1. Topic 6.1 Introduction to the atmosphere
Starter:
What is the atmosphere?
What is the composition of Earth’s atmosphere?
What inputs, outputs, storages and flows can you think of?

2. The atmosphere has not always been like this, both abiotic and biotic factors have caused huge fluctuations.
Abiotic factors such as temperature and precipitation.
Biotic factors such as plants and animals.
Clues from:
Sediments
Fossils
Gas trapped in ice
Looking at other planets
Evolution of algae caused an increase in oxygen (there was no free oxygen before this).

3. The layers of the atmosphere

4. Greenhouse effect makes the planet habitable

5. Humans are enhancing this, with dire consequences

6. Albedo effect of clouds
Albedo effect is to do with the amount of energy that a substance reflects or absorbs.
Linked to how white an object it.
Clouds reflect and absorb a lot of solar energy.
They also trap heat below them depending on how thick and high they are.
You may have noticed that cloudy nights are usually a lot warmer than cloudless ones. If global temperature increase then there is more evaporation and more cloud formation. This will cause more reflection and therefore temperature will drop again.
Could this just be another example of the Earth righting itself? (Gaia hypothesis)