PLANET DIARY 2: Amanda’s Blog
“I love to swim. One time I was at a beach in
the summer. I was swimming for a long time.
I got out to eat and dried off in about half an
hour. Then I went swimming again and it
clouded over. I got out of the water and it
took about an hour to dry off this time. I
found this very interesting. “
What would cause such a difference in drying time? Use
complete sentences.
UNIT 3: MOVEMENT
IN THE ATMOSPHERE
Text references: pgs. 16-19 and pgs. 22-25;
A. Atmospheric Energy
1. Nearly all the energy in the
atmosphere comes from the Sun in
the form of Electromagnetic Waves
which can easily move through the
vacuum of space.
2. Three forms of the sun’s energy come
through the atmosphere and have an effect
on our atmosphere and weather. They are:
Visible light
Ultraviolet radiation
Infrared radiation
These different electromagnetic waves
are identified by their wavelengths
is the only EM wave that humans can see. We see
this light as colors of the rainbow. Each has a
different wavelength. Violet is the shortest and red
is the longest. When all the waves are seen
together-we see white light. Almost all of this light
reaches through the troposphere.
The sun emits different wavelengths of
ultraviolet radiation. UVA, UVB, and UVC. UVB
and C are very bad for living things.
Most is absorbed
by the ozone layer
in the
stratosphere.
Ozone is our
protector!
http://www.uvdi.com
UV is what makes us sunburn and causes mostskin cancer.
2c. Infrared Radiation (think HEAT)
•
•
•
Has less energy than visible light
Usually warms the materials that
absorb it
Absorbed by greenhouse gases in the
troposphere
• Greenhouse Gases are mixed layers
of CO2, methane, water vapor ,
nitrous oxide and other gases
which absorb and emit infrared
radiation creating the greenhouse
effect (a warming of the Earth)
http://generalhorticulture.tamu.edu
The sun is not the only thing the gives off IR.
This is an
infrared image of
a jeep with its
engine running.
White is hottest!
Journal AE-1
1. Energy from the Sun reaches Earth as
_______________________.
2. List three forms of energy from the Sun.
3. Almost all of which type of radiation of radiation from
the Sun reaches the troposphere?
4. What happens to most of the sunlight that reaches
Earth?
5. How might life on Earth be different without the
Greenhouse Effect?
B. Energy Transfer
1. All molecules are in constant motion
due to the energy they have in them.
The more they have-the faster the y
move.
2. Thermal Energy-total amount of
energy inside something
3. We use a thermometer to measure
temperature on two common scales:
•Metric uses Celsius
•USA uses Fahrenheit
(Both named after the scientist that came up with the
measurements.)
0 degrees C
32 degrees F
(freezing)
100 degrees C
212 degrees F
(boiling)
Turn to Page 18 in your
text books and draw
that diagram in your
notes.
Requires no substance to travel from one place to
another. It can move through the vacuum of space .
Energy from the sun comes to us through radiation.
http://cache.eb.com/
•The transfer of heat by DIRECT contact
between objects or particles.
Example: You walk on a hot sidewalk barefooted and your feet get
hot. The heat is moving from the atoms of the sidewalk to your feet.
Example: The layer of air above the earth is warmed by
conduction (the transfer of heat by contact) molecule by
molecule from the hot earth to the layer of air touching
the sand where it then radiates through the air. The
heat is also conducted to your feet when you walk on the
beach.
1. Convection occurs when heat is transferred
by the movement of molecules through a
substance-usually a liquid or gas. The heat is
carried from one place to another by a
convection
current.
2. Cool air is more dense than warm air so it sinks
pushing warm air up. It is a constant cycle.
For example:
The air at the equator is constantly rising because it
is warm and sinking at the poles because they are
cold.
Heat warms the atmosphere best when it is in the form
of convection currents. Convection currents form when
heated air expands, becomes lighter, and rises. The
heat is carried upward. This is convection! It also
happens with liquids.
Conductors
Insulators
2
1
3
Warm-up AE-2: Identify and describe
these forms of energy transfer.
What type of heat transfer could keep the paper
in the air? Make a rough sketch with arrows to
help explain your answer.
Paper
D. Human Activities in the
Atmosphere
A. Air Pollution-Harmful materials that are
added to the air
1. It can be moved around by wind
2. Types


Gases-carbon monoxide, methane, ozone,
sulfide oxide, nitrogen oxide
Particulates-solids like dust, pollen, etc.
3. Sources of Pollution
a. Human
1. Fossil Fuels-fuels from the
remains of animals and plants
 Smog-combination of smoke and
fog; bad in big cities
2. Farming: fertilizers and
pesticides
3. Construction
4. Factories
b. Natural-volcanoes, forest fires,
dust, dirt, pollen
It can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and
lungs
2. It can make it very hard to breath
3. It can cause lung damage
4. It can stick to surfaces and cause damage
to plants buildings and other objects
1.
B. Effects of Pollution
1. Humans are increasing these gases by using
fossils fuels, adding fertilizer to crops and
waste disposal (animals and landfills)
2. Carbon dioxide levels are increasing
3. We can reduce these gases by using
automobiles less, live in houses that use less
energy and use energy-efficient appliances
C. Greenhouse Gases