BIOL-103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 14: Flight Zone, Thermosphere, Sulfur Trioxide
3 Oct 2018
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Document Summary
The atmosphere: a layer of gases that surrounds the earth: nitrogen (n2) = 78. 084%, oxygen (o2) = 20. 946%, argon (ar) = 0. 9340%, carbon dioxide (co2) = 0. 035%, misc. Divided into 4 regions due to temperature differentials, pressure differentials, and chemical compositions. Troposphere: ranges in depth from ~17-20 km at equator to 8 km at poles, contains the gases that support life, where most weather events occur, flight zone of commercial jets. Mesosphere: extends from stratosphere to 80-85 km, coldest region (-138 degrees celsius). Thermosphere: extends from mesosphere until it converges with outer space, the outer layer, characterized by rising temperatures up 1,000 degrees celcius, region of highly ionized gas > ionosphere. = where the aurora borealis (northern lights) occur. The effects of airborne pollutants range from annoying to lethal. Outdoor (ambient) vs indoor air pollution [divided in 2 types]: more applicable to humans rather than anything else simply because animals/environment don"t live inside buildings.
