Troposphere:
Troposphere Layer closest to the surface Layer we live in Most dense of all the layers All weather happens in troposphere Clouds Airplanes Gets cooler with increasing altitude Temps stop dropping at the top of the troposphere – called tropopause
Stratosphere:
Stratosphere Above troposphere Gets warmer with increasing altitude Contains ozone (O 3 ) 3 oxygen atoms bonded together Absorbs ultraviolet energy from the sun UV rays cause skin cancer Very little water vapor
Slide 6:
CFC’s (chlorofluorocarbons)
Mesosphere and Thermosphere:
Mesosphere and Thermosphere Temps fall in mesosphere (nothing to absorb solar energy) Temps rise in thermosphere (oxygen absorbs solar radiation) Despite the high temperature, this layer of the atmosphere would still feel very cold to our skin because of the extremely thin air. The total amount of energy from the very few molecules in this layer is not sufficient enough to heat our skin. Gas molecules (N 2 and O 2 ) are very far apart Aurora borealis (Northern Lights)
Ionosphere:
Ionosphere the ionosphere is made of electrically charged gas particles it changes in density from daytime to nighttime . It is more dense during the daytime . At night, it decreases in density the ionosphere has the important quality of bouncing radio signals transmitted from the earth . It’s why places all over the world can be reached via radio.
What’s in the Air?:
What’s in the Air? The most abundant gasses found in our atmosphere are nitrogen and oxygen . Nitrogen makes up around 78% of the total atmosphere Oxygen makes up 21%. The remaining 1% is made up mostly of trace amounts of other gases, such as argon , water vapor , carbon dioxide , as well as other gases.
Temperature Inversion:
Temperature Inversion How do surface temperature inversions form? The most common manner in which surface inversions form is through the cooling of the air near the ground at night. Once the sun goes down, the ground loses heat very quickly, and this cools the air that is in contact with the ground. How do inversions impact air quality? Surface temperature inversions play a major role in air quality, especially during the winter when these inversions are the strongest. The warm air above cooler air acts like a lid, trapping pollutants from vehicles, fireplaces, and industry that are emitted into the air.