Atmosphere and Climate Change

Atmosphere and Climate Change

Weather and Climate

• Weather is the state of the atmosphere at a particular place at a particular moment. (Short-term)

• Climate is the long-term weather conditions.

• Example: Picture Seattle, Washington and Phoenix, Arizona - These two cities may have the same WEATHER (rainy) on one day but their climates are much different.

• Seattle, Washington Climate: cool and moist

• Phoenix, Arizona Climate: hot and dry

Greenhouse Gases

• HERE ARE THE FIVE MAJOR GREENHOUSE GASES!!!!

• Carbon Dioxide- burning fossil fuels

• Methane- Cattle, coal-mines

• Water Vapor- formed from evaporation

• CFCs- BAD BAD BAD!! Chlorofluorocarbons (No longer used, HURTS our ozone layer!)

• Nitrous Oxide- Burning organic material / burning fuels in industries

Look at the chart...

What is the main greenhouse gas being emitted into our atmosphere?

The Greenhouse Effect

• Earth is similar to a greenhouse

• The Earth's atmosphere acts like the glass in the atmosphere

• Sunlight streams through the atmosphere and heats the Earth.

• As this heat radiates up from Earth's surface, some of it escapes into space.

• The rest of the heat is absorbed by gases in the troposphere and warms the air.

Multiple Choice

What is the main greenhouse gas being emitted into our atmosphere based on the previous graph?

• Nitrous Oxide

• Carbon Dioxide

• Water Vapor

• CFCs

Copy and paste the following link and watch the video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5sg9sCOXFIk

Open Ended

Name two facts about two DIFFERENT layers of the atmosphere that the previous video named.

Be specific!

Troposphere

• The first layer of the atmosphere

• The lowest layer to Earth

• Weather occurs in the troposphere

• This layer contains the air we breathe

Stratosphere

• Contains the ozone layer (ozone layer helps protect us from harmful UV rays)

• This is where planes fly

• Calm and stable layer

• The second layer of the atmosphere

Mesosphere

• The third layer of the atmosphere

• This is the coldest layer

• Commonly, meteors burn here!

Thermosphere

• The fourth layer from Earth

• The air is very thin here

• Temperatures get extremely hot here

• Contains the ionosphere (where atoms are ionized)

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

• Troposphere

Ozone Layer

• A thin part of Earth's atmosphere

• The ozone layer absorbs almost all of the sun's harmful UV rays (ultraviolet radiation)

• Ultraviolet light is harmful to organisms because it can damage the genetic material in living cells.

• Located in the stratosphere and is HIGHLY concentrated

• This is a shield and acts like sunscreen for Earth :)

Open Ended

In two sentences describe what the ozone layer is and why it is helpful.