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Questions and Answers
What is the vertical distribution of water vapour in the atmosphere?
What is the vertical distribution of water vapour in the atmosphere?
Which layer of the atmosphere is sometimes referred to as the ozonosphere?
Which layer of the atmosphere is sometimes referred to as the ozonosphere?
At what altitude does the ionosphere exist?
At what altitude does the ionosphere exist?
What trend has been observed regarding the area of the ozone layer from 2006 to October 2022?
What trend has been observed regarding the area of the ozone layer from 2006 to October 2022?
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Which of the following is not one of the most important variables of weather and climate?
Which of the following is not one of the most important variables of weather and climate?
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What does compressibility measure in a gas?
What does compressibility measure in a gas?
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At an altitude of 32 kilometers, what percentage of sea-level pressure is experienced?
At an altitude of 32 kilometers, what percentage of sea-level pressure is experienced?
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What occurs to the volume of air in our bodies at a depth of 20 meters?
What occurs to the volume of air in our bodies at a depth of 20 meters?
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Which term describes the zone of the atmosphere with a fairly uniform vertical distribution of gases?
Which term describes the zone of the atmosphere with a fairly uniform vertical distribution of gases?
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At 48 kilometers altitude, what is the atmospheric pressure as a percentage of sea-level pressure?
At 48 kilometers altitude, what is the atmospheric pressure as a percentage of sea-level pressure?
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Which zone of the atmosphere is characterized by layering of gases according to their weights?
Which zone of the atmosphere is characterized by layering of gases according to their weights?
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What percentage of atmospheric mass is found within 26 miles of sea level?
What percentage of atmospheric mass is found within 26 miles of sea level?
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How does atmospheric pressure change at the surface compared to deep underwater?
How does atmospheric pressure change at the surface compared to deep underwater?
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What percentage of sea-level pressure is present at an altitude of 96 kilometers?
What percentage of sea-level pressure is present at an altitude of 96 kilometers?
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Which layer of the atmosphere is closest to Earth's surface?
Which layer of the atmosphere is closest to Earth's surface?
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In which layer does temperature increase with height due to the presence of ozone?
In which layer does temperature increase with height due to the presence of ozone?
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What is the primary gas that constitutes the Earth's atmosphere?
What is the primary gas that constitutes the Earth's atmosphere?
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What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?
What happens to air pressure as altitude increases?
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Which of the following gases has minimal effect on weather and climate?
Which of the following gases has minimal effect on weather and climate?
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What is one characteristic of the thermosphere?
What is one characteristic of the thermosphere?
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Which gas is not considered one of the principal gases in the atmosphere?
Which gas is not considered one of the principal gases in the atmosphere?
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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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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.
