Mod 3

Question 1

Air pressure:

Answer 1

Air pressure: the force exerted onto a surface by the weight of the air

Question 2

Coriolis effect

Answer 2

Coriolis effect: process of Earth’s rotation causing winds to curve

Question 3

Electromagnetic waves:

Answer 3

Electromagnetic waves: a form of energy that travels through space

Question 4

Global winds:

Answer 4

Global winds: winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances

Question 5

Greenhouse effect

Answer 5

Greenhouse effect: process of trapping the sun’s heat in a planet’s lower atmosphere by gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor

Question 6

Infrared radiation:

Answer 6

Infrared radiation: invisible form of energy that can be felt as heat

Question 7

Jet stream:

Answer 7

Jet stream: narrow bands of very strong, mostly westerly air currents encircling the globe several miles above Earth’s surface

Question 8

Latitude

Answer 8

Latitude: distance from the equator, measured in degrees

Question 9

Specific heat:

Answer 9

Specific heat: the heat energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius

Question 10

Ultraviolet radiation:

Answer 10

Ultraviolet radiation: invisible form of radiation that can damage cells

Question 11

Visible light:

Answer 11

Visible light: electromagnetic waves that are able to be seen by human eyes

Question 12

Wind:

Answer 12

Wind: the movement of air from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure

Question 13

Climate

Answer 13

Climate: average weather patterns in an area, usually taken over a 30-year period

Question 14

Meteorologist

Answer 14

Meteorologist: a scientist who studies the atmosphere and its effects on weather, climate, and the environment

Question 15

Weather

Answer 15

Weather: current conditions in the atmosphere, including temperature, rain, wind speed, wind direction, humidity, air pressure, and clouds

Question 16

Air mass:

Answer 16

Air mass: a huge body of air in the lower atmosphere that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure at any given height

Question 17

Clouds

Answer 17

Clouds: a visible mass of condensed water vapor, floating above the ground in the atmosphere

Question 18

Front

Answer 18

Front: the boundary where masses of different temperature and humidity collide

Question 19

Condense

Answer 19

Condense: to change the state of matter from a gas to a liquid

Question 20

Humidity

Answer 20

Humidity: the amount of moisture in the air

Question 21

Monsoon

Answer 21

Monsoon: a seasonal change in the direction of the prevailing wind

Question 22

Ocean currents

Answer 22

Ocean currents: the steady flow of surface ocean water in a prevailing direction

Question 23

Precipitation

Answer 23

Precipitation: any form of water that falls from the sky, including rain, snow, sleet, and hail

Question 24

Prevailing winds:

Answer 24

Prevailing winds: winds that usually blow in one direction in one region

Question 25

Seasonal winds

Answer 25

Seasonal winds: winds that blow only during one season

Question 26

Wind direction

Answer 26

Wind direction: the direction from which a wind originates

Question 27

Wind speed:

Answer 27

Wind speed: a measure of the motion of air with respect to Earth's surface

Question 28

Condensation

Answer 28

Condensation: occurs when water vapor in the air gets cold and changes back into liquid, which forms clouds

Question 29

Evaporation

Answer 29

Evaporation: occurs when the sun heats up water on Earth and turns it into vapor, which rises into the air

Question 30

Transpiration

Answer 30

Transpiration: occurs when plants lose water out of their leaves, and it is absorbed into the atmosphere

Question 31

Water cycle

Answer 31

Water cycle: a process that continually moves water from the ground to the atmosphere

Question 32

Chlorofluorocarbons

Answer 32

Chlorofluorocarbons: human-made gases that contain a combination of chlorine, fluorine, and carbon

Question 33

Carbon footprint:

Answer 33

Carbon footprint: the amount of carbon released into the air as a result of a human's energy needs

Question 34

Exosphere

Answer 34

Exosphere: the outermost layer of the atmosphere

Question 35

Desertification

Answer 35

Desertification: the process by which fertile land becomes desert, typically as a result of drought

Question 36

Global warming

Answer 36

Global warming: the increase in Earth's average surface temperature due to rising levels of greenhouse gases

Question 37

Greenhouse gases:

Answer 37

Greenhouse gases: the water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane in the atmosphere

Question 38

Ionosphere

Answer 38

Ionosphere: an area that overlaps the thermosphere, filled with ions and electrons

Question 39

Ions

Answer 39

Ions: electrically charged particles

Question 40

Mesosphere

Answer 40

Mesosphere: the middle layer of the atmosphere, above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere

Question 41

Ozone

Answer 41

Ozone: a form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule

Question 42

Ozone layer

Answer 42

Ozone layer: a layer in the stratosphere that absorbs most of the ultraviolet radiation from the sun

Question 43

Pollutant

Answer 43

Pollutant: a substance that contaminates something, especially water or the atmosphere

Question 44

Stratosphere

Answer 44

Stratosphere: the layer of Earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, where the ozone layer exists

Question 45

Thermosphere

Answer 45

Thermosphere: an upper layer of the atmosphere, where air reaches high temperatures

Question 46

Troposphere

Answer 46

Troposphere: the lowest region of the atmosphere