Chapter 4 The Atmosphere And Earth’s Energy Budget Flashcards
What is scattering?
Scattering is the process by which particles or molecules deflect light or radiation in different directions.
What is the thermosphere?
The thermosphere is the layer of the Earth’s atmosphere above the mesosphere, characterized by increasing temperatures with altitude.
What is the Karman Line?
The Karman Line is an internationally recognized boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and outer space, located at an altitude of 100 kilometers (62 miles).
What is the ozonosphere?
The ozonosphere is the region of Earth’s stratosphere that contains a high concentration of ozone, which absorbs most of the sun’s harmful ultraviolet radiation.
What is photosynthesis?
Photosynthesis is the process by which green plants and some other organisms use sunlight to synthesize foods with the help of chlorophyll.
What is the ionosphere?
The ionosphere is a region of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, from about 30 miles (48 km) to 600 miles (965 km), where ionization occurs.
What is water vapor?
Water vapor is the gaseous state of water present in the atmosphere, contributing to weather and climate.
What is radiation?
Radiation is the emission of energy as electromagnetic waves or as moving subatomic particles, especially high-energy particles that cause ionization.
What are aerosols?
Aerosols are tiny solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere, which can affect climate and air quality.
What is terrestrial radiation?
Terrestrial radiation is the energy emitted by the Earth in the form of infrared radiation.
What are particulates?
Particulates are tiny solid or liquid particles in the air that can affect health and climate.
What is conduction?
Conduction is the transfer of heat through a material without any movement of the material itself.
What are pollutants?
Pollutants are substances that contaminate the environment and can cause harm to human health and ecosystems.
What is convection?
Convection is the transfer of heat by the movement of fluids, including liquids and gases.
What is the greenhouse effect?
The greenhouse effect is the warming of Earth’s surface due to the trapping of heat by greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
What is advection?
Advection is the horizontal transfer of heat or other properties in the atmosphere or ocean.
What is the enhanced greenhouse effect?
The enhanced greenhouse effect refers to the increased warming of the Earth’s surface due to human activities that increase greenhouse gas concentrations.
What is latent heat exchange?
Latent heat exchange is the process of heat transfer that occurs when water changes state, such as from liquid to vapor.
What is ozone?
Ozone is a molecule composed of three oxygen atoms, found in the Earth’s stratosphere, which protects life by absorbing harmful ultraviolet radiation.
What is condensation?
Condensation is the process by which water vapor turns into liquid water, often forming clouds or dew.
What is the ozone layer?
The ozone layer is a region of Earth’s stratosphere that contains a high concentration of ozone and protects the planet from ultraviolet radiation.
What is latent heat of condensation?
Latent heat of condensation is the amount of heat released when water vapor condenses into liquid water.
What is the troposphere?
The troposphere is the lowest layer of Earth’s atmosphere, where weather occurs and temperature decreases with altitude.
What is freezing?
Freezing is the process of a liquid turning into a solid when its temperature drops below its freezing point.
What is the normal lapse rate?
The normal lapse rate is the rate at which temperature decreases with an increase in altitude in the troposphere.
What is melting?
Melting is the process of a solid turning into a liquid when its temperature rises above its melting point.
What is evaporation?
Evaporation is the process by which liquid water turns into water vapor, usually due to heat.
What is the tropopause?
The tropopause is the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere, where temperature stops decreasing with altitude.
What is evaporative cooling?
Evaporative cooling is the process of cooling a surface or air by the evaporation of water from it.
What is the stratosphere?
The stratosphere is the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere, characterized by a temperature increase with altitude.
What is Earth’s energy budget?
Earth’s energy budget refers to the balance between the energy Earth receives from the sun and the energy it radiates back into space.
What is the mesosphere?
The mesosphere is the layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere, where temperatures decrease with altitude.
What is energy balance?
Energy balance is the equilibrium between incoming solar radiation and outgoing terrestrial radiation.
What is heat?
Heat is the form of energy that is transferred between systems or objects with different temperatures.
What is temperature?
Temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of the particles in a substance.
What is the Fahrenheit scale?
The Fahrenheit scale is a temperature scale where water freezes at 32 degrees and boils at 212 degrees.
What is the Celsius (centigrade) scale?
The Celsius scale is a temperature scale where water freezes at 0 degrees and boils at 100 degrees.
What is the Kelvin scale?
The Kelvin scale is an absolute temperature scale where 0 Kelvin is absolute zero, the point at which all molecular motion stops.
What is absolute zero?
Absolute zero is the theoretical temperature at which a system’s entropy reaches its minimum value, equivalent to -273.15°C or 0 K.
What does diurnal mean?
Diurnal refers to events or processes that occur during the day or are active during the daytime.
What is temperature lag?
Temperature lag is the delay between the peak solar radiation and the peak temperature.
What is daily temperature lag?
Daily temperature lag is the time difference between the maximum solar radiation received and the maximum temperature recorded in a day.
What is the daily march of temperature?
The daily march of temperature refers to the typical pattern of temperature changes throughout the day.
What does maritime refer to?
Maritime refers to regions or climates influenced by the proximity to the ocean.
What is continentality?
Continentality refers to the climatic effect of being located far from the ocean, resulting in greater temperature extremes.
What is albedo?
Albedo is the measure of the reflectivity of a surface, expressed as the fraction of solar energy reflected back into space.
What is temperature inversion?
Temperature inversion is a meteorological phenomenon where a layer of warm air traps cooler air at the surface.
What is an inversion layer?
An inversion layer is a layer in the atmosphere where temperature increases with altitude, contrary to the normal lapse rate.
What is an upper-level inversion?
An upper-level inversion occurs at higher altitudes in the atmosphere, where warm air traps cooler air below.
What is ground inversion (radiation inversion)?
Ground inversion, or radiation inversion, occurs when the ground cools rapidly at night, causing a layer of warm air to form above cooler air.
What are controls of temperature?
Controls of temperature are factors that influence temperature variations, including latitude, altitude, and proximity to water.
What is specific heat?
Specific heat is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of a unit mass of a substance by one degree Celsius.
What is a warm current?
A warm current is a body of water that moves from the equator toward the poles, typically warming the coastal regions.
What is a cold current?
A cold current is a body of water that moves from the poles toward the equator, typically cooling the coastal regions.
What is an isotherm?
An isotherm is a line on a map connecting points of equal temperature.
What is a temperature gradient?
A temperature gradient is the rate at which temperature changes with distance in a specific direction.
What is mean monthly temperature?
Mean monthly temperature is the average temperature for a specific month over a given period.
What is mean daily temperature?
Mean daily temperature is the average temperature for a specific day over a given period.
What is annual temperature lag?
Annual temperature lag is the delay between the peak solar radiation received during the year and the peak temperature.
What is weather?
Weather refers to the short-term atmospheric conditions in a specific area, including temperature, humidity, and precipitation.
What is climate?
Climate is the long-term average of weather patterns in a particular region over extended periods.
What is meteorology?
Meteorology is the scientific study of the atmosphere and its phenomena, including weather and climate.
What is climatology?
Climatology is the study of climate, including its variations and changes over time.
What are atmospheric elements?
Atmospheric elements are the fundamental components of the atmosphere, including temperature, pressure, humidity, wind, and precipitation.
