ENV100Y5 Lecture Notes - Lecture 20: Ozone Depletion, Atmospheric Pressure, Atmospheric Circulation
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ENV100Y5 Full Course Notes
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Weather and atmospheric circulation very complicated. Atmosphere = thin layer of gases that surrounds a planet or moon: earth is not unique in having an atmosphere because other planets have atmosphere as well. Earth(cid:859)s at(cid:373)osphere: 78% nitrogen gas + 21% oxygen gas + 1% other. Percentage of oxygen is very crucial having even a little bit more or even a little less can be life threatening on earth. These exact percentages allows life on earth. Gases that do(cid:374)(cid:859)t (cid:272)ha(cid:374)ge (cid:272)o(cid:373)positio(cid:374) (cid:448)ery (cid:373)u(cid:272)h are (cid:272)alled (cid:272)o(cid:374)ser(cid:448)ati(cid:448)e (permanent) Gases that change often are called variable gases: unique and different from other planets, absorbs radiation and moderates climate, transports/recycles water, heat, pollutants, nutrients. Human activity is changing the amounts of some gases affects functioning of the atmosphere: changing proportion of gases in atmosphere changing effects. Vertical differences in temperature, density, and composition. Atmospheric pressure: force per unit area produced by an overlying column of air.
