Topic 4 Lesson 1 Energy in Earth's Atmosphere

Topic 4 Lesson 1 Energy in Earth's Atmosphere

by Robert Bolomey

​Energy from the sun

• ​Energy on Earth starts from the sun

• ​it's energy reaches Earth through electromagnetic radiation

• ​electromagnetic waves consist of an electric field and a magnetic field

• ​electromagnetic waves is energy used in microwaves and televisions also

Multiple Choice

The sun's energy reaches Earth through _____

• electromagnetic radiation

• microwaves

• UV rays

• electromagnetic spectrum

​Sunlight and the Atmosphere

• ​to be affective the sun's energy must pass through Earth's atmosphere

• ​the atmosphere is divided into layers based on temperature

• ​each layer either reflects or absorbs energy from the sun

​Radiation in the Atmosphere

• ​Look at the diagram and notice the 4 layers of the atmosphere.

• ​Pay attention to what types of energy reach the troposphere (where we live).

• ​The answer to the old question "Why is the sky blue"?- gas molecules scatter the short wavelengths of blue and violet light more than the other colors.

Open Ended

Put the layers of the atmosphere in order from the closest to Earth to the farthest from Earth. Thermosphere, Stratosphere, Troposphere, Mesosphere

Open Ended

What do you think happens to the sun's energy that does reach Earth's surface?

​Earth's energy budget

• ​50% is absorbed and converted to heat

• ​25% reflected by clouds and gas particles

• ​20% is absorbed by gas and particles

• ​5% is reflected by the surface

• ​only a tiny fraction is used by plants to make food.

• ​the rest is absorbed or re-emitted into the atmosphere as infrared radiation.

• ​The energy absorbed and re-emitted is equal and stays balanced over time

Open Ended

Why doesn't all radiation reach Earth's surface?

Multiple Choice

Which of the following statements explains the energy budget on Earth?

• Most energy is made into food by plants.

• Earth's surface absorbs and re-emits equal amounts of energy.

• Earth's surface reflects more energy than the atmosphere.

• The atmosphere absorbs more energy than Earth's surface.

​The Greenhouse effect

• ​As the sun heats Earth's surface and radiates back into the atmosphere, gases trap some of the heat.

• ​This helps to keep our planet at a suitable temperature.

• ​However, due to changes in the atmosphere like pollution and CFCs is leading to climate change

Multiple Choice

The ozone layer absorbs energy and protects life on Earth. Some chemicals, called CFCs, have damaged the ozone layer. Which of these explains what happens when the ozone layer is damaged?

• Fewer UV rays reach the Earth's surface.

• Fewer UV rays are absorbed by the atmosphere.

• More UV rays are reflected back toward space.

• Other parts of the atmosphere make up for the damaged ozone layer.

Open Ended

The greenhouse effect supports life on Earth. It is caused when energy from the sun is A>(absorbed by oceans / trapped by the atmosphere / reflected by the atmosphere / reflected from Earth). If the concentration of carbon dioxide gas continues to increase, it will cause B>(temperatures to increase / temperatures to decrease / sea levels to decrease / increased glaciers) on Earth.

​Heat Transfer in the Atmosphere

• All matter is made of particles that are constantly moving

• ​the faster they move the more energy they have.

• ​temperature is the average amount of energy matter has

• ​thermal energy is the total kinetic energy in a substance

Multiple Choice

Which has more energy?

• ice

• water vapor

• water

• metal

​Methods of Heat Transfer

• ​Heat always moves from warmer objects to colder objects

• ​3 ways; convection, conduction, radiation

• ​convection is a transfer through a fluid like gas or water

• ​radiation is a transfer through electromagnetic waves

• ​Conduction is a transfer through direct touch

Multiple Choice

Hailey will need to include methods of heat transfer in her model. What type of heat transfer takes place from the sun to Earth?

• convection

• conduction

• expansion

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. Boiling water

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. butter melting in a hot pan

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. microwaving a chocolate cake

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. cooking spaghetti

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. heat a tortilla on a pan on the stove

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. toast a marshmallow over a fire

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

Multiple Choice

Select the correct type of heat transfer. heat apple cider until steam rises

• conduction

• convection

• radiation

​Heat Transfer at Earth's Surface

• ​sun's radiation is transformed into thermal energy

• ​As the surface warms it begins to form convection cells

• ​warm air/water rises

• ​cold air/water sinks

• ​as this happens the air/water push there way into new space forcing other air/water out this cycle stays constant

Multiple Choice

Hot air/water ____

• rises

• sinks

Multiple Choice

Cold air/water ____

• rises

• sinks

Open Ended

What are the 3 types of heat transfer?

Open Ended

What do you think might happen to Florida's coast if temperatures in the atmosphere continue to rise?

Multiple Select

As an experiment, Bertie made wax candles. He used a heat transfer process to melt the wax in a pot on the stove. Throughout the candle-making experiment, he took several measurements. He used the data to construct a graph showing the temperature change of a sample of wax. Which two items describe what is happening to the wax sample over time?

• Temperature is increasing.

• Temperature is decreasing.

• Thermal energy is increasing.

• Thermal energy is decreasing.