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Atmosphere and Space

Atmosphere
• The thin blanket
of gases
surrounding the
Earth which
protects us from
the
extraterrestrial
elements

Composition

• 78% Nitrogen, N2
• 21% Oxygen, O2
• 1% Argon, Ar and other trace gasses
...

• Average
atmospheric
pressure is
approximately 101
...
3 kPa = 1013 mb

– 1 kPa is
equivalent
to a 100 kg
mass on 1
m2 area
...
Blocks out dangerous radiation from the sun
(ultraviolet rays by ozone)
2
...

3
...


Atmospheric Layers
• The atmosphere is divided into a series of
differentiated layers as you change in altitude
...


Thermosphere

80-500
km

Mesosphere

50-80 km



Stratosphere

15-50 km



Troposphere

0-15 km



Air is very rare
...



The hottest layer of the atmosphere:
up to 1800 C
Shooting stars and polar auroras


The coldest layer: temperatures falls
to -80 C
...

Temperatures rise with altitude
Most meteorological phenomena
(weather)
Temperatures drop with altitude
Contains approximately 75% of the
atmosphere's mass
99% of its water vapor

2 Factors affecting atmospheric pressure
NUMBER OF PARTICLES:
Number of particles increases  particles collide frequently 
pressure increases (HIGH PRESSURE)
Number of particles decreases particles collide less frequently
 pressure falls (LOW PRESSURE) (that is why higher altitudes
have low pressure)
TEMPERATURE:
Temperature increases  particles move faster  Particles move
away from one another density drops  air tends to rise
above colder, denser air
...

Dry bulb = Actual Temperature
Wet bulb = Depends on the humidity
• Evaporation is reduced when the air
contains more water vapor
...


Atmospheric Circulation
(Convection)
The warm air at the equator rises in the atmosphere and
goes towards the poles where it drops down
...


Coriolis effect
• Due to the earths
rotation the coriolis
effect causes the
deviation of the
wind direction
...

Polar Cell

Between the 60th parallel and
the north or south pole

Ferrel Cell

Between the 30th and 60th
parallels

Hadley Cell Between the equator and the
30th parallel

`

Jet Stream
Polar:
• 300 km/h
• Near 60th
Parallel
• 9-10 km high
Subtropical
• 400km/h
• 30th Parallel
• 11-14 km high

Air Masses
• Air Masses are
enormous expanses
of air that move
together and
interact with other
air masses to create
weather patterns
...

Usually from
the arctic
When a mass
of warm air
meets a mass
of cold air
...


The warm air
rises gently
above the cold
air
...
(Hurricane, Cyclones or
typhoons)
• Clouds and rain

Cyclone
• A tropical storm with violent winds revolving
around a low-pressure center
...

• Humans are adding greenhouse gases in excessive amounts to
the atmosphere ever since the Industrial Revolution
...


CAUSES OF GREEN HOUSE GASES
AND GLOBAL WARMING
1
...
Methane (CH4)
Nature: Digestion in wild animals, Decomposing plants,
Swamps
Human: Farm animal Gas and Manure, Decomposing
household waste, rice, plants underwater
...
Nitrous oxide (N2O)
Nature: Bacteria in the soil and oceans
Human: Applying nitrogen-rich fertilizer, Certain chemical
processes

Greenhouse Gas Concentration

Atmospheric contamination
The ozone layer is a part of the
atmosphere with a high concentration of
ozone molecules, which absorb some of
the ultraviolet rays from the sun
...

It can be found at ground level as a pollutant, but
we want the ozone that is naturally produced
high up in the stratosphere, about 50 km above
the surface of the earth
Why do we need an ozone layer?
Ozone absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation from
the sun and converts it into harmless heat:
O3 + UV => O2 + O + heat

Depletion of ozone layer
1
...

Then: Cl + O3 => ClO+O2
ClO+O => O2 +Cl
Cl is recycled and free to attack more ozone
...
What are the effects
of a thinner ozone
layer?
Skin cancer cases,
especially among fairskinned people
...

3
...


Formation of Smog
Formation of tropospheric ozone: Occurs
when the Sun rays hit nitrogen oxide
molecules coming mainly from car
exhaust or factories
...

Consequences of smog: Forms a thick
fog; leads to respiratory problems
...

• Storage of electricity is
inefficient

Wind (Aeolian) power plant

Solar Radiation
Solar Energy is caused by
nuclear fusion of hydrogen
atom into helium atom in
the sun
• 75% Hydrogen
• 25% Helium
• 15 million degrees Celsius
• Electromagnetic wave
energy
Kinds of Radiation that reach
Earth’s surface:
• Infrared, UV, Visible light

Advantages and disadvantages of
solar energy
• Renewable
• No pollution
• Good option for isolated areas with no power
distribution network
• Low energy production for cost
• Only areas with lots of sunlight are suitable
• Production of Solar panels and batteries use a lot
of energy and chemicals

Solar Energy

• Passive Heating:
Sunny side windows
with concrete to
absorb heat and
release it later
• Increases the heating
efficiency of the
house but much is
lost through windows,
roof, walls
...
The movement
of the electrons
creates an electric
current
• 14% efficiency sun
to electricity
...
The
temperature of the fluid in the pipe
increases as it flows down the pipe,
along the solar collectors
...

Water loses heat fast,
new technology uses
molten salt, stays hotter
(537
...
Mars sized planet collides with earth 4
...

2
...
Remaining rock coalesces into the moon in
orbit of earth
• ALSO: Causes angle change of earths rotation
and therefore the “seasons”

Sun and Moon

• The tides are the rise
and fall of water in the
oceans
• Moon side tide is
caused by the
gravitational force of
the moon
• The opposing tide is
because the moon’s
gravity is weaker there
so the centripetal force
(spinning force like a
merry-go-round) forces
the water out
• Highest tide is when
gravity of sun and
moon align

Tidal Energy
• Tidal energy is the
energy obtained from
the ebb and flow of the
tides
• Renewable, no emissions
• Tides are totally predictable
...


Tidal power plant



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