ES. 11 Atmosphere- changes, layers, heat transfer

Discover Earth's atmosphere! Label layers, understand heat transfer, and learn about pressure. Grade 8 Science.

Question 1: Label the layers of the atmosphere. Word Bank: COPY AND PASTEMesosphereStratosphereTroposphereIono Iono Mesosphere Stratosphere Troposphere Thermosphere Question 3: What is the best definition for Atmosphere? The layer of water covering Earth’s surface. A thin layer of gases that form a protective covering around the planet. The layer of continental and oceanic crusts. Question 4: Fill in the blanks. The atmosphere is a thin layer of gases that cover the planet. The most abundant gases in the atmosphere are nitrogen78% and oxygen 21%. The rest of the gases in the atmosphere only comprise about 1% of it. The atmosphere traps heat, making the temperature on Earth comfortable for living beings. The oxygenin our atmosphere is essential for life. Question 5: Why does air density decrease with increasing altitude within Earth's atmosphere? Air density decreases with increasing altitude because more atoms escape into outer space. Air density decreases with increasing altitude because the gravitational pull exerted by the Earth decreases with increasing altitude. Air density decreases with increasing altitude because energy from the sun pushes the air particles closer to Earth. Question 6: What happens to air pressure as altitude increases? (Think about the top of a mountain) Decreases – the higher you go, the LESS pressure you feel Increases – the higher you go, the MORE pressure you feel Stays the same Sort the facts HINT:**** high energy X-rays=Thermosphere **** Troposphere Lowest layer 99% of water vapor found here Weather occurs here Air pressure drops, and temperatures get colder, as you climb higher Stratosphere Ozone layer is found here O3 absorbs UV light here The jet stream- a high speed wind- blows here UV light being absorbed raises the temperature of this layer Mesosphere Meteors and other space objects burn up here Temperatures once again get colder Molecules Thermosphere High-energy X-rays and UV radiation from the Sun are absorbed here Hottest layer and the thickest Ionosphere Aurora Borealis occur here Ions- charged particles from the sun- interact within this layer Exosphere The final area of the atmosphere Satellites can orbit here pauses boundary between layers One layer gradually turns into the next in these areas Fill in the blanks...helpful hints below:Radiation is the transfer of heat by electromagnetic wavesThe difference in solar energy received at different latitudes drives atmospheric circulation. Heat Transfer in the AtmosphereHeat moves in the atmosphere the same way it moves through the solid Earth or another medium.Open Space: Radiation is the transfer of energy through empty space by electromagnetic waves.Contact to contact: In conduction, heat moves from areas of more heat to areas of less heat by direct contact. Warmer molecules vibrate rapidly and collide with other nearby molecules, transferring their energy.In the atmosphere, conduction is more effective at lower altitudes, where air density is higher. This transfers heat upward to where the molecules are spread further apart or transfers heat laterally (sideways) from a warmer to a cooler spot, where the molecules are moving less vigorously.Circular Motion: Heat transfer by movement of heated materials is called convection. Heat that radiates from the ground initiates convection cells in the atmosphereThe Sun's rays strike the surface most directly at the Equator.The difference in solar energy received at different latitudes drives atmospheric circulation.