Geography

Grade 10
Term 1
The atmosphere
MRS. STEYNBERG
HOËRSKOOL GENERAL HERTZOG
Content:
Chapter 1: Composition and structure
Chapter 2: Heating
Chapter 3: Moisture
Chapter 4: Synoptic weather maps
Chapter 1: Composition and structure
of the atmosphere
Unit 1: Structure and composition: Page 82
Furthest from earth, absorbs X & UV rays, high
temp. which increases with increased distance
from earth
Prevents dust and rocks from space to enter lowe
layers, cold temp.
Contains a layer of ozone which absorbs UV
rays

Approximately 8km thick at poles and 17km thick

At equator, contains most of the air and gases in
the atmosphere, where weather takes place
Follow on page 83 while watching the following video:
https://youtu.be/ODIJgFAT6RA
Which two was not mentioned in the video?
Why do you think the atmosphere is so important?
Unit 2: The ozone layer: Page 85
The ozone layer and ozone depletion:
https://youtu.be/aU6pxSNDPhs
What does CFC stand for?

Effects of ozone depletion:

- People: Affect the eyes (cataracts), faster aging of the skin
and skin cancer, weakened immune system.
- Environment: disrupt photosynthesis (lower crop yields),
decrease in phytoplankton (decrease in marine life)

How can we reduce ozone depletion?

Chapter 2: Heating of the atmosphere
Unit 3: Processes: Page 88
The sun’s electromagnetic spectrum
- The sun transmits energy in the form of waves (radiant
energy/radiation), also known as the distribution of the sun’s
radiation.
- These waves have different wavelengths. Refer to Figure 2.13
on Page 88.
- Only light waves (visible light) can be seen by the human
eye.
- Now you know that waves (radiation) have different
wavelengths.
- The sun distributes SHORT-WAVE solar radiation which heats
the earth’s surface.
- The earth, after being heated, distributes LONG-WAVE
terrestrial radiation back into the atmosphere which heats up
the atmosphere.
- Refer to Page 88, Figure 2.12
- Refer to Page 89 on insolation. Take note of the terms
and Figure 2.15.
VS.
- Refer to Pages 90 & 91 on heating of the atmosphere. Take
note of the terms and Figure 2.17

https://youtu.be/el7ygWztQqA
https://youtu.be/HpCvWuvCUoA
Unit 4, 6 & 7: The greenhouse effect:
Page 93, Global warming: Page 104 &
Climate change: Page 109
- The earth’s atmosphere is compared to a greenhouse.
- The earth’s atmosphere allows the short waves (insolation) to
move through the atmosphere and heat the earth’s surface,
but gases absorb the long waves of terrestrial radiation which
are trapped in the lower layers of the atmosphere (heat).
- Refer to Figures 2.19 & 2.20 on Page 93
- This effect keeps the temp. of earth 15 degrees higher and
would otherwise be much colder.
- The greenhouse effect is essential for life on earth.
- Due to excessive amounts of greenhouse gases (refer to
table on Page 94) being pumped into the atmosphere daily,
more heat is being absorbed and global temp. are rising
(global warming).
- Deforestation is another act that enhances the greenhouse
effect and contributes to global warming. Why do you think?
- Other causes for global warming
Refer to Pages 105 – 108:
- What evidence of global warming can you think of?
- What consequences of global warming can you think of?
- What strategies to deal with global warming can you think of?
- Global warming leads to climate change, meaning that
weather patterns are changing with regards to temp., rainfall,
humidity, winds and severe weather.
- https://youtu.be/Ygpd7btcxIg
Unit 5: Factors affecting temperature:
Page 96 – take note of terms
1. Latitude
2. Altitude
3. Ocean currents
4. Distance from the ocean
5. Aspect
- Refer to Figure 2.29 on Page 103
Chapter 3: Moisture in the atmosphere
Unit 8 & 9: Water in the atmosphere: Page
115
- The hydrological cycle: Water that is continually recycled
through various processes.
- Water is never lost, but changes form and state.
- Three forms of water: 1. Solid: Ice
2. Liquid: Water
3. Gas: Water vapour
- What about
sublimation and
crystallization?
How does condensation take place?
- Water evaporates to create water vapour in the air
- The temp. cools down as it rises
- Salt crystals and dust particles (condensation nuclei) serve as
particles on which the water vapour can condense into water

- Water and ice particles from clouds.

- The condensed water vapour (water) and ice particles fall to
the earth’s surface in the form of precipitation which can be
in any state.
- Rain and drizzle (liquid state), snow and hail (solid state).
- Temperature determines humidity.
- Water vapour capacity: The amount of water vapour
the air can hold.
- Actual humidity: Amount of water vapour in the air.
- Relative humidity: Amount of water vapour in the air, relative to
the air’s water vapour capacity.
- Warm air has more space to hold water vapour than cold air
- The higher the temp., the higher the humidity.
- Refer to Figure 2.49 on Page 117
- Relative humidity of 100% = air is saturated.
- When air becomes saturated, that is called the dew point.
- At dew point, when the air is cooled further, condensation will
occur.
- The altitude of dew point where condensation occur is called
the condensation level.
Unit 10: Clouds: Page 119
- Clouds form due to water vapour condensing onto nuclei.
- Height and vertical extent of clouds depend on temp. and
vertical air currents (wind).
- Clouds are white in colour, but also appear grey/black when
they are very thick/dense and when the sun is shining on the
upper part of the cloud leaving the lower part in the shadow.
- The atmosphere MUST cool to dew point for condensation
and cloud formation to take place.
- VERY IMPORTANT:
1. Relative humidity – high = higher dew point (air does not
need to cool much and will not rise far = low altitude clouds
2. Relative humidity – low = lower dew point (air needs to cool
a lot and will rise far) = higher altitude clouds
- High altitude clouds consist of ice crystals because air
had to rise far to cool enough thus dew point is below zero,
Cloud names begin with “cirro-”.
- Medium altitude clouds have names that begin with “alto-”.
- Clouds are classified according to their height and
appearance:
1. Cirrus: High clouds and wispy in shape
2. Stratus: Layered in appearance (stratified)
3. Cumulus: Look like tufts of cotton wool
- Clouds can be a combination of the above.
- Some clouds are associated with certain climates:
1. Cumulonimbus clouds bring thunderstorms
2. Cirrus clouds move ahead of cold fronts
3. Cirrostratus clouds appear when it is going to snow
https://youtu.be/F
MagDRCpJ14
Unit 11: Forms of precipitation: Page 123
Dew and frost
- Dew is water on plants and the ground
- Frost is ice on plants and the ground
- This happen when condensation takes place on the earth’s
surface when the surface cooled down to dew point.
- Occurs on cloudless, calm night.
- Frost occurs in winter.
Hail and snow
- Solid forms of precipitation
- Snow form when dew point is below zero degrees and the water
vapour condenses straight into ice crystals which joints together to
form snowflakes. Often the air below the cloud is warmer so the
snowflakes melt and fall to the ground as light rain.
- Hail form in swirling updrafts high up in cumulonimbus clouds
which can be 10km high. Winds blow up to 180km/h and
supercooled water droplets exist that do not freeze at zero
degrees. The wind carry particles of dust, ice crystals and frozen
droplets and freeze instantly when colliding the supercooled water
droplets. This creates hailstones. When hailstones blow into water
vapour it will sublimate and also create hailstones with layers of
white ice around the hailstone.
Hailstones may bond together and form even bigger hailstones.
Rain
- Falls in liquid form from the clouds to the earth’s surface when the
water droplets become too heavy to rise further.
- Different types of rain exist depending on how the air rises and
cools down to dew point.
Unit 12: Kinds of rain: Page 125
1. Relief rain – Figure 2.68 on Page 125
- Drakensberg in the KwaZulu-Natal
2. Frontal rain – Figure 2.69 on Page 126
- Winter in the Western Cape
3. Convectional rain – Figure 2.70 on Page 126
- Inland in summer season: Cumulonimbus clouds - thunderstorms
Chapter 4: Reading Synoptic Weather Maps
Unit 13: Synoptic Weather Maps: Page 127
- Synoptic means summary, thus a synoptic weather map gives a
summary of recorded weather at a given time.
- A weather satellite called Meteosat sends information and
satellite photographs to a receiving station.
- Weather balloons are used by SAWS. These balloons carry
instruments that record weather conditions (temp., humidity etc.)
- Floating buoys in the ocean, ships at sea and aeroplanes are
also used.
- Follow in your textbook from Page 128
THE END OF GEOGRAPHY TERM 3