Air Environment Flashcards
what is the atmosphere
the envelope of air surrounding the Earth
atmospheric elements
& %
78% nitrogen
21% oxygen
1% trace other gases
what are the temperature distribution
defining regions based on changes in temperature
troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere
what is the molecular composition regions
based and defined by each regions molecular makeup
homosphere, heterosphere, exosphere
what is the physicochemocal process
based on the chemical reactions that take place within them
neutrosphere, ozonosphere, inosophere, chromosphere
what is a jet stream
narrow current of air that moves across the Northern and Southern Hemospheres in a wave like pattern
jet stream numbers
100-400 miles wide, 1-3 miles thick, 30,000-35,000 feet
wind speed 150-300mph
what is weather
the conditon of the atmosphere at any particular time and place
what is humidity
the actual amount of water vapor or moisture in the air
what is relative humidity
the amount of water vapor in the air compared to its total capacity at that temperature
what is dew point
the temperature that saturation occurs
methods of heat transfer
conduction- direct contact
convection- vertical motion (hot surface)
advection- lateral motion (wind)
radiation- by the sun
what is heat
total energy of all moving molecules within a substance
what is temperature
the measurement of the average energy of molecular motion of that substance
three types of clouds
cumulus- piled up
stratus- layered
cirrus- high, thin appearance
