atmosphere

Question 1

contents of the atmosphere

Answer 1

• nitrogen (78%)
• oxygen (21%), stabilised by nitrogen and argon
• argon (0.9%)
• carbon dioxide (0.05%)
• aerosols, condensation nuclei, aid cloud formation

Question 2

troposphere

Answer 2

• up to 10km
• where weather forms and most clouds are
• temperature decreases with distance from surface

Question 3

tropopause

Answer 3

upper limit of troposphere

Question 4

stratosphere

Answer 4

• 10-50km
• temperature increases with distance from lower limit
• contains ozone layer

Question 5

mesosphere

Answer 5

• 80-100km
• limits less defines
• lowest temperatures

Question 6

thermosphere

Answer 6

• 100km+
• outside protection of atmosphere
• highest temperatures here
• contains aurora and ISS

Question 7

ozone

Answer 7

• triatomic O3
• absorbs harmful UV rays

Question 8

greenhouse effect

Answer 8

• includes CO2, water vapour, nitrous oxide
• earth reemits solar radiation as infrared radiation
• most absorbed and reradiated by greenhouse gases in atmosphere
• infrared causes vibration in covalent bonds
• gases with more covalent bonds have capacity to absorb and reemit more energy
• without greenhouse effect, temperatures would be ~35C lower

Question 9

Hadley, ferrel and polar cells

Answer 9

• causes trade winds and jet streams
• creates areas of low and high pressure

Question 10

jet streams

Answer 10

• fast flowing currents of air high and low in the atmosphere
• can reach 200mph
• ribbon shape, wide but not deep

Question 11

polar front jet stream

Answer 11

• from pressure gradient force due to meeting of cold polar and warm tropical air at midlatitudes, deflected by coriolis effect
• stronger in winter as temperature difference is higher, also further south (N hemisphere) due to tilt