Earth's Atmosphere Chapters 1-3
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Created by:
XazzsmmXILYX on October 27, 2009
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28 terms
Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 atmosphere | the layer of air that surrounds the earth |
| density | amount of mass in a given volume of a substance |
| cycle | a process that repeats over and over again |
| troposphere | the layer of the atmosphere where we live |
| stratosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere which contains the ozone layer |
| mesosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the stratosphere in which most meteorites burn up |
| thermosphere | the layer of the atmosphere above the mesophere which eventually becomes outer space |
| ozone | a molecule that is made up 3 atoms of oxygen |
| ultraviolet radiation | have more energy than visible light which can cause sunburn |
| infrared radiation | has less energy than visible light and usually warms the materials that absorb it |
| particulate | tiny particles or droplets that are mixed with air |
| Air pressure | the force of air molecules pushing on an area |
| Wind | air that moves horizontally caused by uneven heating of the Earth's surface |
| Coriolis effect | the influence of Earth's rotation on global winds |
| Evaporation | liquid changes to a gas |
| Condensation | gas changes to a liquid |
| Precipitation | any type of liquid or solid water that falls to Earth's surface |
| Humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air |
| Saturation | when evaporation and condensation rates are equal |
| Relative humidity | compares the amount of water vapor in the air with the maximum amount of water vapor that can be present at that temperature |
| Dew point | the temperature at which air with a given amount of water vapor will reach saturation |
| Air mass | a large volume of air where the temperature is nearly the same in different locations at the same altitude. |
| Tornadoes | It is a violently rotating column of air that stretches from a cloud to the ground. |
| Hurricanes | A tropical low pressure system with winds blowing at speeds of 120 km/hr. They form over warm ocean water. |
| Storm surge | A rapid rise in water level in a coastal area that ocurrs when a hurricane pushes a huge mass of ocean water often leading to flooding. |
| Storms | Strong winds, usually with heavy rain, snow, or hail and sometimes with thunder and lightning. |
| Fronts | The boundary between air masses |
| Isobar | A line on a weather map that connects places that have the same air pressure |
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