| Term | Definition |
| control group | the group that does not receive the experimental treatment. |
| experimental group | in an experiment, a group that is identical to a control group except for one factor and that is compared with the control group |
| atmosphere | a mixture of gases surrounding the Earth |
| aerosols | tiny, liquid droplets |
| troposphere | atmospheric layer nearest to the Earth's surface...most weather occurs here, Temperature decreases as altitude increases, extends about 18 km above Earth's surface |
| stratosphere | Located above troposphere, extends from 18 km to 50 km. Temperature rises as altitude increases. |
| ozone | made up of three oxygen atoms, reduces amout of UV radiation that reaches the earth |
| UV radiation | ultraviolet raditation. comes from the sun and is very dangerous.. it damages DNA(causes skin cancer)! |
| mesosphere | layer above stratosphere, layer extends to an altitude of 80 km, is the coldest layer, temperatures are measured as low as -93C |
| Independent variable | the variable you purposely change |
| Dependent variable | the variable that is measured in an experiment |
| Data table | A chart of rows and columns for recording information. |
| Hypothesis | An educated guess about the experiment in an If-then statement |
| Human vs. Experimental Error | Human error is a problem caused by a person messing up an experiment. Experimental error is an error caused by nature or by equipment. |
| 1st law of Thermodynamics | the law that states that energy cannot be created nor destroyed |
| Energy | the capacity to perform work |
| States of Matter | The physical forms in which a substance can exist,, solid, liquid, gas, or plasma |
| Heat vs. Temperature | Heat total energy in a substance made up of kinetic and potential energy, Temperature measure of potential energy |
| Brownian Motion | the random motion of small particles suspended in a gas, liquid, or solid |
| Celsius/ Kelvin | Celsius is were water freezes and 100 is were water boils, Kelvin -276 is absolute zero and where no life can be |
| Absolute zero | The coldest temperature, 0 Kelvin, that can be reached. It is the hypothetical temperature at which all molecular motion stops. |
| 3rd law of Thermodynamics | the law that states that in order for motion to stop we have to reach absolute zero |
| Radiation | energy that is radiated or transmitted in the form of rays or waves or particles |
| Conduction | the transfer of energy as heat through a material |
| Convection | the transfer of thermal energy by the circulation or movement of a liquid or gas |
| Conductor | a device designed to transmit electricity, heat, etc. |
| Insulator | a material that does not allow heat or electrons to move through it easily |
| Layers of the atmosphere | Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere , thermosphere and exosphere |
| Thermosphere | the layer of the atmosphere in which space shuttles orbit |
| Ionosphere | layer of electrically charged particles in the thermosphere that absorbs AM radio waves during the day and reflects them back at night |
| Exosphere | the outermost atmospheric layer |