Atmosphere Summary Blog

On Earth, most weather occurs within the first ten to fifteen kilometers of the atmosphere. In fact, 99% of the gases in the atmosphere are around thirty kilometers above the Earth’s surface. Most of the atmosphere contains nitrogen and oxygen with trace amounts of water vapor and a miniscule amount of CO₂. Clouds are not made up gas, but are condensed vapor in liquid droplet form. Recently, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrogen oxides have increased in the atmosphere. CO₂, specifically, has risen more than 18% from 54 years ago. Many scientists are blaming fossil fuels for this dramatic increase. Aerosols and pollutants can lead to the greenhouse effect as well and are caused by both human and natural activities, from factory emissions and volcanoes. Examples of aerosols include sea spray, volcanic ash and pollutants from factories.

            Gravity is the main ingredient to air pressure. Air pressure is the amount of force exerted over an area. Likewise, air density is the number of air molecules in a given volume. Atmospheric pressure decreases with altitude. Lapse rate is the rate where air temperature decreases with height. The average lapse rate in the atmosphere is about 6.5 degrees Celsius per one kilometer, or 3.6 per 1,000 feet. Air pressure can also be explained through opposite air temperatures and their effects. Warm air, or expanding or rising air, leaves behind low pressure where as cold air, or sinking air, leaves an area of high pressure.

            Sunlight can go through the atmosphere and do two things on Earth: it can either be absorbed or reflected, depending on the albedo, or the fraction of solar radiation reflected back into space, or absorption, the fraction of solar radiation not reflected into space. The absorption of sunlight in urban areas leads to the urban heat island effect which is caused primarily by modification of land surfaces in developments that use materials that retain heat.

            Another key member of the atmosphere is the cloud. Generally speaking, clouds can be classified according to their altitudes: low level clouds are stratus clouds and use the prefix, “strato”, mid-level clouds have the prefix, “alto” and higher level clouds have the prefix, “cirro” or are plainly called cirrus clouds. Not only does altitude identify clouds, but their shapes do as well.  

            What is wind? Seemingly complicated, the explanation is, however, sensible. Due to the uneven heating of Earth’s surface, different temperatures have to be moved around to balance the planet’s temperature. Warm weather at the Equator is moved to other parts of the world to cool them down or heat them up. Similar to temperature, winds blow from high pressure areas to low areas of pressure. The pressure also describes the tendency of the air to rise or sink at any given place or time.

            Finally, humidity is also very important to discuss in regards to the atmosphere. Humidity is the amount of water vapor stuck in between molecules in the air. The air’s ability to hold water also depends on the air temperature. Relative humidity is often measured for humidity, and it measures the amount of water vapor compared to the amount of air it can hold through percantages. For example, air is saturated at 100%.

Forestry Project Group Review

3 Good Things

·         We worked/communicated well together.  

·         All work was accomplished and submitted/presented on time.

·         We earned a good grade on our work.

3 Things That Could Have Been Improved

·         Pictures in power point could have been better.

·         Clinometer measurements could have been done better.

·         Power Point could have had a better ending.

Aerosols (Particulates) Blog

      Ozone is an aerosol that is a suspension of fine solid particles or liquid droplets in a gas; most of them are very small, not generally visible and are found in the Earth’s atmosphere.
      Some aerosols are natural while others are put into the air by humans. Natural sources of aerosols can come from dust in dry regions, forest fires, erupting volcanoes and salt from oceans. These aerosols can be taken to different places by wind.
      Aerosols, being a part of air pollution, are a contributing factor to climate change. While in the atmosphere, aerosols can change the amount of solar energy that is reflected back into space. They help to form clouds, and clouds help to reflect incoming sunlight back into space, potentially lowering the Earth’s temperature, causing more rainfall and strong low-front storms that can affect Earth’s ocean levels and climates.
      Aerosols affect life on Earth by potentially changing the Earth’s climate due to increases in cloud coverage. Increased cloud cover can change the climate by blocking more sunlight from reaching the ground for plants to use. In addition, more rainfall could cause flooding and colder temperatures could hurt wildlife in many of Earth’s ecosystems. Furthermore, from the aspect of human health, aerosols could cause long-term and short-term health problems through pollution, like upper respiratory infections including bronchitis, pneumonia, lung cancer and heart disease.

 

            Contributions from:

http://www.windows2universe.org/earth/climate/cli_aerosols.htm

http://www.lbl.gov/Education/ELSI/Frames/pollution-health-effects-f.html

Ozone

            Ozone plays an essential part in preserving human life on Earth. Surface ozone is a gas that appears in two layers: the troposphere, which extends from the ground level to ten miles up, and the stratosphere, which is located 10-30 miles above Earth’s surface. Ozone in the stratosphere protects the planet from harmful ultraviolet waves (UV-b). The ozone in the troposphere, however, damages Earth and its resident living beings and is a key ingredient of smog.

            The ozone both enables and threatens life on Earth. On the good side of ozone, it protects the Earth from the sun and its harmful UV rays. However, the weakening of the ozone could result in damages to human health, vegetation and many common materials.

            Surface ozone is formed when certain compounds react in direct solar radiation. When high levels of VOCs and NOx are in the air, they can react. When they react in the sunlight and warm weather, ground level ozone forms.

            Surface ozone can protect life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet rays, but they can also cause significant damage as well. Some examples include irritation of the respiratory system, reduction of lung function, aggravating asthma and chronic lung diseases, inflammation and damaging of cells that line the lungs and causing permanent lung damage. Other damaging effects include susceptibility to skin cancer, impaired immune systems and cataracts.

Contributions from:

http://ciese.org/curriculum/airproj/ozoneprimer.html

http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Features/Ozone/

Tree Project Procedures

1.   Measure out 10X10 meter transects in the forested area of your choice.

2.   Number the trees large enough to be measured.

3.   Measure 66 feet away from each tree and mark the area.

4.   Using a clinometer, measure the top slope (first tree branches) and bottom slope (where ground meets bottom of tree) of each tree.

5.   Using a tape measure, find circumference of the trees.

6.   Use tree identification books to identify tree species type.

7. Use ArcGIS software to map forested area and find total forested area.

8. Enter measurements into a Board Feet Conversion table and find total value of trees.

 

 

Scientific Method (edited).

The scientific method is a part of our daily lives, whether we recognize it or not. Everyday we identify problems, get information, form a plan (hypothesis), carry it out and think about the outcome. Not only do we do this for school related activities, but we do it as consumers and individual humans interacting with one another as well. Planning the steps of solving problems through the scientific method can take anywhere from years to minutes. For example, today I had to go somewhere with six of my friends. Here are the steps of the method and what I did to solve our little transportation problem:

1. Identify the Problem- My friends and I had to go somewhere and we would all have to go in multiple vehicles. One of my friends asked me if I could take all of us in my family's van, but I had the other family car and I was at work. If we took multiple vehicles, it would waste gas, time and cause the potential of having direction problems if we took more than one car.
2. Collect Information/Data- I was at work and I didn't have the right car, I would need the car at around 5:00 and my parents may have been nearby where I worked with the van. I would get off at 3:00 and needed it before then. I called my parents, but they didn't answer at home. So, I called my dad's cell phone and he didn't answer then either. Someone at home almost always answers, so no one picking up the phone at my house must mean they were still out, possibly close by.
3. Form a Hypothesis- My hypothesis was that my parents, if nearby due to eating lunch after church in the area, could come and switch cars with me before 3:00 and before they went home, which is further away from my work. I had a good idea that my parents weren't home because no one picked up when I called. If the hypothesis could be tested successfully, I could get the van, meet my friends and go to our destination all together and my parents would have a car to get home with too. It would save gas, time and the possibility of being separated by traffic causing us to get lost.
4. Collect and Analyze Results- My parents came to switch cars with me and all of my stuff in the old car was switched as well. I arrived at my destination with the van and all piled in and hit the road.We arrived at our final destination on time and saved gas, time and the potential of others getting lost.
5. Conclusion- The results were fantastic. My parents helped me out a lot and I was on time to both of my destinations .I can also conclude that my parents, when they do go out to eat after church, like to go to places near my work because it is surrounded by many restaurants in the area. Furthermore, when my friends and I go places, they like to be all together in one vehicle because it's more fun and economically and environmentally wise to carpool together. We may do the same thing again in the future.
6. Communicate the results- Upon receiving the van, I let one of my friends know that I had the van and would meet up with him soon. When I arrived at my destination with my friends and myself in the van, my dad would soon be there to see me. When he saw, me he knew that I had made it with the van and all of my friends had rode with me. I also told my mom about it and how it worked out well for all of us and how the success of it would probably be taken advantage of (through request, of course!) on other trips in the future.

Without processes like the scientific method, who knows where mankind would be today? It serves us in so many areas. It's not only a way to solve complex, scientific problems, but everyday predicaments like the one I went through as well.

The Scientific Method (edited)

The scientific method is a part of our daily lives, whether we recognize it or not. Everyday we identify problems, get information, form a plan (hypothesis), carry it out and think about the outcome. Not only do we do this for school related activities, but we do it as consumers and individual humans interacting with one another as well. Planning the steps of solving problems through the scientific method can take anywhere from years to minutes. For example, today I had to go somewhere with six of my friends. Here are the steps of the method and what I did to solve our little transportation problem:

1. Identify the Problem- My friends and I had to go somewhere and we would all have to go in multiple vehicles. One of my friends asked me if I could take all of us in my family's van, but I had the other family car and I was at work. If we took multiple vehicles, it would waste gas, time and cause the potential of having direction problems if we took more than one car.  
2. Collect Information/Data- I was at work and I didn't have the right car, I would need the car at around 5:00 and my parents may have been nearby where I worked with the van. I would get off at 3:00 and needed it before then. I called my parents, but they didn't answer at home. So, I called my dad's cell phone and he didn't answer then either. Someone at home almost always answers, so no one picking up the phone at my house must mean they were still out, possibly close by.
3. Form a Hypothesis- My hypothesis was that my parents, if nearby due to eating lunch after church in the area, could come and switch cars with me before 3:00 and before they went home, which is further away from my work. I had a good idea that my parents weren't home because no one picked up when I called. If the hypothesis could be tested successfully, I could get the van, meet my friends and go to our destination all together and my parents would have a car to get home with too.  It would save gas, time and the possibility of being separated by traffic causing us to get lost.
4. Collect and Analyze Results- My parents came to switch cars with me and all of my stuff in the old car was switched as well. I arrived at my destination with the van and all piled in and hit the road.We arrived at our final destination on time and saved gas, time and the potential of others getting lost.  
5. Conclusion- The results were fantastic. My parents helped me out a lot and I was on time to both of my destinations .I can also conclude that my parents, when they do go out to eat after church, like to go to places near my work because it is surrounded by many restaurants in the area. Furthermore, when my friends and I go places, they like to be all together in one vehicle because it's more fun and economically and environmentally wise to carpool together. We may do the same thing again in the future.
6. Communicate the results- Upon receiving the van, I let one of my friends know that I had the van and would meet up with him soon. When I arrived at my destination with my friends and myself in the van, my dad would soon be there to see me. When he saw, me he knew that I had made it with the van and all of my friends had rode with me. I also told my mom about it and how it worked out well for all of us and how the success of it would probably be taken advantage of (through request, of course!) on other trips in the future.

Without processes like the scientific method, who knows where mankind would be today? It serves us in so many areas. It's not only a way to solve complex, scientific problems, but everyday predicaments like the one I went through as well.

Nature

Nature

Nature. A beautiful and unknown part of our lives. As I stare out the window, I can see the green trees,the blue sky and the gently passing clouds. The abundance in nature is incredibly diverse, with so many different types of species of trees, animals, insects, birds and many other things. It seems as though mankind will never be able to fully understand the true essence of it. Just look at the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. When I stand on the beach, it looks like the ocean ends in just a few miles, but in reality, it goes on for thousands upon thousands of more miles than the human can fathom. Just to watch the patterns of the birds migrating is breathtaking. Becoming one with nature is now much more difficult in our modern world with all of our technology. Try to get outside more often, enjoy the beautiful world that we have so graciously been given to live in. Thank you for taking your valuable and precious time to read my blog. Have a fantastic day.

ENJOY NATURE TODAY!