GEOG 4013 Chapter : Chapter1 4013 3 Docx 1
Document Summary
The atmosphere is a very thin, life giving blanket of air surrounding the earth. Apple the skin on the apple. Radiant energy from the sun energizes the atmosphere driving day to day weather. Allows the earth to maintain an average surface temperature of 15 c. 99% of the atmosphere is within 30km of the earth"s surface. The percentages are constant amounts of gas but cycles of destruction (output) and production (input) are constantly maintaining this amount. Table 1. 1 (composition of the atmosphere near the earth"s surface) Water vapor varies more than any other gas depending on when you are located from place to place and over time. Water vapor the least at the poles, most at the tropics. Carbon dioxide has risen in recent years and is an important greenhouse gas. Other greenhouse gasses that exist beyond carbon dioxide. To some degree we like greenhouse gasses because we need to keep a constant surface temperature.
