Atmosphere Flashcards
The two most common gases in the atmosphere are
oxygen and nitrogen
Which greenhouse gas is emitted in the largest quantity as a result of human actions?
carbon dioxide
Which of the following gases is NOT a greenhouse gas? nitrogen oxide
methane, water vapor or carbon dioxide?
they’e all green house gasses
Humans are able to change the basic composition of Earth’s atmosphere. true or false?
true
Which layer of the atmosphere is located the furthest away from Earth’s surface?
thermosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere is located the closest to Earth’s surface?
troposphere
Which layer of the atmosphere experiences the coldest temperatures?
Mesosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere experiences the warmest temperatures?
thermosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere experiences the lowest air pressure?
thermosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere contains the ozone layer?
stratosphere
Why does it cooler as you move away from Earth’s surface in the troposphere?
because there are fewer air molecules and less air pressure at higher altitudes
Radiation from the sun is absorbed in which layers of the atmosphere?
thermosphere and stratosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere is responsible for the northern lights?
theremosphere
The transferring of energy that results from the collision between molecules is
conduction
The movement of materials based on heat and density differences is
convection
The flow of electromagnetic radiation and how Earth receives solar energy is
radiation
The boundary between an advancing warm air mass and a cooler mass it is replacing is
a warm front
The gravity on an air mass, as measured in height of a mercury column is
air pressure
The reflectivity of a surface to solar radiation is
albedo
A large body of air with similar temperatures and moisture content is
an air mass
A boundary between an advancing cold air mass and a warmer air mass it is replacing is
a cold front
The moisture content of the air is
humidity
When two different air masses meet, the boundary
a front
Collections of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere are
clouds
When the leeward side of a mountain has drier conditions than the windward side, it is
the rain shadow effect
The distance from the equator is
lattitude
Every rise of 1,000 feet in elevation results in approximately a ______ F drop in temperature.
3
Cool air holds _________ water vapor as warm air.
less
Low pressure areas produce
cloudy and stormy weather
High pressure areas produce
warm and fair weather
When warm air rises, it does all of the following EXCEPT
creates dry conditions on the ground
What percentage of the sun’s incoming solar radiation is reflected off of Earth’s atmosphere?
25
What percentage of the sun’s incoming solar radiation reaches Earth’s surface
50
What percentage of the sun’s incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the molecules in the thermosphere and stratosphere?
25
The greenhouse effect occurs because
- the Earth absorbs solar radiation and re-emits it at a longer wavelength
- there are greenhouse gases in the troposphere
The Coriolis effect is important in the development of which storm systems?
hurricanes
. Which storm system requires warm ocean temperatures in order to form
el nino
hurricanes
Which storm systems involve the collision between cool and warm air masses?
tornado
When trade winds are reduced, it creates warmer than normal ocean temperatures off the coast of South America. This results in a global weather changes that can last up to a year. This is referred to as
el nino
Which severe weather events form because of the Coriolis effect?
hurricanes
tornados
The center of a hurricane is a center of __________ air pressure
low
Some of the greatest damage from hurricanes is caused by the increased height of water found in the low pressure areas of the hurricane. This increased height of the water level is referred to as the
storm surge
The longer the distance that an air mass travels, the greater it will be affected by the Coriolis Effect
true
Hurricanes in the northern hemisphere rotate
counter clockwise
Hurricanes in the southern hemisphere rotate
clockwise
