Unit 12: The Atmosphere

killer smog caused by temperature inversion

the thin layer of gasses surrounding Earth; 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen

ratio of water vapor that the air contains to the maximum amount it can hold

force exerted by air on the area below it; decreases with altitude and storms; measured using Barometer

measures air pressure

1. Troposphere

2. Stratosphere

3. Mesosphere

4. Thermosphere

humans live here; weather; movement of air; heat is transferred

ozone layer; absorbs and scatters UV rays

meteoroids burn up

disturbances produce aurora borealis (Northern lights)

heat transfer

radiation, convection, conduction

transfer of energy through space ex. heat coming off stove

transfer of heat directly between 2 objects that are in contact ex. stove makes pan hot

transfer of heat by the movement of currents within a fluid; plays role in climate systems ex. boiling water in a pot

less dense than cool air and rises

air near the surface of Earth heats up, rises, then cools and sinks which generate currents

wind and heat to move throughout the atmosphere creating weather patterns

large bodies of air with similar properties

boundaries between air masses that differ in temp and moisture

warm air pushes up, cold is at bottom; light rain

cold air pushing against warm air; blizzards/snow/tornados; heavy rain

natural and human

release of damaging material into the air

windblown dust, particles in volcanic eruptions, smoke and soot from fire

burning fossil fuels (directly or indirectly) ex. vehicles and factories

carbon containing fuel made from the remains of living things; greatest source of air pollution; create emissions ex. gas, coal

substance released into atmosphere ex. soot, smoke, sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide

primary and secondary

released directly into the atmosphere ex. soot, forest fire

formed when primary pollutants react chemically with other substances ex. sulfuric acid, tropospheric ozone

o Lung irritation and respiratory illnesses ex. asthma o Carbon monoxide interferes with body's ability to deliver oxygen to cells o Trace amounts of some may contribute to cancer ex. benzene, soot

does not allow oxygen to bind to hemoglobin

an unhealthy mix of air pollutants that forms over cities; combination of the word "smoke" and "fog"

comes from industrial sources; grey ex. soot, sulfur, water vapor

mostly in tropospheric ozone created when primary pollutants from vehicle exhaust react to sunlight; yellow

normally pollutants are carried up with warm air, but with a temperature inversion, the warm air sits over cool air, trapping the pollutants near Earth's surface

acid falls as particles, or dissolves in precipitation, lowering the pH of the precipitation (rain, sleet, or snow); harms forest and lakes and damages human structures

label primary and secondary pollutants

below 7

sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are primary pollutants that react with water, oxygen, and other chemicals

After being revised several times, it protects us by improving air quality through: o Limits on emissions of pollutants o Setting standards for air quality o Suing industries that break the rules o Providing funding for pollution control

o Catalytic converters (present in all cars since 1975) have reduced vehicle emissions o Lead has been phased out of gasoline o Industries and power plants have reduced releases of pollutants by using scrubbers

remove or alter chemicals before they leave factory smokestacks

pollutant in the troposphere BUT in the stratosphere it creates a protective barrier against UV radiation

chemicals found in everything from aerosol cans to refrigerators; destroyed ozone causing an "ozone hole" to form over Antarctica

allows more UV radiation to reach Earth's surface potentially increasing cases of skin cancer; in Antartica

cutting CFC production (Montreal Protocol)

international treaty signed in 1987 that has cut CFC production by 95% since the 1980s

ozone levels in the stratosphere have begun to stabilize and the hole will likely start to disappear