GEOG 3010 Study Guide - Midterm Guide: Northern Hemisphere, Radiative Cooling, Position Of The Sun
Document Summary
Overview of earth"s atmosphere: thin layer of air surrounding earth, allows planet to have lakes, rivers, oceans c. Sun energizes atmosphere weather: composed of 78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other gasses d. i. Permanent (constant percentage) vs. variable (varying percentage) gases d. i. 1. Water vapor is 1-4% of variable gas, most abundant d. i. 1. a. Most is found in lowest 5km of atmosphere d. i. 1. b. Hydraulic cycle is the process of water going between earth and atmosphere d. i. 1. c. Supplied by breathing, organic decay, volcanoes, combustion d. i. 2. b. Ozone-form of oxygen w/ 3 bonded molecules d. i. 3. a. Greatest density in stratosphere (see below), ozone layer now has holes d. i. 4. Strong greenhouse gas, absorbs thermal radiation from earth d. i. 4. b. Good in small amounts, dangerous in big ones d. i. 5. Aerosols-small solid particles and liquid droplets in atmosphere d. i. 5. a. Lower visibility because of particles suspended in air d. i. 5. b. Act as condensation nuclei (clouds form around them: vertical structure of the atmosphere e. i.
