosphere extends from the stratopause at
about 50km to 90km.
- Temperature decreases with height in the
mesosphere.

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Thermosphere
- Above 90km;
-atmosphere is very thin;
-temperature can reach 1000 degrees Celsius ;
-lower level Thermosphere contains heavier gasses
(nitrogen);
-higher level has lighter gasses (oxygen);
-between 90 and 500 km above Earth, atmosphere
is ionized (ions form when UV radiation from sun
remove electrons from O2 and N2 );
-at poles, the ionized particles interact with air
molecules and form auroras (colorful display of light
in the nighttime sky).
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Heat transfer in the atmosphere

Radiation=the transfer
of energy through the
space; doesn require a
medium;
Conduction=the transfer
of heat through collision
of the atoms or molecules
of a substance.
Convection=the transfer
of heat energy in a liquid
or gas through the motion
of the liquid or the gas

Heat energy enters and moves in the atmosphere

in three ways: radiation, conduction and
convection

Earths Energy Budget

Earths energy budget = overall flow of energy into and out of the
atmosphere.
Heat budget in balance= temperatures remain constant over time.
a small percentage of the insolation (incoming solar radiation) is
absorbed by the atmosphere
most of the atmospheres energy is transferred from the surface by
radiation, conduction and evaporation and condensation of water.
half of the insolation reaches the Earths surface but is radiated
back into atmosphere as infrared radiation
infrared radiation is absorbed by gases in the atmosphere =
greenhouse effect

Albedo: A Measure of How Well a

Surface Reflects Light

http://scienceblogs.com/startswithabang/files/2013/08/Albedo-1.jpg

What happens to the Earths energy

budget as polar ice caps shrink?

http://www.nrdc.org/globalwarming/images/qthinice1.jpg

Review
answer all questions in your binder

What are the gases that make up the atmosphere?

List and describe the layers of the atmosphere;

Describe three ways heat is transferred in the atmosphere;

Why does temperature generally decrease with altitude in the troposphere?
Compare the temperature changes in the stratosphere with those in the thermosphere. Include
the role of ozone in your explanation.
What is Earths energy budget?
Describe at least two paths that a unit of energy could take from its arrival at Earths
atmosphere until is reradiated out to space.