1. Atmosphere and the Big Four Systems of Our Earth See your
Atmosphere Guided Notes.

2. Composition of Earth
Earth has 4 interactive systems:

3. The Atmosphere– layer of gas that surrounds Earth, more commonly known as air.

4. Atmosphere. How do you know it’s there?
Is this air that surrounds us considered to be matter? Does it weigh anything? How do you know?
Think about it and decide on answers.
Talk in groups if assigned by teacher.
Be ready to tell the class what you decided and why.
Don’t start cooperative group work unless you know and follow group rules.
Any questions?

5. Weight of the atmosphere
Gases are in the atmosphere.
Their elements are listed in the periodic table: Nitrogen, Oxygen, Carbon Dioxide, Hydrogen
Air is matter!
Sound can travel through it.
It has volume and mass.

6. Even though you can’t see them, atoms make up gases.
Are some atoms bigger than others?
Are their atomic weights all the same?

7. Helium vs. Carbon Dioxide
Do you think of helium as light and floating or heavy and falling?
Do you think about Carbon Dioxide as light and floating or heavy and falling? Think about the gas released from dry ice--does it go up or down?

8. Composition of Earth’s Atmosphere
Mostly Nitrogen and Oxygen
Has layers
Protects us from meteors and comets, x-rays, gamma rays, ultra violet light
Water vapor is responsible for clouds and precipitation
Composition is almost constant EXCEPT for water (from 0 to 5% --not shown in the pie chart above)

9. Atmosphere (Exosphere)-- Thermosphere-- Mesosphere-- Stratosphere--
Troposphere

10. Composition of Earth’s atmosphere
The Atmosphere
layers
Exosphere
Thermosphere
Ionosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
What is below the
troposphere?
geosphere (solid Earth)
Exosphere

11. Where does the troposphere fit in?
Earth’s 4 main systems:
The Atmosphere
Troposphere
Contains most clouds and weather.
Temperature cools as you go higher; ~50% of sun’s energy enters, 50% is reflected back.
Most of the troposphere’s heat has bounced back from Earth (convection)
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
The Hydrosphere
The Biosphere
The Geosphere
Exosphere

12. Atmosphere (Exosphere) Thermosphere-- Mesosphere-- Stratosphere--
Troposphere--
Contains most clouds and weather.
Temperature cools as you go higher;
50% of sun’s energy passes through, 50% is reflected back.
Most of the troposphere’s heat is from Earth (convection)

13. Troposphere, Water, and Clouds
Among other gases, there is water vapor in the troposphere. The amount varies.
You cannot see water vapor.
Clouds form when air rises, cools to its dew point, and becomes saturated with water vapor.
Water changes state. Bits of liquid and solid water can remain suspended in air.

14. Precipitation-falling water in the form of rain, freezing rain, sleet, snow, or hail

15. So water changes state. Why does that matter so much?
Changing state:
Redistributes fresh water all over Earth
Causes much wind!
Models of these phenomena will be demonstrated now, if possible. Try to figure out how they represent Earth.

16. Water Cycle Demonstration (involves redistribution of water)

17. Water Vapor Demonstration (involves huge change in volume)

18. Earth’s Weather in the Troposphere
Weather—the atmosphere’s condition in terms of temperature, cloud cover, wind speed and direction, humidity, and air pressure.
What are different types of weather? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

19. Earth’s Weather in the Troposphere
Temperature—a measure of how fast air molecules are moving.
When molecules are moving rapidly, temperature is high.
Celsius and Fahrenheit thermometers measure air temperature.

20. Earth’s Weather in the Troposphere
What is the temperature like today?
Hot/ Cold ______________________
Degrees Fahrenheit_______________
Degrees Celsius _________________
Energy is transferred between fast-moving molecules and slower-moving molecules.

21. Earth’s Weather in the Troposphere
Energy is transferred by:
Conduction—transfer of energy when molecules collide.
Give an example of something heating up due to conduction.
Convection, which occurs when warm air rises and cool air sinks.
Give an example of something heating up due to convection.
Radiation—transfer of energy by waves or rays
Examples are light, microwaves, or heat.
Infrared radiation is heat.

22. Earth’s Weather in the Troposphere
Air pressure— the weight of air. Since air is a fluid, the weight pushes in all directions, not just down.
Air pressure varies from one place to another
Warmer air is less dense and exerts less pressure.
Cooler air is more dense and exerts more pressure.
Works just like other fluids, such as water.

23. Air Pressure Demonstration or Discussion —Write about what you learned.

24. Humidity— the amount of water vapor in the air
Temperature affects humidity

25. Dewpoint—when the air is holding as much water vapor as it can
Relative humidity— a measure of the amount of water vapor present compared to the amount that could be held at a specific temperature.

26. THAT WAS ALL ABOUT THE TROPOSPHERE!!!
Let’s cover the other layers briefly.
Go back up to the graphic organizer at the top of your guided notes and fill in information about each layer as we come to it.
Atmosphere
(Exosphere)
Thermosphere--
Mesosphere--
Stratosphere--
Troposphere

27. Altitude and temperature What does this mean?

28. Composition of Earth’s atmosphere
Earth Has 4 main systems that interact:
The Atmosphere
Troposphere
Stratosphere
10 km to 50 km
contains ozone (the ozone layer) that absorbs much of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Gets warmer as you go up!
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
The Hydrosphere
The Biosphere
The Geosphere

29. Atmosphere (Exosphere) Thermosphere-- Mesosphere-
Stratosphere--10 km to 50 km
Contains ozone, which absorbs much of Sun’s ultraviolet radiation. Gets warmer as you go up.
Troposphere--Contains most clouds and weather. Most of the troposphere’s heat is from Earth. Temperature cools about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer of altitude.

30. Composition of Earth’s atmosphere
Earth Has 4 main systems that interact:
The Atmosphere
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
50-85 km
The coldest part of the atmosphere (to -90°C)
Gets colder as you go up.
Thermosphere
The Hydrosphere
The Biosphere
The Geosphere

31. Atmosphere (Exosphere) Thermosphere--
Mesosphere km, The coldest part of the atmosphere (to -90°C)
Gets colder as altitude gets higher.
Stratosphere--10 km to 50 km , contains ozone that absorbs much of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Gets warmer as you go up.
Troposphere--Contains most clouds and weather. Most of the troposphere’s heat is from Earth Temperature cools about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer of altitude.

32. Composition of Earth’s atmosphere
Earth has 4 main interactive systems:
1. The Atmosphere
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere km
Temperatures increase up to 1,700°C
Filters out x-rays and gamma rays from the sun.
This is an image of the space shuttle as it is orbiting around the Earth. The space shuttle orbits in the thermosphere of the Earth.
2. The Hydrosphere
3. The Biosphere
4. The Geosphere

33. Atmosphere (Exosphere)
Thermosphere km, Temperatures increase up to 1,700°C.
Filters out x-rays and gamma rays from the sun.
The space shuttle orbits in the thermosphere.
Mesosphere--The temperature drops when you go higher, like it does in the troposphere. Coldest part of the atmosphere
Stratosphere--from 10 km to 50 km above Earth’s surface, this layer contains ozone that absorbs much of Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Troposphere--Contains most clouds and weather., Most of the troposphere’s heat is from Earth, Temperature cools about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer of altitude.

34. Thermosphere: Ionosphere
Ionosphere is the inner part of the thermosphere
a layer of electrically charged particles
This layer allows radio waves to travel across the country to another city.
ust.com/henley

35. Thermosphere: Exosphere
The outer part of the thermosphere
The last layer of the atmosphere
Difficult to tell where it stops and space begins
Very few atoms in this layer of the atmosphere
Temperature gets higher with higher altitude (e.g. 17,000 degrees C)
But if we could visit, it would not feel hot. Why is that?

36. Atmosphere
(Exosphere)-The outer part of the thermosphere. Difficult to tell where it stops and space begins, Very few atoms in this layer of the atmosphere. Higher altitude~higher temperature.
Thermosphere-- The air is really thin that high up. The temperature changes with the solar activity. If the sun is active, temperatures in the thermosphere can get up to 1,500°C or higher! High temperature, but would not feel hot if we could visit. (Why?)
Mesosphere--The temperature drops when you go higher, like it does in the troposphere. Coldest part of the atmosphere
Stratosphere--from 10 km to 50 km above Earth’s surface, this layer contains ozone that absorbs much of the Sun’s ultraviolet radiation.
Troposphere--Contains most clouds and weather., Most of the troposphere’s heat is from Earth, Temperature cools about 6.5 degrees Celsius per kilometer of altitude.
Ionosphere: the inner part of the thermosphere
a layer of electrically charged particles within the mesosphere and thermosphere
This layer allows radio waves to travel.

37. Any questions?