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10.2 Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere

10.2 Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere. Originally, Earth’s atmosphere had no oxygen. Scientists think it came from the breakdown of water by sunlight, then from photosynthesis by plants. The density of the atmosphere decreases with altitude. The composition of Earth’s atmosphere.

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10.2 Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere

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  1. 10.2 Energy Transfer in the Atmosphere • Originally, Earth’s atmosphere had no oxygen. • Scientists think it came from the breakdown of water by sunlight, then from photosynthesis by plants. • The density of the atmosphere decreases with altitude. The composition of Earth’s atmosphere

  2. The Layers of the Atmosphere 1)The Troposphere: - closest to Earth’s surface - highest density layer because all other layers compress it - contains almost all the water vapour in the atmosphere. • so, this is where most weather takes place. • 2nd warmest layer See pages 438 - 439

  3. The Stratosphere: • the second layer • warming from –55ºC as altitude increases • The air is cold, dry, and cloudless. • Strong, steady winds, planes often fly here to avoid turbulent troposphere. • The ozone layer is found here, which blocks harmful UV radiation.

  4. The Upper Atmosphere • The mesosphere: (3rd layer) • Temperatures are as low as –100ºC • This layer is where space debris burns up when it begins to hit particles. • The thermosphere: (4th layer) • Temperatures can reach +1500ºC to +3000ºC because of radiation from the sun • This is where the Northern Lights, aurora borealis, are found. • The exosphere: (5th layer) • where the atmosphere merges with outer space. The layers of Earth’s atmosphere

  5. Radiation and Conduction in the Atmosphere • Thermal energy mostly comes from the Sun. • the most is transferred at the equator • Insolation = amount of solar radiation • decreases with dust, smoke, pollution,etc. or if the angle of incidence of the solar radiation is too great. • Solar radiation does not heat the atmosphere directly. • Earth’s surface absorbs it, heats up, and then radiates the energy into the atmosphere. • Convection currents spread the energy around. Angle of incidence

  6. Albedo Not all of the solar radiation that hits earth stays in our atmosphere, some is reflected back into space! • Albedo refers to the amount of energy reflected by a surface. • Light-coloured surfaces (snow, sand) have a high albedo and reflect energy. • Dark-coloured surfaces (soil, water) have a low albedo and absorb energy.

  7. What Is Weather? • Weather is the atmosphere conditions. • Atmospheric pressure is determined by the number of molecules and how fast they are moving. • measured with a barometer • measured in kilopascals (kPa) • Ex. our ears pop with pressure change • as you increase altitude, the pressure drops • warm air is lighter and less dense than cool air so warm air has a lower pressure than cool air Atmospheric pressure exerts force on you from all directions.

  8. Humid air (air with more water vapour) has lower pressure than dry air. • Dew point = the temperature where no more water vapour can be held by air • Relative humidity = the percentage of the air that is currently holding water vapour

  9. Convection in the Atmosphere • Wind is the movement of air from higher pressure to lower pressure. • An air mass is a large body of air with similar temperature and humidity. • takes on the conditions of the weather below.

  10. High pressure systems form when an air mass cools. • winds blow clockwise around the centre of the system. • usually brings dry weather • Low pressure systems form when an air mass warms. • winds blow counterclockwise around the centre of the system. • usually bring wet weather.

  11. Prevailing Winds • are winds that are typical for a location. • Winds in B.C. usually blow in from the ocean. • Precipitation falls as air is forced up the mountains • So air gets drier as it moves inland • Dry air rushes down the far side of the mountains into the prairies. The prevailing winds off British Columbia’s coast, crossing into Alberta.

  12. The Coriolis Effect • Winds move from higher pressure to lower pressure. • air warms in the tropics and rises • cooler air from the north fills the empty space • this occurs at several latitudes • As Earth rotates, these winds are “bent” clockwise = Coriolis effect • The equator moves much more quickly than do the poles. • Air rotates counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the south.

  13. Jet Streams = strong winds occurring in areas between high and low pressure systems in the upper troposphere • The polar jet stream can move at 185 km/h for thousands of kilometres. • Planes flying east across Canada “ride” the jet stream and avoid it flying west.

  14. Local Winds, and Fronts • are influenced by local geography. • In British Columbia, sea breezes blow inland when the land warms in the morning and outward when the land cools in the evening. • a front is a boundary between two different air masses. • cold air forces warm air to rise, so fronts usually bring precipitation.

  15. Extreme Weather • Air masses have very large amounts of thermal energy. • Extreme weather occurs when this energy is released. • Thunderstorms occur when warm air rises and water condenses • Static energy can be built up and released as lightning. • Sea breezes in the tropics and energetic cold fronts can cause thunderstorms.

  16. Tornadoes Vs. Hurricanes • Tornadoes form when thunderstorms meet fast horizontal winds. • A “funnel” of rotating air may form, which sometimes extends all the way to the ground with winds of up to 400 km/h. • Hurricanes = tropical cyclones = typhoons • occur at the tropics, with their intense heat • Large masses of warm, moist air rise quickly and cool air rushes in. Take the Section 10.2 Quiz

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