Topic: What are the most important components of atmospheric air?

Target group

Student in class I high school / technical high school (basic scope)

Core curriculum

General requirements

I. Geographical knowledge.

2 . Familiarizing with various sources and methods of obtaining information longitude.

5 . Understanding the regularity in the functioning of the geographical environment and mutual dependencies in the human‑nature system.

Specific requirements

I. Sources of geographic information, geoinformation technologies and presentation methods spatial data: observations, measurements, maps, photographs, satellite images, data numerical and graphic and cartographic their presentation. Pupil:

4) gives examples of information obtained from observations and field measurements.

The aim of education: The students will learn about the current composition of Earth's atmosphere.

Success criteria

• you'll explain what the atmosphere is and what it's made of;

• you describe how the composition of the Earth's atmosphere changed due to the natural processes associated with its geological past;

• you describe the relationship between the appearance of the first living organisms and the current composition of the atmosphere;

• you list the factors that currently affect the composition of the Earth's atmosphere;

• you will observe changes in the composition of atmospheric air;

• you will observe the consequences of reducing oxygen in the air.

Key competences

• communicating in the mother tongue;

• communicating in foreign languages;

• mathematical competence;

• IT competences;

• learning to learn.

Methods / forms of work

• giving: information lecture;

• activating: didactic discussion, brainstorming, demonstration of the experiment;

• programmed: using a computer, using an e‑manual;

• practical: exersise concerned;

• individual work, in pairs and collective.

Teaching measures

• computers with internet access, or tablets;

• multimedia resources contained in the lesson „What are the most important components of the atmospheric air?” in e‑manual;

• candle, matches, jar;

• interactive whiteboard / blackboard, marker / chalk.

Lesson phases

Preliminary

1. In class, the teacher determines the purpose of the lesson, informing students about its planned course.

2. The lecturer explains the meaning of the atmosphere concept and on the basis of the illustration in the lesson in the e‑manual discusses the present composition of the Earth's atmosphere.

Implementation

3. Using available sources such as: abstract, lesson in e‑textbook or other resources on the Internet, students search for information on:

• the original composition of the Earth's atmosphere;

• the role of geological processes in the release of such gases into the atmosphere, such as: carbon dioxide, water vapor and ammonia;

• the role of the first living organisms and their photosynthesis processes in the formation of atmospheric oxygen.

Volunteers or persons indicated by the teacher briefly discuss the above issues.

4. Students working individually or in pairs perform an interactive exercise, the purpose of which is to consolidate messages regarding the current chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere.

5. The teacher demonstrates to the class the consequences of changing the chemical composition of air in a closed jar in which the candle burns (observation 1 described in the lesson).

6. The teacher initiates a discussion on the risk of changes in the chemical composition of the Earth's atmosphere as a result of human activity. The discussion ends with a brainstorm, the aim of which is to provide as many examples as possible of natural phenomena or examples of human activity that affect the local increase in the content of carbon dioxide in the air (recommendation 2 in the abstract).

7. The students, working individually or in pairs, will familiarize themselves with the content of the 3rd command from the lesson in the e‑textbook. Then they perform an exercise, the aim of which is to put a hypothesis about the course of the experiment described in this command. After completing individual work, the teacher checks if all students have indicated the correct answer and demonstrate the described experience.

Summary

8. The teacher indicates a person who in the class forum will form conclusions drawn from experience. If necessary, the facilitator completes the student's statement.

9. The last stage of the lesson is its summary during which the students ask questions, ask for clarification of doubts and complete the notes.

The following terms and recordings will be used during this lesson

Terms

Texts and recordings

What are the most important components of atmospheric air?

Atmosphere is a mixture of gases and various additives that surrounds the water and rock surface of the Earth with a thickness of 1,500‑2,000 km. The composition of dry atmospheric air is quite stable, although we know that it was different in the past. Currently, the content of carbon dioxide, methane and other gases in the atmosphere is probably increasing, and until recently the amount of ozone has been decreasing locally. Moreover, in a short period and a small space, significant variations in the contribution of carbon dioxide and various pollutants are possible.
The composition of dry atmospheric air in the lower layers of atmosphere is presented in the diagram below.

Atmospheric air is almost never completely dry. Depending on the place, altitude, atmospheric pressure and temperature, there may be water vapour or water in liquid and solid (ice) form in it. Almost the total amount of atmospheric water occurs in the lower part of the atmosphere, up to the height of 10 km, and its content rapidly decreases with altitude. The content of water vapour is variable and at the surface it ranges from almost 0% (on average 0.5% in subarctic zones) up to approx. 4% (in the equatorial zone). People have contact almost exclusively with the lowest layer of the atmosphere - the troposphere (except for people flying planes and space rockets very high). It is where the majority of atmospheric phenomena and the atmospheric circulation of water occur (an important stage in the circulation of water in nature).