Aim: Describe the Layers of the Earth’s atmosphere?

OBJ: Given activity sheet SWBAT describe the layers of the Earth’s atmosphere with 70% accuracy.

DN: HW check- Air Pressure BookletText, read p.16-21. Work on Layers of the Atmosphere Activity Sheet

ACT: Introduction to Layers of the Atmosphere (notes)Complete Layers of the Atmosphere Activity Sheet

HW: Complete Layers of the Atmosphere Booklet; Work on Meteorology Activity Sheet; Meteorology Exam, Oct 28.

Layers of Earth’s Atmosphere NotesLayers of Earth’s Atmosphere are divided based on:

Changes in TEMPERATURE

atmospheric boundary layer = “pause”

Tropopause: 12 km

Stratopause: 50 km

Mesopause: 80-83 km

Room temperature21ºC 72ºF

Outer Space- 270-271ºC

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OZONE

Layers of the Atmosphere NotesTroposphere: weather present; where planes fly; sunlight warms earth surface & air above surface.

Stratosphere: ozone (O3 gas; 3 atoms of oxygen) present; traps solar energy “ invisible blanket”; warms stratosphere.

Mesosphere: thick layer; most meteoroids (asteroids, comets) burn up; loss of ozone.

Thermosphere: temperature increase due to O2 and N2 molecules interact with solar energy to form heat.

Ionosphere (lower): ions (charged particles) reflect radio waves back to Earth and produces the Aurora Borealis (Canada’s northern lights).

Exosphere (upper): cell phone/TV communication satellites

Aurora Borealis

Aurora Borealis