4 PICS

1 WORD
 A U R O R A
B O R E A L I S
W E A T H E R
M E T E O R I T E
S A T E L L I T E
 LAYERS
OF THE
ATMOSPHERE
 LAYERS OF THE ATMOSPHERE BASED
ON ITS TEMPERATURE

1. Troposphere
2. Stratosphere
3. Mesosphere
4. Thermosphere and Ionosphere
5. Exosphere
6. Magnetosphere
TROPOSPHERE
 TROPOSPHERE
• Lowest part of the atmosphere – closest to the Earth’s surface
• Temperature gets colder as the distance above the earth increases, by
about 6.5°C per kilometer
• Contains about 75% of all of the air in the atmosphere, and almost all
of the water vapor – Weather occurs in this layer
• The decrease in temperature with height is a result of the decreasing
pressure.
• Boundary Layer - lowest part of the troposphere; where the air motion
is determined by the properties of the earth's surface
• Tropopause - top of the troposphere
STRATOSPHERE
 STRATOSPHERE
• Extends upwards from the tropopause to about 50 km
• Contains much of the ozone in the atmosphere
• Many aircraft fly in this stratosphere because the air is very stable.
• Increase in temperature with height occurs because of absorption
of ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun by this ozone
• Temperatures in the stratosphere are highest over the summer
pole and lowest over the winter pole
• By absorbing dangerous UV radiation, the ozone in the
stratosphere protects us from skin cancer and other health
damage
MESOSPHERE
 MESOSPHERE
• Region above the stratosphere
• The temperature again decreases with height,
reaching a minimum of about -90°C at the
”Mesopause"
• Meteors or rock fragments burn up in the atmosphere
THERMOSPHERE
AND
IONOSPHERE
 THERMOSPHERE AND
IONOSPHERE
• Thermosphere lies above the mesopause
• Temperatures increase with height; temperature of the thermosphere
varies between night and day and between the seasons, as do the
numbers of ions and electrons which are present
• Region of the atmosphere above about 80 km is called the
”Ionosphere", the energetic solar radiation knocks electrons off
molecules and atoms, turning them into "ions" with a positive charge
 THERMOSPHERE AND
IONOSPHERE
• The Ionosphere reflects and absorbs radio waves, allowing
us to receive shortwave radio broadcasts
• Space shuttles fly in this area and it is also where the
auroras are fond
• Auroras are caused when the solar wind strikes gases in the
atmosphere above the Poles.
EXOSPHERE
 EXOSPHERE
• Region above about 500 km
• Contains mainly oxygen and hydrogen atoms but
there are so few of them that they rarely collide
• This layer of the atmosphere merges into space
• Satellites are stationed in this area, 500 km to 1000
km from Earth.
MAGNETOSPHERE
 MAGNETOSPHERE

• Outer region surrounding the earth, where charged

particles spiral along the magnetic field lines
HUMAN ACTIVITIES
WHICH AFFECT
THE ATMOSPHERE
 DEPLETED OZONE LAYER
The ozone layer, a protective covering of the
atmosphere, helps to block ultraviolet radiation. In May of
1985, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey discovered
that something was destroying ozone molecules above
Antarctica. Study of the problem traced the destruction to
chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting chemicals, and
in 1987, countries around the world signed the Montreal
Protocol to discontinue the use of CFCs. CFCs include
chemicals typically found in aerosol sprays, in refrigerants
used in air conditioners and in blowing agents for foam and
other packing materials.
 AIR POLLUTION
Humans also affect the atmosphere locally through
air pollution. Compounds released by fossil fuel
combustion often create ozone molecules at the
ground level. This poses a threat to people with
breathing difficulties, and can damage the lungs with
long-term exposure.
 LONG-TERM EFFECTS
Even after banning certain chemicals or cleaning up the air, it
will take some time for the atmosphere to heal. Even though CFCs
were banned in the U.S. in 1985, their molecules live a long time
in the atmosphere. The British Antarctic Survey estimates that the
hole in the ozone layer may take as many as 50 years to
disappear, provided no new threats to the ozone come into play.
In the same way, the Earth’s ecosystem re-absorbs carbon
dioxide from the atmosphere very slowly, which means that even
stabilizing CO2 output levels may not be enough to prevent major
atmospheric changes.
 GREENHOUSE GASES

Greenhouse gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, contribute

to the greenhouse effect, which causes the atmosphere to trap heat,
making temperatures rise in the oceans and on the planet.
According to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration, the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
have increased by 38 percent since 1750, while methane concentrations
have gone up 148 percent during the same period. Most scientists
attribute this increase to the widespread combustion of fossil fuels.
GREENHOUSE
EFFECT
HOW DOES THE ENERGY
FROM THE SUN
ENTER THE ATMOSPHERE?
 RADIANT ENERGY
The sun emits many forms of electromagnetic
radiation in varying quantities. The transfer of energy
from the sun across nearly empty space (remember
that space is a vacuum) is accomplished primarily by
radiation. Radiation is the transfer of energy by
electromagnetic wave motion.
FIRST STOP: EARTH’S
ATMOSPHERE
• Once the sun’s energy reaches earth, it is
intercepted first by the atmosphere. A small part
of the sun’s energy is directly absorbed,
particularly by certain gases such as ozone and
water vapor.
• Some of the sun’s energy is reflected back to
space by clouds and the earth’s surface.
• Most of the radiation, however, is absorbed by
the earth’s surface. When the radiation is
absorbed by a substance, the atoms in the
substance move faster and the substance
becomes warm to the touch. The absorbed
energy is transformed into heat energy. This
heat energy plays an important role in
regulating the temperature of the earth’s crust,
surface waters, and lower atmosphere.
• Every surface on earth absorbs and reflects
energy at varying degrees, based on its color
and texture. Dark-colored objects absorb more
visible radiation; light-colored objects reflect
more visible radiation. Shiny or smooth objects
reflect more, while dull or rough objects absorb
more. Differences in reflection impact
temperature, weather, and climate.
REFLECT
OR
ABSORB?
• Scientists use the term albedo to describe the percentage of solar
radiation reflected back into space by an object or surface.
• A perfectly black surface has an albedo of 0 (all radiation is absorbed).
A perfectly white surface has an albedo of 1.0 (all radiation is reflected).
• Different features of earth (such as snow, ice, tundra, ocean, and
clouds) have different albedos. For example, land and ocean have low
albedos (typically from 0.1 to 0.4) and absorb more energy than they
reflect. Snow, ice, and clouds have high albedos (typically from 0.7 to
0.9) and reflect more energy than they absorb.
• Earth’s average albedo is about 0.3. In other words, about 30 percent
of incoming solar radiation is reflected back into space and 70 percent
is absorbed.
EARTH’S RADIATION
BUDGET
 Earth’s radiation budget is a concept that helps us
understand how much energy earth receives from the
Sun, and how much energy earth radiates back to outer
space.

Changes in the earth’s crust such as glaciation,

deforestation, and polar ice melting alter the quantity
and wavelength of electromagnetic absorption and
reflection at the earth’s surface.
 ICE, CLIMATE CHANGE,
AND THE
EARTH’S ENERGY BUDGET
 Ice affects the entire earth system in a variety of
ways. In the ocean and at the land-sea boundary, ice
prevents relatively warm ocean water from
evaporating, transferring heat to the colder atmosphere
and thereby increasing global air temperature.
Ice also reflects sunlight, thus preventing additional
heat from being absorbed by water or land. The ice-
covered polar regions are colder than other places on
earth, due in part to the high albedo of the snow and
ice cover.
 As earth’s climate warms, ice in the form of glaciers and sea ice
has decreased dramatically. Data generated from satellites that
monitor the formation of polar sea ice indicate that both coverage
and thickness have decreased over the past three decades.
Recent studies show that the world’s highest glaciers (in the
Himalayas) are receding at an average rate of 10 to 15 meters (33
to 49 feet) per year. A study released in June 2008 indicates that
Arctic sea ice extent shrank to a record low in the summer of
2007.
The decreasing extent of ice in the polar regions (in
particular, the sea ice of the Arctic) is part of a positive feedback
loop that can accelerate climate change. Warmer temperatures
melt snow and ice, which decreases earth’s albedo, causing
further warming and more melting.
ACTIVITY
• Form a group of 6 members and compose a jingle
to be performed in front of the class about the
effects and possible solution on the problem about
Greenhouse gases.
Rubric
Content 50%
Creativity 25%
Musicality 25%
TOTAL 100%