Weather: The Composition of Air

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Weather The Composition of Air

• Here, Air, Everywhere

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Heres What we have so far

• Theres this stuff all around us, that seems to
  take up space
• We cant see it but we can feel it when it blows
  up in our face
• (and it doesnt really have a taste)
• Though we dont know it, it does have quite some
  weight

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The Atmosphere is important!

• It protects the planet and its living things from
  UV radiation (and helps prevent sunburns and skin
  cancer)
• It burns up pesky meteorites
• All living things need the components that make
  up the air!

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Weve discovered the components of air include
nitrogen, oxygen, argon and carbon dioxide
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the gas that didnt make it

• Ozone                   0,000003

Pop question what gas is most abundant (common)
in the earths atmosphere?
Pop question 2 what color is Ms Sotos zippy
pink honda?
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But weve also found some other things

• Water vapor (more on this later)
• Particles
• Pollutants
• Cats and dogs, gerbils and occasionally, a
  goldfish or two

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Those Pesky Particles Pollutants

• Dust, from erosion, volcanic eruptions, dust
  storms ?
• Pollen (achoo!) from plants
• Smoke, a result of forest fires or burning fossil
  fuels
• homework

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which cause smog (smoke fog)

• Fossil fuels are made of hydrocarbons. these are
  burned incompletely
• In the air, they react with Nitrogen to form
  Nitrogen oxides.
• Nitrogen oxides react in the presence of sunlight
  to make ozone and smog
• Nitrous oxides and sulfur oxides can also combine
  with water to form acids, making acid rain

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The result?

• Air pollution causes allergies, asthma, lung
  diseases like bronchitis, dizziness and headaches
• Ozone depletion contributes to global warming,
  increased skin cancer (and early signs of aging)

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(and we thought Shackleton had problems then!)
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Sowhat do we do?

• About forests
• About fuels
• About CFCs
• About our use of energy

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Summary

• The atmosphere is very important 3 reasons
• The atmosphere is made up of 4 main gases
• The atmosphere also contains particles and
  pollutants
• Pollutants are harmful to us and our environment