5.5 The Atmosphere Lesson

Atmosphere

Layer of the Atmosphere Activity

We live in the Troposphere, here at the bottom of the diagram.

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere do we live in? (click to enlarge picture)

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere contains clouds and weather? (click to enlarge picture)

• Therosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

79% of the air in the atmosphere is NITROGEN, is it is most abundant.

Multiple Choice

Which gas is most abundant in the atmosphere? (click to enlarge picture)

• oxygen

• nitrogen

• water vapor

• argon

0.40 is the largest number (0.40 is like fourty cents compared to 0.08 which would be eight cents.), so the TROPOSPHERE has the most water vapor.

Multiple Choice

Which layer of the atmosphere has the most water vapor?

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

0.002 is the smallest number, so the Thermosphere has the lowest air pressure.

Multiple Choice

Which layer has the lowest air pressure?

• Thermosphere

• Mesosphere

• Stratosphere

• Troposphere

Multiple Choice

What property is used to divide the layers of the atmosphere? (click to enlarge picture)

• Air pressure

• Temperature

• Type of gas

Multiple Choice

What happens to the temperature at the "pause" between layers?

• it increases

• it decreases

• it stays the same

The temperature decreases as you go up in the Troposphere.

Multiple Choice

How does temperature in the Troposphere change as the altitude increases? (click to enlarge picture)

• temperature increases

• temperature decreases

• temperature stays the same

The percentage of Nitrogen, Oxyen, and Argon remain the same in EVERY layer of the atmosphere. Even though the total amount of air decreases as you travel up and away from the earth, the amount of each kind of gas in the air stays the same.

Multiple Choice

What remains the same in each layer?

• temperature

• air pressure

• percentage of gases

Multiple Choice

Without the atmosphere what would happen to the Earth?

• It would Cool

• It would Heat

• It would stay the same

Multiple Select

Why are we so worried about losing our Ozone Layer? Check all that apply

• Because it helps us absorb heat

• Because it helps us protect us from the suns rays

• No one is worried about loosing the Ozone Layer.

Multiple Choice

Now that you know about all the layers, what layer do you think planes fly in?

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

The Greenhouse Effect

What is the greenhouse effect?

• Sun produces solar radiation

• Some is reflected back into space by Earth's atmosphere

• Some passes through atmosphere & is absorbed by Earth's surface

• More greenhouse gases released 🢂 Greater gas layer & more thermal energy absorbed

Multiple Choice

What happens to the temperature of the atmosphere if more greenhouse gases are added? (Hint: think about Venus)

• The temperature goes up

• The temperature goes down

Multiple Choice

What happens to the temperature of the atmosphere if there were no greenhouse gases? (Hint: think about Mars)

• The temperature goes up

• The temperature goes down

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SN5-DnOHQmE

Multiple Select

Select ALL examples of greenhouse gases from the list below.

• water vapor (H₂O)

• oxygen (O₂)

• methane (CH₄)

• carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Multiple Choice

Burning fossil fuel (coal & oil) releases _____ into Earth's atmosphere.

• water vapor (H₂O)

• oxygen (O₂)

• methane (CH₄)

• carbon dioxide (CO₂)

Multiple Select

The atmosphere is important because it... (select all true answers)

• keeps Earth warm

• blocks the sun's harmful UV rays

​Climate Change

​How does human activities influence climate change?​

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Mr. Reed

Desertification is the drying of land due to farming and overgrazing.​

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When vegetation is removed, erosion increases. ​

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​Desertification

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Urbanization is a shift of people living in rural areas to cities.

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​Urbanization

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Deforestation is the clearing of Earth’s forests on a massive scale.

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​Deforestation

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Multiple Choice

What is Desertification?

• is the drying of land due to farming and overgrazing.​

• is a shift of people living in rural areas to cities.

• is the clearing of Earth’s forests on a massive scale.

Climate Change are the changes in climate due to the heating of the Earth due to carbon emissions. (cars, factories, farm animals)

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​Climate Change

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According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), “climate change is variability in the properties of the climate (temperature, humidity, precipitation) over decades or more, caused by natural or human forces.”​

What influences climate change?

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​What is Climate Change?

​

​primarily carbon dioxide molecules that are released into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels.

​​Greenhouse gases:

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​They affect the absorption, scattering and emission of radiation within the atmosphere and at the Earth’s surface, which in turn affects global warming and cooling.

​​How do greenhouse gases affect climate?

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• Extreme weather

• Rise in sea level

• Precipitation 

• Long-term warming trends

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​Global Warming Effects​

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Pollution

• air pollution: from factories/transportation burning fossil fuels

• acid rain is a result of air pollution and the pollution can then get into water sources from the rain

• oil/gasoline spills

• garbage/litter

Greenhouse gases

• the major greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide

• methane and water vapor are also greenhouse gases

• burning fossil fuels has caused there to be more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere

Multiple Choice

Which of the following gases, released by animals as a waste product of digestion, can add to global warming?

• Carbon Dioxide
• Methane
• Chlorofluorocarbon
• Nitrogen