GEO 211 1st Edition Lecture 2 Outline of Last Lecture I Weather and Climate A Definition of weather and climate II Elements of Weather and Climate B Temperature C Air Pressure D Humidity E Clouds F Precipitation G Wind H Visibility I Earth s Systems that Affect Weather J Atmosphere K Variable Gases Outline of Current Lecture III Earth s Atmosphere s vertical profile based on A Temperature a Troposphere 1 Environmental or Normal Lapse Rate 2 Radiosode 3 Tropopause b Stratosphere 1 Isothermal 2 Stratopause c Mesosphere 1 Mesopause d Thermopause 1 Mesosphere B Composition a Homosphere b Heterosphere These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute Current Lecture III Earth s Atmosphere s vertical profile based on A Temperature a Troposphere height varies in latitude about 11 miles high near the equator and 6 miles near the North and South pole temperatures decreases upward at lapse rate of 3 5 F per 1000 feet this is the environmental or normal lapse rate 1 Radiosode instrument package carried upward by weather balloons measuring the vertical profile of weather elements Tropopause upper limit of the troposphere b Stratosphere temperature increases upward the layer with maximum ozone concentration less turbulent layer than troposphere Isothermal lowermost portion air temperature is constant with height Stratopause upper limit of the stratosphere Average temperature is 32 F 0 C c Mesosphere temperature decreases upward atmospheric pressure is very low few molecules thin air Mesopause upper limit of the mesosphere Average temperature is 130 F d Thermosphere extends to about 300 miles from mesosphere temperature increases upward Thermopause upper limit of thermosphere top of Earth s atmosphere Exosphere beyond thermopause outer space B Composition 2 layers a Homosphere layer below about 50 miles composition of air is fairly constant homogeneous b Heterosphere upper atmosphere above 50 miles composition of air varies with height heterogeneous Reveals 4 layers of gases arranged according to their atomic weight From above 1 Hydrogen atom H 2 Helium He 3 Atomic Oxygen O 4 Molecular Nitrogen N2
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