Exam 1: Earth and Its Atmosphere

intermolecular forces.​Air molecules are held near Earth through

​The gas that absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere is

What causes air pressure? Why does air pressure decrease with increasing altitude?

The weight of all the air around Earth is a staggering 2000 trillion tons, or about 2 x 10¹⁸ kg.

​Over the last 100 years or so, Earth's surface temperature has increased by

​Recorded temperatures on Earth range from

The concentration of ____________________ is close to 21 percent (by volume) in the upper stratosphere (the same concentration as in the trophosphere), but without proper breathing apparatus you would not be able to survive there.

Earth's second atmosphere was more dense than its first atmosphere (which formed some 4.6 billion years ago), and developed through the impact of a series of meteorites.

Draw a diagram showing how air temperature normally changes with height. Begin at the ground and end in the upper thermosphere. Be sure to label the four main layers. Give one important characteristic of each layer. Where on your diagram would the top of Mt. Everest, the ozone layer, and the ionosphere be found?

Describe the various types of storms found in Earth's atmosphere.​

Under what circumstances might a person breathe stratospheric air? How often is it likely to happen in a student's lifetime?

​Water vapor molecules

​The atmospheric layer in which we live is called the

​Much of the carbon dioxide found in earlier atmospheres is currently locked up in

Sayings about the weather, such as "red sky at morning, sailor take warning; red sky at night, sailor's delight" are based on the scientific method.

​Earth's earliest atmosphere was most likely composed of

Storms rank in size from largest to smallest, as follows: middle-latitude cyclonic storm, hurricane, thunderstorm, tornado.

​Most human-made impurities found in the atmosphere present a health and environmental hazard. These are called

The physical laws that control atmospheric behavior can be represented in software packages known as ____________________.

A(n) ____________________ is an intense rotating column of air that extends downward from the base of a thunderstorm with a circulation reaching the ground.