Earth's Atmosphere

water in its gaseous form; invisible

• Ice

• Liquid

• Water Vapor

• Liquid Ice

forms when lightning interacts with oxygen in the air and creates a molecule of three oxygen atoms

• Carbon Dioxide

• Ice

• Water Vapor

• Ozone

•layer closest to Earth’s surface which extends from the surface to altitudes of 8 (N & S poles)-15 (equator) km; layer in which Earth’s weather occurs

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

•layer directly above troposphere which extends to about 50 km and contains the ozone layer which protects Earth from ultraviolet (UV) rays that can kill plants, animals and cause skin cancer in humans

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

beginning at 50 km and ending around 80 km, this layer protects Earth’s surface from being hit by most meteoroids, which burn up from friction with the atmosphere

• Troposphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Thermosphere

– lower layer of the thermosphere which begins at 80 km and extends to about 500 km and contains ions, or charged particles allowing radio waves to bounce off and auroras to occu

• Exosphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Ionisphere

outer layer of thermosphere

• Exosphere

• Stratosphere

• Mesosphere

• Ionisphere

the distance above sea level

• Altitude

• Sea Rise

• Air Pressure

• Sea Pressure

the result of the weight of a column of air pushing down on an area; measure by an instrument called a barometer

• Altitude

• Sea Rise

• Air Pressure

• Sea Pressure

As altitude _____________ air pressure decreases, which also decreases density

• Increases

• Decreases

• Levels

• Spirals