Notes

Earth Science + the Atmosphere and the Oceans +
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~The atmosphere is divided into five layers, each with distinct characteristics. These layers are:
*Troposphere
*Stratosphere
*Mesosphere
*Thermosphere
*Exosphere
~The troposphere- is the lowest layer of the atmosphere. It extends from Earth's surface to a height of about 10 kilometers
(km), though the height can vary by location. In order to convert kilometers to an approximation of miles, divide kilometers by
2, and then add 10%.
~Directly above the tropopause is the next layer of the atmosphere, which is called the - stratosphere. The stratosphere extends
from a height of about 10 km to a height of about 50 km above Earth's surface. When you fly in a commercial airplane, you
travel through the stratosphere. The stratosphere is home to the ozone layer. The ozone layer is a layer of ozone gas that
absorbs energy from the Sun's ultraviolet rays.
~The next layer of the atmosphere, beginning directly above the stratopause, is the - mesosphere. The mesosphere extends from
a height of about 50 km to a height of about 85 km above Earth's surface.
~The thermosphere- is the next layer of Earth's atmosphere. It begins just above the mesopause, about 85 km above Earth's
surface. The thermosphere extends upward to an altitude between 500 and 1,000 km above Earth's surface. By most
technical definitions, "space" begins at a height of about 100 km above Earth's surface, near the lower boundary of the
thermosphere.
~The last layer of Earth's atmosphere is called the - exosphere. The exosphere begins directly above the thermopause at an
altitude of 500–1,000 km above Earth's surface. The exosphere doesn't have an upper boundary; it simply fades into outer
space. Some scientists do not consider the exosphere to be part of Earth's atmosphere. They argue that Earth's atmosphere
ends at the upper limits of the thermosphere.

~Radiation- is the transfer of thermal energy by electromagnetic waves. The electromagnetic spectrum includes several types of
waves, including light waves. The small portion of light waves that humans can see is called visible light.

~Conduction- is the transfer of thermal energy that occurs when molecules or atoms collide. For example, when you place a pot
on a hot stove burner, the molecules that make up the hot stove burner begin to collide with the molecules that make up the
pot.

~Convection- is the transfer of thermal energy in a gas or liquid that results from the rising and falling of warmer and cooler
parts. For example, when you boil water on a stove, convection is responsible for the mixing of the liquid.

~Temperature- is a measure of how quickly the molecules in a material are moving. The faster molecules move, the higher the
temperature: the slower they move, the cooler the temperature.

~Humidity- refers to the amount of water vapor in the air. High humidity means air contains a lot of water vapor; low
humidity means air contains little water vapor.

~The four most basic types of clouds are as follows:
*Cirrus—wispy, thin, white clouds
*Cumulus—puffy, cottony clouds with flat bottoms
*Stratus—widespread, blanket-like clouds
*Nimbus—rain clouds

~Meteorology- is the study of atmospheric conditions and phenomena. Meteorologists monitor changing conditions in the
atmosphere to forecast the weather. They gather data related to the movements of air masses, wind systems, fronts, and
pressure systems. In addition, they measure air temperatures, air pressures, humidity levels, and wind speeds to develop their
predictions.

~A front- is a boundary between two air masses with differing characteristics. For example, one air mass might be composed of
warm, humid air, while another is composed of cold, dry air.

~An occluded- front is a combination of warm and cold fronts that form in low-pressure areas where depressions occur.
Occluded fronts can bring strong storms and are indicated by a solid purple line with alternating semicircles and triangles
pointing in the direction of the front's movement."

~Seawater is approximately 96.5% water and 2.5% dissolved salts. The remaining 1% of seawater contains a number of dissolved
materials, as well as some dissolved atmospheric gases like carbon dioxide. These dissolved gases affect the acidity of the ocean.

~The thermocline- refers to temperature changes with depth
~The halocline- refers to salinity changes with depth. The thermocline and the halocline combine to form the pycnocline.

~ Ocean waves- are driven by wind blowing over the surface of the water, which pulls on water due to friction. This particular
type of friction is called drag.

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