Ch 20: The Atmosphere: Help and Review

1. Major Components of the Atmosphere

The atmosphere is a protective layer composed of a variety of gases surrounding the entire planet. Discover the major atmospheric components, such as the specific mixture of gasses, the contributions of greenhouse gases, and the ecological significance of the ozone layer.

2. The Structure of the Atmosphere

The Earth's atmosphere is made up of four layers. The one we are most familiar with is the troposphere, which contains the air we breathe, but there are also the stratosphere, mesosphere, and thermosphere. Through the lens of a rocket launching into space, explore the structure and characteristics of the Earth's atmosphere, including where each layer begins and ends.

3. What is Solar Radiation? - Definition & Effects

Solar radiation is simply the light and energy that is transmitted from the sun, which is very useful on Earth. Learn more about solar radiation, how light moves through space, and how sunlight relates to temperature.

4. Temperature, Clouds, Wind & Humidity on the Atmospheric Cycle

The weather, or current state of the atmospheric cycle, is determined by five primary factors. Learn more about the factors that determine the state of the atmosphere and weather, including temperature, air pressure, humidity, cloudiness, and wind.

5. Mechanisms of Heat Transfer: Conduction, Convection & Radiation

The three mechanisms that transfer heat include conduction, which is why a coffee mug gets hot when filled; convection, which is when heat is transferred via liquids; and, radiation, which is when heat is transferred by electromagnetic waves. Learn more about the mechanisms of heat transfer and the mobility of heat.

6. What is Humidity? - Definition, Measurements & Effects

Humidity refers to the amount of water vapor in the air which can make it feel even hotter on a summer day and increase the chances of a rainstorm developing. Explore the definition and measurements of humidity and dew points, learn how to measure relative humidity, and discover how humidity affects weather and climate.

7. What is Cloud Formation? - Definition, Types & Process

Clouds are formed when warm, moist air rises up, cools down, and condenses into water droplets. There are ten major cloud shapes that fall into four groups based on altitude, or height in the sky. Explore the process of cloud formation and learn how to define the types of clouds, including cirrus, altostratus, stratocumulus, and cumulonimbus clouds.

8. Air Lift: Definition & Processes

Air can flow, and be lifted through four main processes known as lifting mechanisms. Explore these processes--orographic lifting, frontal lifting, convergence, and convective lifting--and how they contribute to observable weather patterns.

9. What is Precipitation? - Definition, Types & Formation

Precipitation is the liquid or frozen water particles condensed in the atmosphere that falls back to the ground. Learn about the definition and types of precipitation and discover how precipitation is formed.

10. Climate Classifications & Their Global Distribution

Earth has numerous climates, which relocalized patterns of meteorological conditions, and no two places have the same climate, although there are similarities. Learn about the five major climates in climate classification systems and the characteristics of each classified climate based on their global distribution.

11. Natural Factors That Determine a Region's Climate

Climate and weather are related terms that have different meanings. Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a specific time and place, whereas climate is the long-term average of the weather patterns in an area. Learn about climate, the difference between weather and climate, and the natural factors (atmospheric effects, heat distribution, landforms, & continents) that determine the climate for a region.

12. Global Warming: Atmospheric Causes and Effect on Climate

Global warming is a multifaceted and complex issue that involves both natural and human causes that increase the number of greenhouse gases. Learn how the atmospheric temperature can increase leading to global warming, explore some of its causes and how it affects climate change, and discover the role of the greenhouse effect on global warming.

13. The Ozone Layer: Importance and the Harmful Effects of Thinning

The ozone layer of the Earth absorbs the ultraviolet radiation coming from the Sun. Learn about the importance of ozone, discover how CFCs break down the ozone, explore the early discoveries about harmful effects of CFCs and the thinning of the ozone layer, and determine policies in place to protect the ozone.

14. Greenhouse Gases and the Enhanced Greenhouse Effect

Human activity has a measurable effect on our climate. Learn about the greenhouse effect and its gases, and examine what happens when there is an imbalance of gases in the atmosphere.

15. What Is Air Pollution? - Definition, Sources & Types

Air pollution is a mixture of harmful particles and gases in the atmosphere. Learn the definition of air pollution, discover its sources, and explore the different types of air pollutants that exist.

16. Atmospheric Pressure: Definition & Effects

Atmospheric pressure is around us all of the time. The air you are breathing has weight, and although it doesn't weigh a lot, there is a lot of it around. This lesson will cover atmospheric pressure and its effects.

17. Thermosphere: Definition, Facts, Composition & Temperature

The thermosphere is a layer in the Earth's atmosphere. Learn more about the thermosphere, including its location, by exploring its definition, facts, composition, and temperature. Also, review the other layers of the atmosphere and explore more facts about the thermosphere to understand its relationship to the other layers.