Chapter 7

Atmosphere and Climate

The _______________ is a thin layer of _______________ that surrounds the Earth. It is what makes life possible on Earth.

It is _______________ nitrogen, _______________ oxygen, and _______________ carbon dioxide, helium, neon, argon, water vapor and other substances.

This is _______________.

The atmosphere:

1. _______________ living organisms from harmful _______________ light.

2. allows _______________ light to reach the Earth’s surface for _______________ to take place.

3. reflects infrared radiation back to the Earth, which _______________ the planet.

Ancesters of plants evolved _______________ which allowed for the release of _______________ into the atmosphere. Animals then release _______________ during _______________. This exchange keeps the amount of _______________ in the atmosphere almost constant at about .03%. This little amount keeps the temperature range so that it can support life.

There are _______________ layers to the atmosphere.

1. The _______________ is the area we live in. It contains almost _______________ of the atmosphere’s gases. It extends about _______________ above the surface of the Earth. _______________ occurs in this layer.

2. Next is the _______________ which extends from _______________ to _______________ above the Earth. In this area the _______________ blow, but without the force of the troposphere. The lower part of the stratosphere is where most _______________. The _______________ layer is also located here.

3. _______________ _______________ miles

4. _______________ _______________ miles

5. _______________ Above _______________ miles

The gases in the exosphere become thinner and thinner until the exosphere merges with _______________

_______________ is what is happening in the atmosphere at a particular place at a particular time.

_______________ is the average weather in an area over a long period of time.

Some important aspects of climate are _______________, _______________, _______________, and _______________.

There are 4 things that determines climate: _______________, _______________, _______________, and _______________ of the area.

_______________ is the distance from the equator, measured in degrees _______________ or _______________ of the equator.

The _______________ is at _______________ degrees latitude and the north and south _______________ are at _______________ degrees north and south latitude.

_______________ affects the climate because more solar energy reaches the equator at _______________ rays while the closer to the poles one gets, the more _______________ the rays are.

There are three properties of air.

1. _______________ air sinks and warms as it sinks.

2. _______________ air rises and cools as it rises.

3. _______________ air can hold more water vapor than _______________ air.

If warm air is cooled, the water vapor will condense into _______________ water.

Heating of the ground by solar energy warms the air above it which causes the air to rise. Cool air rushes in to replace it. This causes _______________.

Because of the different amounts of solar energy that hits the Earth on the different latitudes, there are different _______________. These circulation patterns determines the global patterns of _______________.

An example of these patterns is the warming of the air by solar energy at the equator. The warm air rises quickly carrying high amounts of evaporated _______________ with it. As it rises it cools thus causing the _______________ to condense into _______________.

Cool air cannot push down toward the equator because of the rapidly rising warm air, so it is pushed toward the poles where it reaches the ground at around the _______________ degree latitudes causing the air to warm and evaporate the land, thus causing _______________.

_______________ have a great effect on climate because they hold a large amount of heat. Cities near oceans have _______________ winters and _______________ summers than inland cities. They also get more _______________.

Local _______________ can affect the climate. The higher up, the _______________ it is whether it is at the poles or at the equator. Mountains can cause it to _______________ on one side and be a _______________ on the other.

The _______________ are the result of the Earth’s orbit around the sun.

During spring and summer, the Northern Hemisphere is tilted _______________ the sun so that it receives _______________ sunlight. The Southern Hemisphere is tilted _______________ and thus is in winter and fall.

During winter and fall, the Northern Hemisphere is receiving _______________ sunlight.

The _______________ is the process of warming air through the means of trapping heat by gases in the troposphere.

_______________ gases are gases that trap heat in our atmosphere.

Where is the extra carbon dioxide in the atmosphere coming from?

_______________ is the increase of the Earth’s temperature due to the release of _______________ gases.

The more carbon dioxide there is in the air, the _______________ it will be.

If the Earth warms up, the oceans patterns could change which would result in some areas receiving more rain than normal and others less. _______________ would be then affected. _______________ levels would rise due to icebergs and glaciers _______________ and the _______________ of warmer water.

What could be done to slow down the temperature change?

_______________ is a form of oxygen with molecules made of _______________ oxygen atoms. It acts like a sun screen by blocking the _______________ from the sun. This UV light could destroy biological molecules like _______________.