CLILRESOURCESFORBILINGUALEDUCATIONNATURALSCIENCES

UNIT 5: THE GASEOUS PART OF THE EARTH

The Earths atmosphere
When the Earth first formed, the atmosphere was composed of dust
clouds, gases, and water vapour from volcanic eruptions. Later, the atmosphere
also included oxygen from photosynthesis.
Composition
The mixture of gases of the atmosphere is called air. The main gases
are:
Nitrogen (N2): with no colour, no smell, and no taste.
Oxygen (O2): plants produce it during photosynthesis; necessary for
combustion and respiration.
Carbon dioxide (CO2): it is produced by respiration and combustion.
Essential for photosynthesis.
Water vapour (H2O): this comes from evaporation of oceans, lakes and
rivers and also from plant transpiration.
Ozone (O3): it has a strong smell. It is made from three oxygen atoms.
Nowadays, unluckily, air is also composed by smoke from industry, cars,
heating, etc.
Structure
The atmosphere has five main layers:
Troposphere: the nearest layer to the Earth. Most
meteorological phenomena occur here.
Stratosphere: it includes the ozone layer that protects us from
harmful solar radiation.
Mesosphere
Ionosphere: it reflects radio and television waves back to the
Earth.
Exosphere: it reaches 10 000 kms high.
Activities
1) Answer the questions
a) Where does atmospheric oxygen come from?
b) In which layer of the atmosphere do meteorological phenomena
take place?
c) Where is the ozone layer? Why does this layer protect things?
2) Choose the correct words. Cross out the wrong ones
a) The ionosphere reflects / absorbs radio waves back to Earth.
b) The ozone layer retains / protects us from harmful solar radiation.
c) The furthest / nearest layer to the Earth is the troposphere.

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The atmosphere regulates temperature

During the day solar radiation heats up the Earth and the nearest layers
of air; part of the excess radiation is reflected and escapes from the
atmosphere; carbon dioxide and water vapour reflects the other part back to
the Earths surface, which heats up again.
During the night, the atmosphere stops the surface heat escaping into
space. The Earths average temperature is 15 C because carbon dioxide and
water vapour retain heat like the glass in a greenhouse, causing the
greenhouse effect. Without it, the Earths average temperature would be
-18 C.
Unequal warming of the planet
Although the Earths average temperature is 15 C, it varies depending on the
latitude. The Equator is warmer because the Suns rays hit the ground
perpendicularly. Towards the North and South Poles the Suns rays become
more inclined, so there are lower temperatures.
Atmospheric pressure
The weight of the atmosphere on the Earth is called atmospheric
pressure. Normal pressure is the pressure at sea level, and it is
1 atmosphere (atm), 1 013 hectopascals (hPa), 1 013 millibars (mb) or 760
mercury millimetres (Hg mm).
Activities
1) Do the following occur during the day, during the night or both?
a) Solar radiation heats the Earth.
b) There is no solar radiation.
c) The warm Earth heats the air.
d) The average temperature of the Earth is 15 C.
e) Excess radiation escapes from the atmosphere.
2) Choose the correct words. Cross out the wrong ones
a) The Suns rays are more / less inclined at the North or South Pole than they
are at the Equator.
b) Areas nearer the Equator are warmer / colder than areas nearer the North or
South Pole.
c) The lower / higher you go temperatures in the troposphere decrease.

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Atmospheric phenomena
Atmospheric phenomena occur in the troposphere. They are responsible
for changes in the weather.
Atmospheric phenomena caused by the wind.
Large air masses move or displace producing winds, which can be very
strong and violent.
Hurricanes: violent tropical storms that form over the ocean. Winds and
clouds revolve at great speeds around a central area (the eye).
Whirlwinds or dust storms: the air rises in a spiral, collecting sand and
dust particles.
Tornadoes: they have and inverted cone shape which reaches the
ground or the sea. They demolish everything in their path.
Atmospheric phenomena caused by water vapour.
These phenomena are due to condensation or precipitation.
Due to condensation
9 Clouds
9 Fog
9 Frost and dew

Due to precipitation
9 Rain
9 Snow
9 Hail

Activities
1) Atmospheric phenomena caused by the wind can be whirlwind (dust storm),
tornado or hurricane. Which picture corresponds to each?

2) Match the verbs (left) to their meaning (right)

3) Complete the sentences with the correct verb from the previous activity
a) Tornadoes reach speeds of 480 km/h and _________everything their way.
b) In the eye of the hurricane, clouds and winds __________at speeds up to
200 km/h.
c) Differences in pressure cause large air masses to ________
3

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Climate and Temperature

Climate refers to the main atmospheric phenomena in a specific region,
which occur every year. It depends on the latitude and how near or far it is from
the sea, and it is expressed in terms of temperature and rainfall.
The troposphere contains large air masses that move around. The place
where cold air meets warm air is called a front.
A warm front occurs when a mass of warm air moves towards a mass of
cold air.
A cold front occurs when a mass of cold air moves towards a mass of
warm air.
Climate is not the same as atmospheric weather. The last one refers to
a series of atmospheric phenomena that occur at a specific moment in a
specific place.
These scientific instruments measure data so the weather can be predicted:
Thermometer: measures atmospheric temperature
Barometer: measures atmospheric pressure
Rain gauge (A.K.A. pluviometer): measures the amount of rain and
snow.
Hygrometer: measures atmospheric humidity
Weather vane: shows the direction of the wind
Wind gauge (A.K.A. anemometer): measures the strength or speed of
the wind.
Activities
1) Match the columns

2) If there is an 80 km/h north wind, what instruments do we use to find out the
direction and speed of the wind?

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The atmosphere and living things: the greenhouse effect

Most living things depend on air to survive, because of its gases; plants
need carbon dioxide for photosynthesis and nearly all organisms use
oxygen in respiration. Carbon dioxide and water vapour maintain the
optimal temperature and humidity conditions, thanks to the greenhouse effect.
Water vapour condenses and forms clouds, which provide water. The ozone
layer in the atmosphere protects living things from harmful ultraviolet radiation
from the Sun.
Changes in the composition of the atmosphere
The destruction of the ozone layer
The use of CFC gases (chlorofluorocarbons) is gradually destroying
the ozone layer. They are often used in fridges, air conditioning units and
aerosols. It has serious consequences, including skin cancer and blindness.
The destruction of the ozone layer mainly affects Antarctica, and it is
creating the ozone layer.
The increase in the greenhouse effect
The increase in the greenhouse effect has two main causes:
The release of large quantities of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Deforestation: the destruction of large areas of forest.
The direct consequence of an increase of greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere is global warming: an increase in the global temperature of the
planet, which causes a climate change.
Human activities alter the composition of the air, introducing harmful
gases and particles, producing air pollution.
Activities
1) Complete the paragraph with the words in the boxes.

Most living things need _____________ to survive, because it contains

atmospheric gases used for the______ _______. _________ uses carbon
dioxide and most organisms use _______ to breathe. _______ _______ and
water vapour maintain optimal temperature and _________ conditions on the
Earth, thanks to the greenhouse effect. The _______ layer protects living things
from harmful _________ radiation
2) What gases are responsible for the destruction of the ozone layer?

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3) What factors have caused the greenhouse effect to increase?

4) Complete the sentences with the words in the box.
The __________ layer acts as a _________ against solar radiation. The use of
_________ gases is destroying this layer, mainly in the _________, where there
is now an ozone ________.
CFC

barrier

hole

Antarctica

ozone

5) Match the columns.

6) Look at the picture below and answer the questions.

a) Which gas is consumed when a candle burns?

b) Why does the candle inside the jar fade out?
7) Match the instruments to what they measure.

8) The words in italics in these sentences are incorrect. Write out the correct
word.
a) Plants use carbon dioxide for respiration.
b) Living things use oxygen for photosynthesis.
c) Living things obtain water through radiation.
d) We are protected from ultraviolet precipitation by the ozone layer.