Name_________________________

Atmospheric Layers Notes (please fill in while

listening to the lecture)

Six atmospheric layers:

1.) The Troposphere
o The atmospheric layer that is ____________ to the Earth
o 8-16 km altitude.
o Responsible for the weather and it contains most of atmospheric moisture.
o As the altitude increases, the temperature decreases.
o ________________ is where troposphere ends in a thin boundary.
o Contains a small portion of ozone therefore the temperature in this layer rises.

2.) The Stratosphere

o Stratosphere is from about 12 to 50 km altitude.
o Contains higher concentration of ______________.
o Ozone protects the Earth from the harmful of ultraviolet ______________.
o Temperature increases as the altitude increases.

3.) The Mesosphere

o The middle layer of the atmosphere. (Meso=middle).
o Extends from 50 to 80 altitude.
o The temperature is very low (-75oC) because no ozone and _________________ are
present.
o Meteors are “burned” in this layer

4.) The Thermosphere

o Extends from 80 to 500 km altitude.
o __________ density but has molecules have higher energy.
o The highest electromagnetic waves are absorbed - increases the temperature.
o Also called ___________________.
o Where Northern and Southern lights are located.

5.) The Exosphere

o The outer most layer of the atmosphere. (exo=outside)
o We call it “space”.
o Thin because of very small particle (mainly hydrogen) presents here.
Atmosphere Worksheet
KEY
 Hydrosphere Notes
o All of Earth’s water including gas, ______ and liquid.
o Salt and ________ water.
o Mots of fresh water are stored in the form of glacier and in the ice cap around North and
South Poles.

Water Cycle
o Sun evaporates the water to
evaporate or ice to ___________.
o Water vapor rises and eventually
condensed due to the decrease of
the pressure and the
temperatures.
o Water vapor falls to the ground
and the cycle repeats.
o ______________: changes from
liquid to vapor.
o Condensation: changes from
vapor to liquid.
o Sublimation: changes from vapor to solid (ice).

Major Ocean Currents

o Oceans are very important in weather
dynamics because the occupy the
largest water proportion on Earth.
o ________________ is an Atlantic
current that transport warm water
from Gulf pf Mexico to the North
Atlantic region.
o It acts like “conveyer belt’ that
transport energy from warmer part of
the world to the colder parts.
o The cold ocean current from the North
Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, and the
Antarctic flow toward the equator and
become ________________.

Cause of Ocean Current

o Ocean water that is near the equator absorbs the direct, intense solar energy.
 o Since warm water is _____________________ than cold, the water moves northward or
southward at the surface.
o Replaced by cold water below starting a convection current.

Effect of the Ocean Current

o The Gulf Stream warming the coast of Norway and Iceland.
o The ocean current that reaches Peru in western South America is _________ therefore
the air is _____________.
o Desert Atacama is the desert beside Pacific ocean.
o Along the western side of the huge Pacific Ocean, the warm waters evaporates forming
huge cloud that produce large quantities of precipitation.
o Brazil rain forest.

How do Clouds Form?

o __________________ clouds: are produced when air near the ground absorbs energy
from heated surfaces (ocean, lakes, asphalt, concrete and dirt) becomes and less dense,
and rises in the atmosphere.
o ________________clouds: are produced where the leading edge, or front, of a large
moving mass of air meets another mass of air at a different temperature.
o ________________ clouds: are formed when air moves up a mountain, expand at the
lower pressure and cools.

Cloud classification:
Cumulus clouds:
◦ have a billowing, rounded shape.
◦ Formed as a result of ____________ currents, orographic lifting.
◦ Usually indicate __________weather.

Stratus cloud
• Flattened layered shape.
• Indicates __________weather.
 The Hydrosphere Worksheet

Complete the following diagram

Water exists in three

states

Examples Examples Examples

Earth’s water
resource

Salt water 97.5%

Underground
water 12.3%

Lakes 90% Rivers 1%

 Label and color the current on the following map. Use blue to indicate cold current and red
to indicate warm current.

Answer the following questions:

1. In each of the following cases, which one is more important : climate or weather?
Explain your choice.
a. A tour operation is creating a website to advertise vacation destinations.

b. A tourist has just arrived at one of the vacation destinations.

2. Explain why oceans are considered to be major heat sink?

3. Describe how the evaporation rate of water is affected by

a. The temperature of the weather

b. Wind striking the surface of the water

c. The surface area of the water

d. The amount of the water vapour in the air.

 Key

Answer the following questions:

1. In each of the following cases, which one is more important: climate or weather?
Explain your choice.
a. A tour operation is creating a website to advertise vacation destinations.
 Climate because tourist and tour company must plan vacation well in advance. If the
weather turns out to be bad for a short while during vacation, that is simply a bad
luck.
b. A tourist has just arrived at one of the vacation destinations.
Weather is more important because the plan was done based on the climate but
now the day-to-day situation will determine the success of the trip.

2. Explain why oceans are considered to be major heat sink?

The oceans cover the majority of the Earth’s surface and contain water, a substance
with a heat capacity. Water can store a lot of energy gained mainly form the Sun, so the
oceans are major heat sinks.

3. Describe how the evaporation rate of water is affected by

a. The temperature of the weather: increases as the temperature of the water
increases
b. Wind striking the surface of the water: increases as the wind increases.
c. The surface area of the water: increases as the surface area increases.
d. The amount of the water vapour in the air: decreases as the amount of water vapour
in the air increases.