Gases in the Atmosphere Flashcards
Which gas is the most abundant (highest percentage) in the atmosphere
Nitrogen
Which gas do many organisms use to breath?
Oxygen
Which gas is a “greenhouse” gas and helps keep the Earth warm enough for life?
Carbon Dioxide
Which gas is a form of oxygen and helps protect organisms from too much ultraviolet radiation?
Ozone
Which gas can change its state of matter to become precipitation?
Water vapor
What is the layer of gases called that surrounds the Earth?
The atmosphere
What word describes the conditions in the Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place?
Weather
What word describes the amount of gas in a given volume of air?
Density
What is the weight of the atmosphere exerting a force on a surface called?
Air pressure
Why does air pressure not crush objects and organisms on the Earth?
Air pressure acts in all directions. A downward force is balanced by an upward force.
What is the instrument used to measure air pressure?
A barometer
What is the instrument used to measure air temperature?
A thermometer
How does air pressure change as altitude increases?
As altitude increases, air pressure decreases.
In which layer of the atmosphere does most weather occur?
Troposphere
In which layer of the atmosphere is the ozone layer found?
Stratosphere
In which layer of the atmosphere do airplanes fly to avoid weather?
Stratosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere is the coldest layer?
Mesosphere
In which layer of the atmosphere do meteors burn up?
Mesosphere
In which layer of the atmosphere do the auroras occur?
Thermosphere
The radio waves reflect back to Earth off of which layer?
Thermosphere
In which layer do satellites orbit?
Exosphere
Which layer of the atmosphere is closest to Earth’s surface?
Troposphere
Which layer of the atmosphere is in the middle?
The mesosphere
What does the prefix “thermo” that is part of the thermosphere mean?
Heat
Which layer of the atmosphere blends into outer space?
Exosphere
What are three natural sources of air pollution?
Volcanoes, Forest fires, and dust storms
What are man-made sources of air pollution?
Cars, factories, and power plants that burn fossil fuels.
