Atmospheric Layers

Question 1

Imagine that you are sharing information with someone who is not familiar with earth science, how would you describe the following to them? Choose images to assist in your explanation.

• Where is Earth located in relation to the sun?
• How are the seasons controlled by this relationship with the sun? How does this relationship change for different locations on the planet?
• What are the properties of the atmospheric layers? How do these layers help to sustain life on the planet? How thick are each of these layer?
• Can you provide two different map projections of how to find your location?

Write a 350- to 700-word response in which you answer the questions above.

Include at these 2 visuals that will help you answer these questions to the first prompts

Include and additional 2 map projections (of any kind) to find your location

Format your response, including the visuals, consistent with APA guidelines.

Question 2

It’s time to assess another desert and determine its reason for existing. Examine the second stop on the Google Earth tour, the Sahara desert, and assess which of the following causes is likely to the the reason that northern Africa and the Arabian Peninsula are so dry.

a. This is a subtropical desert near the Tropic of Cancer, where descending dry air precludes rainfall.

b. This is a subtropical desert near the Tropic of Capricorn, where descending dry air precludes rainfall.
c. This is a rainshadow desert, where moist air from the Atlantic moves westward, and has all the moisture extracted by coastal cities such as Buenos Aires.

d. This is a rainshadow desert, where moist air from the Pacific moves eastward, and has all the moisture extracted by the coastal mountain ranges of the Andes.

e. This is a west coast subtropical desert, caused by cold upwelling ocean currents (air chilled by contact with these cold waters is more dense and thus resists rising and triggering precipitation).