Atmospheric Composition and Structure
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Atmospheric Composition and Structure

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Questions and Answers

What is the vertical distribution of water vapour in the atmosphere?

  • Fluctuates randomly
  • Decreases with altitude (correct)
  • Increases with altitude
  • Constant throughout the atmosphere

    • Which layer of the atmosphere is sometimes referred to as the ozonosphere?

  • Mesosphere
  • Stratosphere (correct)
  • Ionosphere
  • Troposphere

    • At what altitude does the ionosphere exist?

  • 30 – 40 miles
  • 0 – 9 miles
  • 9 – 30 miles
  • 40 – 250 miles (correct)

    • What trend has been observed regarding the area of the ozone layer from 2006 to October 2022?

    <p>Decline from 27.5 million km2 to 23.2 million km2</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following is not one of the most important variables of weather and climate?

    <p>Population density</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What does compressibility measure in a gas?

    <p>The fractional change in volume per unit increase in pressure</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At an altitude of 32 kilometers, what percentage of sea-level pressure is experienced?

    <p>1%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What occurs to the volume of air in our bodies at a depth of 20 meters?

    <p>It decreases to 1/3</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which term describes the zone of the atmosphere with a fairly uniform vertical distribution of gases?

    <p>Homosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    At 48 kilometers altitude, what is the atmospheric pressure as a percentage of sea-level pressure?

    <p>0.1%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which zone of the atmosphere is characterized by layering of gases according to their weights?

    <p>Heterosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of atmospheric mass is found within 26 miles of sea level?

    <p>98%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    How does atmospheric pressure change at the surface compared to deep underwater?

    <p>It increases with depth</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What percentage of sea-level pressure is present at an altitude of 96 kilometers?

    <p>0.00001%</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which layer of the atmosphere is closest to Earth's surface?

    <p>Troposphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    In which layer does temperature increase with height due to the presence of ozone?

    <p>Stratosphere</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is the primary gas that constitutes the Earth's atmosphere?

    <p>Nitrogen</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?

    <p>It decreases at a decreasing rate</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which of the following gases has minimal effect on weather and climate?

    <p>Helium</p> Signup and view all the answers

    What is one characteristic of the thermosphere?

    <p>Temperature is very high</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Which gas is not considered one of the principal gases in the atmosphere?

    <p>Krypton</p> Signup and view all the answers

    Study Notes

    Atmospheric Composition

    • The atmosphere is composed primarily of Nitrogen (78%), Oxygen (21%) and Argon (1%).
    • Trace gases such as Helium, Neon, Krypton and Hydrogen have minimal effect on weather and climate.
    • The atmosphere can be divided into the homosphere and the heterosphere based on the distribution of gases.
    • The homosphere extends up to 80 km and has a uniform distribution of gases.
    • The heterosphere extends above 80 km and gases are layered based on their weights.

    Atmospheric Structure

    • The atmosphere is divided into five layers based on temperature: troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere.
    • The troposphere is the lowest layer, in contact with the surface, where air mixing and turbulence occur.
    • The stratosphere has increasing temperature with altitude due to the presence of ozone.
    • The mesosphere, thermosphere and exosphere are the upper layers with very high temperatures in the thermosphere.
    • The lower troposphere's heat source is the Earth's surface while the upper stratosphere's heat source is ozone.

    Atmospheric Pressure

    • Atmospheric pressure is the weight of the air above a certain point.
    • Pressure decreases upward at a decreasing rate.
    • The higher the altitude, the lower the pressure.

    Atmospheric Compressibility

    • Compressibility is the fractional change in volume per unit increase in pressure.
    • Atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly with altitude, demonstrating the compressibility of the atmosphere.

    Effects of Pressure on Humans

    • The pressure at sea level is 1 atmosphere.
    • At 10 meters depth, the pressure is 2 atmospheres, decreasing the volume of air in our bodies by half.
    • At 20 meters depth, the pressure is 3 atmospheres, reducing the volume of air in our bodies to one-third.

    Ozone Layer

    • The ozone layer exists in the stratosphere, between 9-30 miles above the surface.
    • The ozone layer is important for absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation from the sun, protecting life on Earth.
    • The ozone layer has been depleted due to human activity, leading to increased UV radiation reaching the Earth's surface.

    Human-Induced Atmospheric Change

    • The ozone layer has been depleted due to human activity, with the area affected reaching 24.8 million km2 in 2020.
    • The ozone layer has been recovering, with the depleted area shrinking to 23.2 million km2 in October 2022.

    Weather and Climate

    • The primary elements that drive weather and climate include temperature, pressure, wind, humidity and precipitation.
    • Each of these elements plays a crucial role in creating diverse weather patterns and climatic conditions across the globe.

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    Related Documents

    Week 2 Composition Of The Atmosphere Geo 114 PDF

    Description

    Explore the key elements of Earth's atmosphere including its composition, division into homosphere and heterosphere, and the five distinct layers defined by temperature. Understand the role each layer plays in atmospheric dynamics and the overall impact on weather and climate.

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