Atmosphere vocab Flashcards
Troposphere
The lowest layer of the Earth’s atmosphere. Air is heated in the troposphere from radiation that bounces off of the Earth’s surface.
Exosphere
The outermost layer of the Earth’s atmosphere, before space.
Ionosphere
Electronically charged particles-that play a role in Earth’s everyday communications and navigation systems. For example, radio waves and GPS through the atmosphere (found between Thermosphere and Exosphere)
Thermal energy
energy in the form of heat.
(The thermal energy of a substance is equal to the total kinetic energy of its atoms and/or molecules).
Radiation
the transfer of energy through space or matter in the form of electromagnetic waves.
Conduction
the transfer of heat through a material or from one object to another by direct contact.
Convection
the transfer of heat through the movement of matter.
Stratosphere
the second layer of the atmosphere. This layer is located in between the Troposphere and the Mesosphere. The prefix Strato means layer. Within this layer, there is no weather, therefore, the bottom is cold air (heavy density) and the top is warm air (light density) as there is no turbulence to stir up the air.
Mesosphere
the third layer of the atmosphere. This layer is located in between the Stratosphere and the Thermosphere. The prefix Meso means middle. Within this layer, the gases are all mixed up, the coldest at -130 ℉, and is 22 miles thick!
Thermosphere
the fourth layer of the atmosphere. This layer is located in between the Mesosphere and the Exosphere. The prefix Thermo means heat. This layer absorbs all of the sun’s heat, therefore, this layer reaches up to 4,500 ℉. The International Space station is located here, satellites orbit the Earth here, and also the special layer, the ionosphere is located within the thermosphere.
Smog
Smog is a type of air pollution caused by tiny particles in the air. The word comes from a mixture of the words smoke and fog and was first used to describe the hazy mixture of smoke and sulfur dioxide produced by the burning of large amounts of coal in London in the early 1900s. Today, smog generally refers to photochemical smog, which is the haze created when sunlight reacts with nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds that can be found in fossil fuel emissions from automobiles, factories, and power plants.
Ambient air
portion of the atmosphere that we breathe.
Particulate matter
Ultrafine particles smaller than .1 micrometer found in the troposphere. (an average human hir is 100 micrometers in diameter). These particles are associated with serious health problems such as including respiratory diseases, heart attacks, strokes and cancer, as well as developmental problems in children.
Ozone Layer
This is not the air we breathe! It is made up of 03 molecules. We breathe 02! Like a sponge, the ozone layer absorbs bits of radiation hitting Earth from the sun. The ozone layer acts as a shield, 1 extra Oxygen molecule, for life on Earth. Remember, it is found between the troposphere and the stratosphere.
Biomagnification
refers to the increased concentration of a toxic chemical the higher an animal is on the food chain.