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Questions and Answers
What role does water vapour play in the atmosphere with respect to greenhouse gases?
At what altitude does ozone primarily absorb solar ultra-violet radiation?
Which atmospheric component plays a crucial role in filtering out potentially damaging solar ultra-violet radiation?
What is the primary function of aerosols and clouds in the atmosphere?
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Which component of the atmosphere is most variable due to its different phases such as vapour, cloud droplets, and ice crystals?
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In what phase is water vapour considered the strongest greenhouse gas?
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Study Notes
Atmospheric Components
- Water vapour (H2O) is a natural greenhouse gas, with a volume mixing ratio of around 1% in the atmosphere.
- Greenhouse gases, including water vapour, absorb infrared radiation emitted by the Earth and emit infrared radiation upwards and downwards, increasing the temperature near the Earth's surface.
Ozone's Role
- Ozone (O3) is a greenhouse gas in the lower atmosphere (troposphere and lower stratosphere).
- In the stratosphere, a natural layer of high ozone concentration absorbs solar ultra-violet radiation, maintaining the stratosphere's radiative balance and filtering out damaging radiation.
Aerosols and Clouds
- The atmosphere contains solid and liquid particles (aerosols) and clouds, which interact with incoming and outgoing radiation in a complex and spatially variable manner.
Water's Importance
- Water vapour is the strongest greenhouse gas.
- The transition between water's phases (vapour, cloud droplets, and ice crystals) absorbs and releases significant energy, making water vapour central to the climate and its variability and change.
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Description
Test your knowledge on the role of water vapour, CO2, and O3 in the Earth's atmosphere as greenhouse gases and their impact on the planet's energy budget. Explore how these gases absorb both infrared radiation and solar short-wave radiation.
