the atmosphere Flashcards
atmosphere
a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet such as earth
atmosphere pressure
the force per unit area that is exerted on a surface by the weight of the atmosphere
troposphere
the lowest layer of the atmosphere in which temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increase the part of the atmosphere were weather conditions exist
stratosphere
the layer of the atmosphere that lies between the troposphere and the mesosphere and in which temperature increases contains the ozone layer
mesosphere
the coldest layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the atmosphere
thermosphere
the upper moment layer of the atmosphere in which temperature increase as altitude increase includes the ionosphere
electromagnetic spectrum
all of the frequency’s or wavelengths of electromagnetic
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 re radiate 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 affect
the curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise strait path due to earth rotation
jet stream
a narrow band of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere
ozone
a gas molecule that is made up of three oxygen atoms
trade winds
prevailing winds that blow from east to west in both hemispere
westerlies
prevailing winds that blow from east to west
poler easterlies
prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60 and 90 latitude in both
