Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Chapter 7 - Atmosphere & Space - JD
Chapter 7 - Atmosphere & Space - JD
Chapter 7
ST
EST
AST
SE
Atmosphere
ST
EST
AST
SE
Composition of the atmosphere
ST
EST
AST
SE
ST
EST
AST
SE
The Earth’s atmosphere consists of 5 layers:
Troposphere:
•Located 0-15 km above the surface.
•Cloud formations and storms occur here.
•The higher the altitude, the lower the temperature.
With every 1000 m of altitude, the temperature drops
6.5ºC.
ST
EST
AST
SE
Stratosphere:
•Located 15-50 km above the surface.
•Contains the ozone layer (UV protection).
•Temperatures rise with altitude because of ozone.
•Air particles become increasing rare with increasing altitudes.
Mesosphere:
•Located 50-80 km above the surface.
•The coldest layer of the atmosphere. The outer layer is -80 ºC.
•It contains very few air particles. A human would suffocate
within minutes.
ST
EST
AST
SE
Stratosphere:
•Located 80-500 km above the surface.
•This layer absorbs most of the sun’s rays.
•It is the hottest layer (1800 ºC in outer layer).
•Celestial bodies (meteors) burn up quickly leaving a visible
trail (shooting stars).
•Aurora Borealis (North pole) and Aurora Australis (South
pole) occur here. (Northern and southern lights).
Exosphere:
•Located 500 km or more above the surface.
•Very few air particles present.
•Impossible to gauge temperature with a thermometer.
•Telecommunication satellites travel in this layer
ST
EST
AST
SE
ST
EST
AST
SE
Atmospheric Pressure
ST
EST
AST
SE
Factors affecting Atmospheric pressure:
ST
EST
AST
SE
Coriolis Effect
Instead of the air traveling in a straight line to the poles,
it is redirected due to the rotation of the Earth.
Hadley cell – Warm air over the equator rises and cools
as it travels North to the 30th parallel. It runs into the
winds from the Ferrel cell, descends and returns to the
equator.
Ferrel cell – Follows a similar pattern from the 30th parallel
to the 60th parallel, where it runs into wind from the Polar
cell, descends and returns to the 30th parallel.
EST
SE
Prevailing winds (continued):
•Polar Easterlies from the pole to the 60th.
•Westerlies between the 30th and 60th.
•Easterly winds between the 30th and the equator.
Our prevailing winds are Westerlies which is why our
weather systems move West to East. Also, our local wind
can shift directions due to high and low pressure systems.
ST
EST
AST
Front
•The line where warm and cold air masses meet.
•It is a transition zone where wind direction, temperature and
relative humidity change rapidly.
•When the two air masses meet, the cold denser air slides
under the lighter warmer air.
ST
EST
AST
Cold front
•It occurs when a mass of cold air moves towards a mass of
warm air
•The warms air rises, cools and condenses to form cumulus
clouds.
•This is often accompanied by wind and heavy rain.
•It is represented on the weather map by a row of blue
triangles.
ST
EST
AST
Warm front
•It occurs when a mass of warm air moves toward a mass of
cold air.
•The warm air gently rises above the cold air creating
stratified layers of light clouds called nimbostratus.
•Tend to bring cloudy weather and showers.
•Tend to move slower and thus last longer than cold fronts.
ST
EST
AST
Most air masses move horizontally. Vertical movement
also occurs and is responsible for anticylones and
depressions.
Anticyclone
•When air cools, particles move closer together. The denser
sinks toward the ground, compressing the particles beneath
it.
•This creates an area of high pressure.
•It is symbolized by an H on the weather charts.
•The air turns clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and
counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
•Associated weather is dry and sunny in the summer and
cold in the winter.
ST
EST
AST
Depression
•When air warms, it becomes less dense and rises,
leaving an empty space beneath it.This creates an area of
low pressure.
•It is symbolized by an L on the weather charts.
•The air turns counterclockwise in the Northern
Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
•Associated weather is cloud formation and precipitation.
ST
EST
AST
Cyclones (Hurricanes and Typhoons)
•When a depression forms over the warm waters of
tropical oceans.
•Can be 800 km in diameter and wind speeds up to
360 km/hr.
•These storms are called cyclones, hurricanes
(Atlantic ocean) or typhoons (Pacific Ocean).
•These can be powerful enough to cause floods and
landslides, uproot trees, shatter windows and tear
roofs off buildings.
ST
EST
AST
Hurricanes are categorized by their sustained wind speeds:
Category Five: Sustained winds greater than 155 mph (249 km/hr).
Extra
Greenhouse Effect
1. Most of the sun’s rays that reach the Earth’s surface
are absorbed by the ground.
2. Once heated, the ground emits infrared rays into the
atmosphere.
3. Some rays pass through the atmosphere and
continue into space. Others are trapped by
“greenhouse gases” and sent back to Earth, further
heating its surface.
ST
EST
SE
Contamination Of The Atmosphere
EST
SE
Smog
EST
SE
EST
SE
Energy Resources
Alternatives to fossil fuels, hydro and nuclear power:
1. Wind energy
2. Solar energy
3. Tidal energy
ST
EST
AST
Wind energy
It is Renewable resource because it regenerates naturally
and in sufficient quantities, even as it is used.
Old idea: once used to grind grain.
ST
EST
AST
New application:
ST
EST
AST
Advantages
ST
EST
AST
Disadvantages
ST
EST
AST
Solar Radiation
The Sun
•It is a star composed of 75% hydrogen and 25% helium.
•At it’s core, its temperature is 15 million degrees Celcius.
•It is 150 million km from the Earth.
•Its energy takes 8 minutes to travel to the Earth.
•High temperatures cause nuclear reactions in the core to
produce its energy.
•http://www.energyquest.ca.gov/story/chapter13.html
ST
EST
AST
Solar energy
It travels to the Earth via electromagnetic waves.
Although solar radiation contains all of the waves in the
electromagnetic spectrum, only light, infrared rays (heat)
and some ultraviolet rays hit the Earth.
Electromagnetic Spectrum
ST
EST
AST
Due to the curvature of the Earth, tropical regions receive
more solar energy then the polar regions.
ST
EST
AST
Technologies
Passive heating systems
Designing houses with south-facing windows to allow the
Sun to heat the air. They also use materials like cement that
absorb energy and release it later.
Photovoltaic cells
When these cells (made of silicon) are hit by light, it causes
electrons to flow (electricity). These cells can be found on
houses, appliances (lights, calculators) and satelites
ST
EST
AST
Solar collectors
These are large glass panels that capture the sun’s rays and
heat copper pipes filled with water.
The heat stored in the pipes is used to heat air and water. (ex.
Home heating , pools..)
ST
EST
AST
Advantages
•Renewable energy source.
•No greenhouse gases produced.
•Energy option for areas with no electrical distribution
network, like the Far North or outer space.
Disadvantages
•Very expensive
•Amount of energy depends on the position of the sun and
the amount of cloud cover.
ST
EST
AST
The Earth-Moon System
Moon
•It is thought to have formed when the Earth was hit by an
enormous meteor. The pieces of the Earth reunited in space
to form the moon.
•Its diameter is 3476 km (1/4 the Earth’s diameter).
•It takes 27.3 days to rotate around the Earth.
•It also spins on its axis. It is why we always see the same
side of the moon.
ST
EST
AST
Tides
high
ST
EST
AST
When the Moon and Sun pull on the Earth’s water in then same
direction , Spring Tides result. Water levels will be at their
highest and lowest.
ST
EST
AST
Tidal energy
ST
EST
AST
Advantages
•It uses a renewable source of energy.
•It does not produce greenhouse gases.
•It is reliable because tides are easily predicted.
Disadvantages
•Building the plants are complex and costly.
•There are very few sites suitable. (Must have a tidal
range of at least 5 metres.)
ST
EST
AST
Tornadoes http://www.weatherwizkids.com/tornado.htm,
http://www.nssl.noaa.gov/edu/safety/tornadoguide.html
extra