ENVS 1000 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Water Vapor, Tropospheric Ozone, Fluoride
13 Dec 2016
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ENVS Chapter 9 Notes: Atmospheres and Air Pollution
Composition of the atmosphere:
● 78% Nitrogen
● 21% Oxygen
● 1% Other gases
Radiatively active:
● Influences the form and flux of energy (radiation)
Chemically active:
● Involved in chemical reactions (with other elements, molecules or compounds) and
influences the composition of the atmosphere
Small concentrations with big impacts:
● Water vapor
○ <1% of the atmosphere, but this makes all rain and snow, which is essential to
life on the planet.
● Carbon dioxide
○ a very trace greenhouse gas, but it raises the temperature of the atmosphere by
30 degrees
● Stratospheric ozone:
○ a trace gas but protects us from harmful UV rays
Insolation:
● Radiation at the earth’s surface per unit area, not uniformly distributed because we live
on a sphere
○ Temperature variation
○ Drivers of air (wind) and water (currents) patterns
Circulations:
● Persistent features of atmosphere
● Controls vegetation zones
● Important for climate, environmental processes
● Process:
○ Solar radiation warms the surface
○ Air heats up and rises
○ As the air rises, it cools and water condenses
○ Rain condenses, releases heat and warms the air
○ Dry air descends back to the ground
Why does air move?
● Air moves from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure
○ High pressure will not stay put, but like air in an inflated balloon, rush out to areas
of lower air pressure
Why does pressure vary?
● Warm air rises, creating lower pressure at the surface and higher pressure aloft. Sinking
air then creates high pressure areas at the surface
● Storms
● Monsoons
The atmosphere:
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Envs chapter 9 notes: atmospheres and air pollution. Influences the form and flux of energy (radiation) Involved in chemical reactions (with other elements, molecules or compounds) and influences the composition of the atmosphere. <1% of the atmosphere, but this makes all rain and snow, which is essential to life on the planet. A very trace greenhouse gas, but it raises the temperature of the atmosphere by. A trace gas but protects us from harmful uv rays. Radiation at the earth"s surface per unit area, not uniformly distributed because we live on a sphere. Drivers of air (wind) and water (currents) patterns. As the air rises, it cools and water condenses. Rain condenses, releases heat and warms the air. Dry air descends back to the ground. Air moves from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure. High pressure will not stay put, but like air in an inflated balloon, rush out to areas of lower air pressure.
