The Air Around You

Section 15:1
Composition of the Atmosphere
Complete the following statement:

The atmosphere consists 78% of what gas?

Composition of the Atmosphere
• Nitrogen 78%

• Oxygen 21%
O O
 Composition of the Atmosphere
Neon

• Other gases 1% Water Vapor

Carbon Dioxide Helium Methane

Ozone
Argon

Hydrogen
Composition of the Atmosphere
Properties of Air
• Does air have mass?

• How can we show that air does have

mass?

Watch YouTube video on bhoelzle.wikispaces.com

Video
Egg in bottle
Properties of Air
Because air has mass it also has
other properties including:
Mass
Density =
Volume
Pressure – force pushing on an
area or surface
Measuring Air Pressure
• Mercury Barometer – glass tube and a
dish of mercury

Pressure is
measured by
measuring the height
of the mercury
Measuring Air Pressure
• Aneroid Barometer – airtight chamber
connected to a dial by a series of
springs and levers
Measuring Air Pressure
• Weather reports use several units for
pressure

Millimeters of mercury

Inches of mercury

Millibars 1in = 33.87mb

 Altitude and the Properties of Air
• Altitude- Distance above sea level
As altitude increases
Air pressure decreases

Lower
air pressure
There is less weight
of air molecules on
you as you climb the
Higher mountain
air pressure
 Altitude and the Properties of Air
• As air pressure decreases,
so does density
• Video
Making our plane