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Understanding Earth's Atmosphere and Air Pollution

Learn about the composition of Earth's atmosphere, the impact of air pollution, and how it affects our daily lives. Discover the layers of the atmosphere, from the troposphere to the exosphere, and understand the significance of each layer. Explore ways to reduce air pollution and preserve our planet's atmospheric balance.

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Understanding Earth's Atmosphere and Air Pollution

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  1. The Atmosphere

  2. Atmosphere • Layer of gasses surrounding a planet • Not all planets have an atmosphere • Not all planets have atmospheres like Earth’s • Makes conditions on Earth suitable for life

  3. Earth’s Atmospheric Composition • Gasses • 78% Nitrogen (N2) • 21% Oxygen (O2) • 1% Other gasses • Water Vapor (H2O) • Particulates • Liquids • Solids

  4. Particulates • Natural Sources • Mold • Pollen • Salt • Dust • Volcanic Ash • Human Caused • Dust • Ash (Carbon) • Soot (Carbon) • Pollution

  5. Air Pollution • Harmful substances in the air • Most from burning fossil fuels (fuels from once living things) • Oil, coal, • Chemical aerosols

  6. Types of Air Pollution • Smog • Photochemical – Mix of ozone (O3) and other chemicals • Acid Rain • Nitrogen oxides (NOx) Nitric acid (HNO3) • Sulfur oxides (SOx) Sulfuric acid (H2SO4) • pH normal rain = 5.6 • Inversion layer • Warm air traps cooler air keeping pollutants concentrated

  7. Acid Rain Formation physicalgeography.net

  8. Thermal Inversion globalchange.umich.edu

  9. What can be done to reduce air pollution? • Laws reducing emissions • Factories • Cars • What you can do • Drive less • Buy less • Buy local

  10. Air Pressure • Pressure = Force (Newtons) X Area (m2 or cm2) • Air has mass • Affected by gravity • Measured with barometer • Units • mm (in) of Hg (mercury) • Millibars • 1 in Hg = 33.87 millibars ems.psu.edu globalchange.umich.edu

  11. Altitude Affect on Atmosphere • Lower air pressure at higher altitude • Water boils at lower temperature at higher altitude • Lower air pressure lower air density • Less particles per volume • Why do athletes train at high altitudes? • More red blood cells to carry fewer oxygen atoms • How does altitude affect gravity? • Gravity decreases with altitude (slightly)

  12. Layers of the Atmosphere • Troposhpere • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Theremosphere • Ionosphere • Exoshpere Closest Farthest

  13. Troposphere • Tropo = turning or changing • 16 km thick at equator 9 km thick at poles • Temp changes -6.5°C for every 1 km up • Top layer - 60°C • Weather happens in this layer

  14. Stratosphere • Strato from stratum = layer or spreading out • ~ 15 km – 50 km above sea level • Lower layer ~ 60°C, upper layer warmer • Upper layer has ozone layer (O3) • Blocks UV radiation and absorbs energy • The reason upper layer is warmer

  15. Mesosphere • Meso = middle • 50 km – 80 km above sea level • ~ - 90°C • Protects us from meteoroids

  16. Thermosphere • Thermo = heat • 80 km – no outer limit • .001% as dense as air at sea level • 1,800°C • N2 and O2 absorb solar (Electromagnetic) energy • Transform solar to thermal energy to heat thermosphere

  17. Ionosphere • Iono = of ions • 80 km – 550 km • Northern and Southern lights • Aurora borealis and aurora australis • Suns energy creates ions (charged particles) • Radio waves bounce off ionosphere

  18. Exosphere • Exo = outer • 550 km – 1000’s km’s • Orbit of some communication satellites • TV, phone, spy

  19. The 4 Major Spheres of Earth • Atmosphere • Air • Hydrosphere • Water • Biosphere • Life • Lithosphere • Solid

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