Our Atmosphere Composition and Layers WarmUp Fill Out

Our Atmosphere Composition and Layers

Warm-Up • Fill Out Planner • Set up Cornell Notes in Earth Science Notebook • Go to www. mrjohnson 2334. weebly. com and add website to homepage of i. Pad.

Learning Objectives • Students will be able to state the composition of the atmosphere. • Students will be able to state the layers of the atmosphere and explain the properties of each layer.

Essential Question • What makes up the atmosphere? How is it structured?

What is the atmosphere made of? • The atmosphere is made up of many different types of atoms and molecules. • ~78% Nitrogen (N) • ~21% Oxygen (O) • ~ 0. 9% Argon (Ar) • ~0. 03% Carbon Dioxide (CO 2) • The rest is a small mixture of other atoms/molecules

The Atmosphere Is made up of 5 layers • Troposphere (Closest to Earth’s surface) • Stratosphere • Mesosphere • Thermosphere • Exosphere (Furthest from Earth’s surface)

Troposphere • 0 to 6. 2 miles above Earth’s surface • Contains approx. 75% of atmospheres mass. • Majority of cloud formation and day-to-day weather forms. • Temperature decreases as altitude increases.

Convection in Troposphere • Warm air rises and cool air sinks (Warm air is less dense than cold air, so warm air rises). • As the cool air sinks towards Earth’s surface, it begins to warm, causing it to rise. • This is a cycle that circulates air in the troposphere. Convection Video

Stratosphere 6. 2 to 31 miles above Earth’s surface Temperature rises as you move up the Stratosphere. Air is thinner in the stratosphere Ozone (O 3) is one of the main components of the stratosphere, which absorbs heat from sun. • Planes tend to fly in the stratosphere. • •

Mesosphere • 31 -52 miles above Earths Surface • Temperature decreases the higher you get due to radiative cooling (energy is released back into space). • Coldest part of atmosphere—As cold as -130 F • Least understood part of atmosphere—too high for airplanes and balloons, too low for orbiting structures.

Thermosphere • 62 to 621 miles above earths surface • Extremely hot—up to 3632 F • Temp. generally increases the further up you go. • International Space station orbits in this layer.

Exosphere • 620 miles above earths surface to space. • Extremely thin—almost like outer space.