Layers of the Atmosphere Song

Name: Period: Layers of the Atmosphere Song Click on the Layers of the Atmosphere song link https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyqlyy-5fg8. Create a hashtag for every layer as you listen to the atmosphere song. Your hashtag should include a special characteristic for each layer such as a feature or temperature. Have fun with creating your original atmosphere hashtags! Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere Ionosphere Exosphere 1

Name: Period: Layers of the Atmosphere Reading DIRECTIONS: Read and highlight important characteristics for each layer. Pay special attention to features and temperature. Use in conjunction with pages 119 124 in your textbook (Glencoe iscience Course 1). Background: Based on temperature changes, the Earth s atmosphere is divided into layers. The layers include the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere. The Troposphere: You live in the inner, or lowest, layer of Earth's atmosphere, the troposphere (TROH puh sfeer). Tropomeans "turning" or "changing." Conditions in the troposphere are more variable than in the other layers. The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere in which Earth's weather occurs. The depth of the troposphere varies from 16 kilometers above the equator to less than 9-kilometers above the North and South poles. Although it is the shallowest layer, the troposphere contains almost all of the mass of the atmosphere. As altitude increases in the troposphere, the temperature decreases. On average, for every 1 kilometer increase in altitude, the air gets about 6.5 C cooler. At the top of the troposphere, the temperature stops decreasing and stays at about 60 C. Water here forms thin, feathery clouds of ice. The Stratosphere: The stratosphere extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50 kilometers above Earth's surface. Stratomeans "layer" or "spread out." The stratosphere is the second layer of the atmosphere and contains the ozone layer. The lower stratosphere is cold, about 60 C. Surprisingly, the upper stratosphere is warmer than the lower stratosphere. Why is this? The middle portion of the stratosphere contains a layer of air where there is much more ozone than in the rest of the atmosphere. When the ozone absorbs energy from the sun, the energy is converted into heat, warming the air. The ozone layer is also important because it protects Earth's living things from dangerous ultraviolet radiation from the sun. We can also find weather balloons and Jets in the Stratosphere. The Mesosphere: Above the stratosphere, a drop in temperature marks the beginning of the next layer, the mesosphere. Mesomeans "middle:' so the mesosphere is the middle layer of the atmosphere. The mesosphere begins 50 kilometers above Earth's surface and ends at an altitude of 80 kilometers. In the outer mesosphere, temperatures approach 90 C. The mesosphere is the layer of the atmosphere that protects Earth's surface from being hit by most meteoroids. Meteoroids are chunks of stone and metal from space. What you see as a shooting star, or meteor, is the trail of hot, glowing gases the meteoroid leaves behind in the mesosphere. Continue to read and highlight on the next page 2

The Ionosphere Scientists call the ionosphere an extension of the thermosphere. So technically, the ionosphere is not another atmospheric layer. The ionosphere represents less than 0.1% of the total mass of the Earth's atmosphere. Even though it is such a small part, it is extremely important! The upper atmosphere is ionized by solar radiation. That means the Sun's energy is so strong at this level, that it breaks apart molecules. So there ends up being electrons floating around and molecules which have lost or gained electrons. When the Sun is active, more and more ionization happens! Different regions of the ionosphere make long distance radio communication possible by reflecting the radio waves back to Earth. It is also home to auroras. Temperatures in the ionosphere just keep getting hotter as you go up! Regions of the Ionosphere The ionosphere is broken down into the D, E and F regions. The breakdown is based on what wavelength of solar radiation is absorbed in that region most frequently. The D region is the lowest in altitude, though it absorbs the most energetic radiation, hard x-rays. The D region doesn't have a definite starting and stopping point, but includes the ionization that occurs below about 90km. The E region peaks at about 105km. It absorbs soft x-rays. The F region starts around 105km and has a maximum around 600km. It is the highest of all of the regions. Extreme ultra-violet radiation (EUV) is absorbed there. On a more practical note, the D and E regions reflect AM radio waves back to Earth. Radio waves with shorter lengths are reflected by the F region. Visible light, television and FM wavelengths are all too short to be reflected by the ionosphere. So your t.v. stations are made possible by satellite transmissions. The Thermosphere: Near the top of the atmosphere, the air is very thin. At 80 kilometers above Earth's surface, the air is only about 0.001 percent as dense as the air at sea level. It's as though you took a cubic meter of air at sea level and expanded it into 100,000 cubic meters at the top of the mesosphere. The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere is the thermosphere. The thermosphere extends from 80 kilometers above Earth's surface outward into space. It has no definite outer limit, but blends gradually with outer space. The thermo in thermosphere means "heat." Even though the air in the thermosphere is thin, it is very hot, up to 1,800 C. This is because sunlight strikes the thermosphere first. Nitrogen and oxygen molecules convert this energy into heat. Despite the high temperature, you would not feel warm in the thermosphere. An ordinary thermometer would show a temperature well below zero. Why is that? Temperature is the average amount of energy of motion of each molecule of a substance. The gas molecules in the thermosphere move very rapidly, so the temperature is very high. However, the molecules are spaced far apart in the thin air. There are not enough of them to collide with a thermometer and warm it very much. Brilliant light displays also occur in the ionosphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, these displays are called the Northern Lights, or the aurora borealis. Auroras are caused by particles from the sun that enter the thermosphere near the poles. These particles strike atoms, causing them to glow. The Exosphere: Exo means "outer," so the exosphere is the outer portion of the thermosphere. The exosphere extends from about 400 kilometers outward for thousands of kilometers. Our space shuttles and satellites can be found in the exosphere. Since the exosphere is the outer portion of the thermosphere, it also increases in temperature. 3

Procedure: 1. Complete ALL of the following steps and check them off as you finish each one. 2. On the diagram on the next page, fill in the NAME of each of the following atmosphere layers in order: Troposphere (look it is already written on your paper!) Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere/Ionosphere Exosphere 3. Fill in the temperature information on the graphic organizer. TEMPERATURE RANGE: Give the temperature range in every layer (from the graph). TEMPERATURE: Circle whether it INCREASES or DECREASES with altitude in every layer. 4. Fill in the altitude information on the graphic organizer. ALTITUDE: Give the altitude range for every layer (from the graph). 5. On the chart you will also label the following features next to the bullet points: Aurora Borealis Northern Lights Clouds Planes Meteors Ozone Layer Affects Radio Waves Satellites Birds Space Shuttles Contains ions and other charged particles Weather If there are not already 4 total features in the level, list as many as necessary to complete the bullets. 4

Name: Period: Layers of the Atmosphere Reading Graphic Organizer TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TEMPERATURE RANGE: C - C INCREASES OR DECREASES WITH ALTITUDE ALTITUDE RANGE: Km - Km LEVEL NAME: TROPOSPHERE 5

Name: Period: Layers of the Atmosphere: Density Lab Complete the following: 1. In the diagram ABOVE, color in the layers as represented in your test tube. Use colored pencils or markers. 2. Label your colored layers with the different layers of the atmosphere. HINT: THE TROPOSPHERE SHOULD BE AT THE BOTTOM 3. On the outside of your drawing place the real life features of every layer in the correct location as per your diagram. 4. Answer: How does the density of the air change as you increase in altitude? (mark out the incorrect choice) The density of the air (increases / decreases) as you increase in altitude. This is because air density is based on how much atmosphere you have pushing (down / up) on you at one time, or the force due to (gravity / inertia). At (mountain / sea) level we have approximately 960 kilobars of atmosphere pushing down on us. As we move farther and farther into the atmosphere there is less of it pushing down on us, so the density of the air (increases / decreases). 6

Name: Period: Atmosphere The whole layer of air that surrounds Earth A mixture of gases Keeps Earth warm Protects life Keeps Earth warm Allows talking/sound Provides weather Allows flight Absorbs harmful radiation Layers of the Atmosphere Notes Composition Mostly Nitrogen (78.08%) Can change due to natural causes (volcanoes erupting) or the season Layers of the Atmosphere Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Thermosphere/Ionosphere Exosphere Altitude Height above sea level Density The amount of mass in a given volume The density of the atmosphere DECREASES with altitude Most of the mass LAYER LEVEL (1 TEMPERATURE FEATURES is Lowest) VARIATION Troposphere 1 Decreases Weather, clouds, mountains, contains the biosphere Stratosphere 2 Decreases, levels off, Ozone, weather balloons, planes then increases Mesosphere 3 Increases Meteors, polar mesospheric clouds (consisting of metal ions such as iron creates lightning called sprites ) Thermosphere 4 Increases, then level off Aurora Borealis, Aurora Australis, space shuttle, International Space Station Ionosphere 3-4 Increases Absorption of x-rays and UV radiation, ions and charged particles Exosphere 5 Increases Fades into the vacuum of outer space, geocorona is present (sun s radiation hitting hydrogen molecules) Memory Mnemonic Device: They Say McDonald s Tastes Incredibly Excellent 7

Name: Period: Layers of the Atmosphere Drawing In the drawing below, complete the following (MAKE SURE TO CHECK OFF EACH ITEM AS YOU COMPLETE IT) Name the five layers of the atmosphere. Show the ionosphere ranging from mid-way in the mesosphere to mid-way in the thermosphere. Use an arrow to indicate if the temperature is increasing or decreasing in every layer. Make dots to show the density of the air particles in each layer. HINT: More dots = more dense Draw the examples given below in the diagram to show where each of them would be located: Mount Everest Meteors Weather balloon A flock of geese Aurora Borealis Radio Waves Spacecraft orbiting Jet airplane Ozone Layer Clouds Space Shuttle UV Radiation 8

Name: Period: Guiding Questions DIRECTIONS: Answer the questions by completing the chart. Be as specific as possible! 1. What are the atmosphere layers in order from the ground to the sky? (*Place the ionosphere between the mesosphere and the thermosphere.) 2. What are 2 special (unique) features of each layer? 3. What is the temperaturre range in the layer? (*Be very specific with what happens in the stratosphere.) HIGHEST ( Outer Space ) ATMOSPHERIC LAYER FEATURES OF THIS LAYER (GIVE 2) TEMPERATURE RANGE ( C) ALTITUDE (Km) LOWEST (Ground Level) 4. How does the air density change as you move from one layer to the next? As you move upward (away) from the center of the Earth, the air density. This is a result of the weaker due to that is pulling on the air molecules. 5. It is important to remember that gravity is a downward acceleration, there for it can create a gravitational force on anything that has mass. Air is made up of molecules, therefore it has. Air is the weight of a column of air on any object below it. Since air density as altitude increases, air pressure as altitude increases. This is why a sports team that is going to play against the Colorado Rockies or the Denver Broncos must train in similar high altitude areas. 9

Energy from the Sun (pages 128 133) Energy from the sun travels to the Earth in the form of electromagnetic waves. The process of these waves moving across space is called radiation. Ninety-nine percent of this radiant energy is visible light, UV light, and infrared radiation. Visible light is the light you can see. When it reaches the ground, it is changed into thermal energy. Fate of Incoming Solar Radiation 50% reaches the surface and is absorbed 25% reflected by clouds and particles 20% absorbed by oxygen, ozone, and water vapor in air 5% reflected by land and surface water RADIATION BALANCE Remember, we discussed in class how water is a very unique substance. It expands when cooled unlike other substances that contract when cooled. Water is also the only substance that exists naturally as a solid, liquid, and gas at the temperature ranges found on Earth. Water covers 70% of the Earth s surface. When water changes state transfers what is called latent heat between the Earth and the atmosphere. 10

Thermal Energy (Heat) Transfer in Earth s Atmosphere: Convection, Conduction, and Radiation The sun serves as Earth's source of energy. This energy must be transferred throughout all of Earth s systems by some method. Energy is transferred between the sun, Earth's atmosphere and its surface in one of three ways. When energy is transfered from a hotter object to a cooler one it is referred to as thermal energy, or heat. Energy is transferred by one of three ways: radiation, convection, or conduction. Radiation Radiation is the direct transfer of energy from the sun by electromagnetic waves. Radiation can transmit heat through a vacuum. This is important because there is virtually no air in space from which the sun's energy must travel through to energize our planet. Energy travels from the sun to the Earth by means of electromagnetic waves. The shorter the wavelength, the higher the energy associated with it. Convection Convection is the transfer of thermal energy through liquids or gases. In the atmosphere, convection includes rising and sinking of air masses and smaller air parcels. These vertical motions effectively distribute heat and moisture throughout the atmospheric column and contribute to cloud and storm development (where rising motion occurs) and dissipation (where sinking motion occurs). To understand the convection cells that distribute heat over the whole earth, let's consider a simplified, smooth earth with no land/sea interactions and a slow rotation. Under these conditions, the equator is warmed by the sun more than the poles. The warm, light air at the equator rises and spreads northward and southward, and the cool dense air at the poles sinks and spreads toward the equator. As a result, two convection cells are formed. Conduction Conduction is the transfer of thermal energy that results from the collision of particles. Let's imagine you have just baked a pan of chocolate chip cookies. Before pulling the cookies out of the oven you would want to have something to put between your hand and the hot cookie sheet. Using potholders or oven mitts will save your fingers and hand from being burned. Some solids, such as metals, are good conductors of heat while others, such as wood, are poor conductors. The closer together molecules are in a substance, the more effectively the can conduct heat. Molecules that are heated have more energy. Molecules that are cold move slower and have less energy. The faster moving molecules are transferred into slower moving molecules. Air is a poor conductor, most energy transfer by conduction occurs right at the Earth's surface. At night, the ground cools and the cold ground conducts heat away from the adjacent air. During the day, solar radiation heats the ground, which heats the air next to it by conduction. The Earth's rotation results in the Coriolis Effect; this rotation makes winds in the Northern Hemisphere curve to the right and winds in the Southern Hemisphere curve to the left. 11

Atmospheric describes whether the circulating air motion will be strong or weak. During unstable conditions, ground-level air is much warmer than air. Air rises, cools, and produces large, tall clouds. released as water vapor, changes from a to a, adds to the instability, and produces a violent storm. Temperature occur in the troposphere when temperature increases as altitude increases. These prevent air from mixing and trap pollution below them. 12

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