What the are the 4 layers in the atmosphere. In order
Troposphere
Stratosphere
Mesosphere
Thermosphere
Troposphere: How high is it up to. And where is it higher
8-15km above the earths surface
Lower at the poles
Higher at the equator
Troposphere: Does temperature increase or decrease with altitude?
Descrease
Troposphere: What is the top of the troposphere called and what does is act like?
It’s called the tropopause and it acts as the boundary to the stratosphere above
Troposphere: What does it contain (in terms of air mass and weather)
It contains most of Earth's air mass and it is nearly all water vapor,
It is the layer that contains weather events like rain, storms, and clouds.
The troposphere therefore plays a critical role in sustaining life on Earth by supporting the climate system and containing the breathable air we rely on.
Stratosphere: how high up does it start and end.
Starts at 10-15km
Ends at around 50km
Stratosphere: Does the temperature increase or decrease with altitude?
Increases
Stratosphere: Why does the temperature increase with altitude?
The ozone layer is located here which absorbs the suns UV radiation, which is essential for shielding the earth from the harmful radiation.
Mesosphere: what height does it start and end
Starts at around 50km
Ends at around 85km
Mesosphere: does temperature decrease or increase with altitude?
Decrease. Down to -90 Degrees Celsius.
Mesosphere: True or false their is lots of weather in this layer?
False. There is a very small amount of weather here due to rare high altitude noctilucent clouds.
Mesosphere: Is air thin or thick?
Thin, causing low pressure
Thermosphere: What altitude does it start and end at?
Start: 85km
End: 600km
Thermosphere: Does temperature increase or decrease and what temperature to.
Increases. Up to 2500km due to the absorption of solar radiation.
Thermosphere: Is air thinner or thicker than the mesosphere?
Even thinner than the thin air in the mesosphere.
Thermosphere: What occurs here?
The northern lights
Thermosphere: what does it mark?
The thermosphere marks the transition to space and plays a key role in absorbing solar energy and protecting the planet.
how much of the earths volume does the atmosphere make up
5%
what are the 3 main gases in the atmosphere
78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 0.9% argon
what is an energy budget
its the amount of energy entering, leaving and transferring in a system
what is the diurnal energy budget
its the amount of energy reaching, warming and then leaving the earths surface
the sun is our prime nergy source. but through what do we get energy from
the earth recievies incoming shor wave solar radiation (know as insolation).
How much of incoming solar radiation (insolation) is absorbed by the atmosphere
23%
What % of insolation is scattered back into space
What % of insolation is reflected by the earths surface
6%
What % of insolation is reflected by the earths clouds
18 %
How much insolation is absorbed by the earths surface and subsurface
48%
What is the inputs to the daytime energy budget
Solar radiation (insolation)
what are the outputs to the daytime energy budget
Reflected solar radiation
Outgoing long wave radiation
Energy absorbed by the earths surface
Latent heat transfer
Sensible heat transfer
What do the inputs minus outputs equal in the daytime energy budget
Surplus energy available at the surface
How much percentage of radiation do cumulonimbus clouds reflect
80- 90%
How much percentage of radiation do stratus clouds reflect
50-75%
What do cirrus clouds do
allow short wave radiation through but absorb long wave = warming surface.
What do stratus clouds do
Stratus clouds - Reflects short wave = cooling surface
What do cumulonimbus clouds do
- Neither heats nor cool.
What is albedo
Albedo = is the amount of energy reflected back to the atmosphere from the earth's surface. This varies according to colour and surface material.
Last changed9 days ago