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Atmosphere
The mass of air surrounding a planet
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Atmospheric Pressure
The pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all object within it
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Barometer
An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure
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Homosphere
The lower layer of the earth's atmosphere, which extends from ground level to roughly 80 km (50 mi) above sea level
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Heterosphere
The upper layer of the earth's atmosphere, which extends higher than roughly 80 km (50 mi) above sea level
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Troposphere
The region of the atmosphere that extends from ground level to roughly 11 kilometers or 7 miles above sea level
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Stratosphere
The region of the atmosphere that spans altitudes of 11 kilometers to 48 km (30 miles)
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Mesosphere
The region of the atmosphere that spans altitudes of 48- 80 km. ( 30 miles to 50 miles)
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Jet streams
Narrow bands of high-speed winds that circle the Earth, blowing from west to east
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Heat
Energy that is being transferred
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Temperature
A measure of the energy of motion in a substances molecules
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Thermosphere
The region of the atmosphere between the altitudes of 80 km and 460 km
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Exosphere
The region of the atmosphere above the altitude of 460 km
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Ionosphere
The region of the atmosphere between the altitudes of 65 km and 330 km where the gases are ionized
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Suppose the earth's air supply or twice is concentrated as it really is. Would atmospheric pressure be greater than, equal to, or less than it is now?
atmospheric pressure would be greater than it is now. after all, space if the Air Supply were twice as concentrated, there would be twice as much air. Plus, the mass of air pressing down on everything in the atmosphere would be twice as high.
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Two students make two different barometers. The first student uses Mercury, while the second uses water. Any volume of Mercury is much heavier than an equal volume of water. If both barometers are the same except for the liquid used, which students barometer will have the highest column of liquid?
the second student barometer - the one made with water - will have a much higher column. Remember how a barometer works. The height of the column of liquid is determined by the amount of liquid necessary to balance out the atmospheric pressure pushing on the liquid outside of the column. The heavier the liquid, the less will be necessary to achieve the effect.
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4. The average, sea level value for atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch, which is the same as 29.9 in of Mercury. Space if the atmospheric pressure is 0.85 ATM s, which of the following values would correspond to atmospheric pressure as reported in a weather report?
31.1 inches of mercury, 29.9 inches of mercury, 25.4 inches of mercury
an atmospheric pressure of 25.4 in of mercury would be reported. since 1.0 ATM corresponds to the average sea-level value of atmospheric pressure, then 0.858 EMS means that the atmospheric pressure is lower than average.
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5. Two vials containing air samples taken at different altitudes. The first is composed of 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other. The second is 95% helium, 4% hydrogen, and 1% other. Which came from the homosphere
the first came from the homosphere. in the homosphere, the mixture of gases in the air is the same throughout. It is the mixture we learn to the previous module. The header is fear has many different composition, depending on altitude.
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6. You are reading the data coming from a data-gathering balloon as it rises in the atmosphere. You have no idea what altitude is at, but the balloon is sending a signal from its thermometer, telling you the temperature of its surroundings.
How will you know when the balloon enters the stratosphere?
How will you know when it enters the mesosphere?
the balloon enters the stratosphere when it's temperature reading cease to decrease and beginning freezing. The balloon enters the mesosphere when the temperature readings cease increasing and begin decreasing again. since the temperature gradient changes at the Stratosphere and then again in the mesosphere, this can be used to determine when the balloon has reached those parts of the atmosphere.
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7. Name the three regions of the hemisphere, from lowest to highest.
Troposphere, Stratosphere, mesosphere
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8. Although the temperature gradient changes from region to region in the homosphere there is one gradient that stays the same. It continues to decrease as you increase in altitude, no matter where you are in the homosphere. To what gradient am I referring?
I am referring to the "concentration gradient". You could also answer with "pressure" gradient. Whether you use the term concentration or pressure, both quantities continue to decrease with increasing altitude. Remember, gradient just means a steady change, so I can use that term with any quantity.
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9. A plane is experiencing a lot of problems because of a storm in the area. Is the plane flying in the troposphere or the stratosphere?
the plane is traveling in the troposphere. That's where the majority of weather phenomena exist.
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10. A scientist has two vials of ammonia gas. She tells you that in the first vial, the gas molecules are traveling with an average speed of 20 miles per hour. In the second vial, they are traveling with an average speed of 23 miles per hour. Which vial contains the gas with the higher-temperature?
The second vial contains the gas with the highest temperature. Remember, temperature is a measure of the motional energy of a substance. Since the molecules in the second vial have a higher speed, they will have more motional energy and thus a higher temperature.
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11. As you are outside on a cold, winter night, you begin to shiver from the cold. Your companion says that you are shivering from the heat. Is your companion correct? Why or why not?
your companion is correct. Heat is energy that is being transferred. The reason you were cold is it energy is being transferred from your body to the surrounding air. Even though it sounds weird to say it, you get cold because of transferred energy; thus, you get cold because of the Heat!
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12. Suppose there were a layer of carbon dioxide gas in the mesosphere. What would happen to the temperature gradient in that region?
the temperature gradient would reverse, getting warmer near that region. Remember, the temperature increases with increasing altitude in the atmosphere because of a layer of the greenhouse gas ozone. Carbon dioxide is also a greenhouse gas, and that's would produce roughly the same effect
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13. Why will a ban on CFCs not really produce any saved or improved lives?
a ban on CFCs will not save lives because CFCs cause a depletion of ozone only during a few months out of the year and only over Antarctica. as there is no significant population there, and since the depletion is temporary, the "ozone hole" is not a big threat to human survival.
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14. Why will a ban on CFCs result in a tragic loss of human life?
a ban on CFCs will cost many lives because Refrigeration, surgical sterilization, and firefighting will be less effective, causing death by starvation, death by eating spoiled food, death by surgical infection, and death by fire.
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15. Even though human civilization is responsible for less than 1% of all chlorine in the atmosphere, it is responsible for 80% of all ozone-destroying chlorine. Why?
The kinds of human-made molecules that contain chlorine can survive the trip up to the ozone layer, will most naturally produced chlorine containing molecules cannot. Although we produce few chlorine containing molecules, almost all of them can reach the ozone layer, where ozone depletion can occur. As a result, most of the ozone destroying molecules in the ozone layer are from Human sources
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16. What makes it possible for CFCs to travel up to the ozone layer and begin destroying ozone?
the polar vortex lifts the CFCs into the ozone layer. The polar vortex is seasonal and limited to the South Pole, so is ozone depletion.
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17. Where is the ionosphere and what makes it useful to us?
the ionosphere is a stretch of the atmosphere ranging from the upper mesosphere to the lower parts of the thermosphere. It is useful to us in radio communication, as radio signals can bounce off of it to extend their range. an altitude range of 65 km to 330 km is also a valid answer to where the ionosphere is.
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