| Term | Definition |
|---|
| atmosphere | a mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth |
| aerosols | pg. 71 Tiny liquid droplets that are mixed into the atmosphere |
| troposphere | layer of atmosphere that is closest to the Earth's surface, the densest layer of the atmosphere |
| stratosphere | directly above the troposphere, where the planes usually fly, temperature rises as you go up further in this layer |
| UV radiation | damaging wave of light emitted by the sun-leads to cataracts in eyes, interferes with photosynthesis, kills phytoplankton, wakens the immune system |
| Ozone | O3-molecule made of 3 oxygen levels-reduced the amount of radiation that reaches the Earth-bad if it's down low-creates air pollution |
| Electromagnetic Spectrum | the entire spectrum, considered as a continuum, of all kinds of electric, magnetic, and visible radiation, from gamma rays having a wavelength of 0.001 angstrom to long waves having a wavelength of more than 1 million km. |
| mesosphere | the of the atmosphere that is above the stratosphere-hottest layer |
| thermosphere | the layer of the atmosphere furthest away from the Earth |
| Ions/Ionosphere | Electrically charged molecules/lower part of the thermosphere-Northern Lights come from this sphere, ions radiating energy as light |
| exosphere | uppermost layer of the atmosphere |
| convection current | transfer of heat by air currents |
| greenhouse effect | the process in which gases trap heat near the Earth |
| lapse rate | the rate of decrease of atmospheric temperature with increase of elevation vertically above a given location. |
| air pollution | The addition of harmful chemicals to the atmosphere. The most serious air pollution results from the burning of fossil fuels, expecially in internal-combustion engines. |
| pollution | the introduction of harmful substances or products into the environment |
| primary pollutant | pollution that is directly emitted into the atmosphere |
| secondary pollutant | not directly emitted as such, but forms when other pollutants (primary pollutants) react in the atmosphere. |
| emissions | A substance discharged into the air |
| smog | smoke or other atmospheric pollutants combined with fog in an unhealthy or irritating mixture. |
| temperature inversion | occurs when air above is warmer than the air below-traps pollutants below. City in mountain has a higher chance of having this |
| carbon monoxide | an odorless very poisonous gas that is a product of incomplete combustion of carbon |
| nitrogen oxides | formed with high temperature, can make the body vulnerable to respiratory conditions, lung disease, and cancer. Contributes to brown haze and acid rain |
| sulfur dioxide | produced by chemical interacting between sulfur and oxygen. Contributes to acid rain. Harm plant life, irritate respiratory system. When it's a secondary pollutant |
| VOC's | organic chemicals that vaporize readily and form toxic fumes-smog formation, cause cancer, may harm plants |
| Particulate Matter | tiny particles of liquid or solid matter |
| Catalytic converter | converts harmful pollutants inside the car to CO2 and less harmful substances, water, and Nitrogen |
| Air Scrubbers | remove some of the more noxious substances that would otherwise foul the air, spray gases with water, removing many pollutants. |
| Radon | gas produced naturally in the Earth by the decay of uranium-destroy the genetic material in cells lining the air passages...can lead to cancer, especially among smokers |
| formaldehyde | from furniture, carpeting, colorless gas that has a strong odor, very common industrial and commercial chemical...used to make building materials and household products |
| asbestos | name given to a combination of fibers containing silica-were used building-resistance to heat and strong. Fibers can cut and scar the lungs |
| light pollution | not direct hazard to human health, diminishes view of night sky, energy wasted directed upward and lost to space |
| sound pollution | unwanted sound, irritating and damages hearing, destroys cells in our ears. Caused by modern living |
| decibel | measurement for the intensity of sound |
| weather | conditions in the atmosphere at a particular place at a particular moment |
| climate | the average weather in an area over a long period of time |
| latitude | distance measured in degrees north and south of the equator, which is 0 degrees latitude |
| oblique | sun rays that hit at the north and south poles, not coming in straight. |
| Prevailing Global Winds | Westerlies and trade winds, polar easterlies-global wind pattern |
| El Nino | name given to the short term periodic change in the location of warm and cold water masses in the Pacific Ocean |
| La Nina | The water in the Eastern Pacific Ocean is cooler than usual-opposite from El Nino |
| Topography | lay of land and how climate is affected |
| Seasons | a period of the year characterized by particular conditions of weather, temperature, etc |
| Ice Cores | time measurement to check pollution as well as global warming and CO2 levels |
| Ozone Layer | thin layer of the atmosphere, which protects the Earth from UV rays |
| Chlorofluorocarbons (CFC's) | Aerosol chemical banned from Montreal Protocol-they destroy ozone |
| ozone hole | thinning in ozone layer at the South Pole and North Pole-caused by CFC's |
| polar stratospheric clouds | e clouds in the winter polar stratosphere at altitudes of 15,000–25,000 metres (50,000–80,000 ft). They are implicated in the formation of ozone holes |
| Montreal Protocol | meeting in 1987 where a group of nations met in Canada and agreed to take steps to fight against Ozone Depletion-CFC's banned |
| Greenhouse Gases | Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat and radiate heat |
| Keeling Graph | graph showing the variation in concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide since 1958. It is based on continuous measurements taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii |
| global warming | predicted increase in the Earth's temperature due to an increase in greenhouse gases in the atmosphere |
| Kyoto Protocol | establishes legally binding commitments for the reduction of four greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride), and two groups of gases (hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons) Took place in Rio De Janeiro in 1992 |
| IPCC | scientific intergovernmental body [1] tasked to evaluate the risk of climate change caused by human activity |
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