Meteorology

1. Meteorology Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere that focuses on weather processes and forecasting.

2. SWBAT • Describe the earth’s atmosphere • List the layers of the atomosphere and state one important fact about each layer. • Complete a drawing of the water cycle. • Explain one way in which weather affects the lithosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.

3. The earth is surrounded by a layer of gases called the atmopshere. • It is a mixture of 78% nitorogen and 21%oxygen with a small amount of other gases such as water vapor making up the final 1%.

4. The mixture of gases forms a protective layer around planet Earth keeping us safe from the sun’s harmful gamma rays and X-rays. • It provides oxygen and carbon dioxide for earth’s organisms . • A holds water vapor for the water cycle.

5. The gases in the atmosphere are stratified into layers. • There are 4 main layers and 3 major sublayer3 (from the lithosphere up) they are: • The troposphere • The stratosphere • The ozone layer is a sublayer of the stratosphere • The mesosphere • The thermosphere • The ionsphere is the bottom of this layer. • The top is called the exosphere. • Each layer has distinct properties.

8. Weather:The state of the atmosphere at a particular time and place. Weather is described in terms of variable conditions such as temperature, humidity, wind velocity, precipitation, and barometric pressure.

9. The water cycle circulates the water from the hydrosphere and lithosphere into the atomsphere. It then returns in the form of precipitation to the land and water. • This is a cycle so it keeps repeating. • The sun is the driving force behind the water cycle. • Without the water cycle life would not be able to exist on earth.