The Atmosphere Flashcards
atmosphere
a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet, such as Earth
ozone
a gas molecule that is made up of three oxygen
atmospheric pressure
the force per unit area that is exerted on a surface by the weight of the atmosphere
troposphere
the lower layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increases: the part of the atmosphere where weather conditions exist
stratosphere
the layer of the atmosphere that lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere and in which temperature decreases as altitude increases
mesosphere
the coldest layer of the atmosphere, between the stratosphere and the thermosphere, in which temperature decreases as altitude increases
thermosphere
the uppermost layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature increases as altitude icreases; includes the ionosphere
electromagnetic spectrum
all of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation
albedo
the fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the surface of an object
greenhouse effect
the warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases in the air absorb and reradiate infrared radiation
conduction
the transfer of energy as heat through a material
convection
the movement of matter due to differences in density that are caused by temperature variations; can result in the transfer of energy as heat
Coriolis effect
the curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to Earth’s rotation
trade winds
prevailing winds that blow from east to west from 30 latitude to the equator in both hermispheres
westerlies
prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30 and 60 latitude in both hemispheres
polar easterlies
prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60 and 90 latitude in both hemispheres
jet stream
a narrow band of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere
