Mission 2: The Plot Condenses Air and Water

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• Mission 2The Plot Condenses Air and Water

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Layers of Earths Atmosphere
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Altitude v. Air Pressure

• Identify the layers of the atmosphere in this
  graph
• Troposphere
• Very bottom of stratosphere

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Altitude v. Average Humidity
Identify the layers of the atmosphere in this
graph
Lowest upper boundary of troposphere
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Altitude v. Average Temperature
Identify the layers of the atmosphere in this
graph
Troposphere
Most of the stratosphere
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A photo of an anvil-shaped cloud is a good way to
show the boundary between the troposphere and
stratosphere. The boundary can be inferred by
the anvil shape at the top of this thundercloud.
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See if you can identify where phase changes are
occurring in this picture and how they are part
of the water cycle.
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Water Cycle
Water remains aloft until it falls back to Earth
as precipitation
Solar radiation warms surface water of ocean
The rising air cools , water vapor changes to ice
crystals liquid water, which become visible as
clouds
As it gains altitude, it cools and contracts
The water vapor and warmed air particles spread
out, forming air mass of low density
This warmed, low density air mass rises
Individual water particles gain energy evaporate
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?Most of the water on Earth is saltwater. ? Most
of the freshwater on Earth is frozen. ? Most of
this stored freshwater is within the Antarctic
ice cap. ? This water is part of the water
cycle, but it could take thousands to millions
of years to be recycled.
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Phase Change From Liquid to GasFor a phase
change to occur, heat must be added or taken
away. This diagram shows heat energy added - the
higher the temperature, the more liquid water
particles that have the energy needed to change
to a gas and escape into the air.
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How Do Clouds Form?
Activity Clouds in a Bottle (p. 42)

• Whats happening to the air in the bottle when
  you squeeze it? Nothing happens.
• What is happening when you release the bottle? A
  misty cloud is formed in the bottle.
• Why is the smoke from the match important?
  Particles of smoke provide condensation nuclei (a
  platform on which water can condense.
• How is this model a good representation of cloud
  formation? Air pressure drops when bottle is
  released mimicking water cycle and there are
  particles in air to provide surfaces for
  condensation. However, we cant control the type
  of cloud that forms.
• How could it be improved?

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This map shows dew point temperatures across the
continental U.S. on the afternoon of May 4, 2007.
What do the comparative dew points tell you about
how muggy the air might feel in different regions
of the country? Extreme changes in dew point over
a short distance, as seen over western Texas and
eastern Colorado on this map, are an indicator of
the potential for severe weather.
As this boundary between air masses moved into
Kansas later that day, it spawned a series of
tornadoes throughout the state. One giant tornado
destroyed 95 of the town of Greensburg, Kansas,
leaving a path of damage 2.3 km (1.4 mi) wide.
The next day, the National Weather Service
estimated that tornado to be an upper F-4 to F-5,
among the strongest tornadoes possible (see
Fujita Scale on page 57).
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This image shows ER-2 Doppler radar data from
Hurricane Emily on July 17, 2005. You are looking
at a vertical cross-section of the rain bands in
the eyewall. Red colors indicate the most intense
rain within the hurricane. Dr. Gerald Heymsfield,
another NASA hurricane researcher, collected and
compiled these data for the hurricane science
team.
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Field Assignment Modeling Atmospheric
Signatures (p. 44 - 45)
In this challenge, students develop their own
model microwave sensor using visible light to
help them determine the amount of water in the
air and the strength and behavior of their given
monster storms.
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