List at least three atmospheric properties that might change as you traveled from the Earth's surface to space.
Temperature, gases, air pollutants?
yes, those are ok, but I would have included atmospheric pressure, visibility, pollen count, water vapor content.
1. Temperature: As you travel from the Earth's surface to space, the temperature of the atmosphere changes significantly. Near the Earth's surface, the atmosphere typically becomes cooler with increasing altitude due to a decrease in air pressure. However, in the upper layers of the atmosphere, known as the thermosphere and exosphere, the temperature can increase substantially due to the absorption of solar radiation.
2. Gases: The composition of gases in the atmosphere also changes as you move towards space. Near the Earth's surface, the atmosphere consists primarily of nitrogen (about 78%), oxygen (around 21%), and traces of other gases such as carbon dioxide, water vapor, and noble gases. However, as you ascend through the atmosphere, the density of gases decreases, and the relative concentration of each gas changes. In the upper layers of the atmosphere, the presence of lighter gases like helium and hydrogen becomes more significant.
3. Air pollutants: While not a universal change, the presence of air pollutants can also vary as you move upward in the atmosphere. Near the Earth's surface, pollutants such as carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter from various sources (such as vehicle emissions, industrial activities, and natural sources) can accumulate due to the effects of gravity and local emissions. However, as you ascend through the atmosphere, the concentration of these pollutants generally decreases due to dispersion, atmospheric mixing, and deposition processes.
While your answer includes some relevant information, let me provide a more comprehensive response.
1. Temperature: As you travel from the Earth's surface to space, the temperature of the atmosphere generally decreases. This change occurs due to various factors such as the diminishing density of gases and the absence of direct heating from the Sun's rays. The transition from the troposphere (the lowest layer) to the stratosphere and beyond typically involves a decrease in temperature.
2. Pressure: Atmospheric pressure also changes as you ascend from the surface towards space. In the troposphere, which is where weather occurs, pressure decreases with increasing altitude. However, the rate of pressure decrease slows down in the upper layers, such as the stratosphere and beyond. Eventually, pressure becomes extremely low in the vacuum of space.
3. Composition: The composition of the atmosphere undergoes variations during the journey from the Earth's surface to space. The lower part of the atmosphere, particularly the troposphere, contains different gases such as nitrogen, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and trace amounts of other gases. As you ascend, the concentration of these gases becomes more dispersed, and the composition may change as well. Moreover, beyond a certain altitude, the atmosphere gradually becomes thinner until it merges with the emptiness of space.
These changes in temperature, pressure, and composition are some of the key atmospheric properties that transform as you travel from the Earth's surface towards space.