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Chapter 12 flashcards

Terms

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Weather
the condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place
Atmosphere
the envelope of gasses that surrounds Earth
Ozone
a form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of the usual two
Water Vapor
water found in the form of a gas
Pollutant
a harmful substance in the air, water, or soil
Photochemical Smog
a brownish haze that is the mixture of ozone and other chemicals, formed when pollutants react with each other in the presence of sunlight.
Acid Rain
rain that contains more acid than normal
Density
the amount of mass of a substance in a given volume; mass per unit volume
Pressure
the force exerted on a surface divided by the total area over which the force is exerted
Air Pressure
the pressure caused by the weight of a Column of air pushing down on an area
Mercury Barometer
an instrument that measures changes in air pressure, consisting of a glass tube partially filled with mercury, with its open end resting in a dish of mercury.
Barometer
an instrument used to measure changes in air pressure
Aneroid Barometer
an instrument that measures changes in air pressure without using a liquid
Altitude
elevation above sea level
Troposphere
the lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere
Mesosphere
the layer of Earth's atmosphere immediately above the stratosphere
Ionosphere
the lowest part of the thermosphere
Stratosphere
the second lowest layer of the Earth's atmosphere
Thermosphere
the outer most layer of the Earth's atmosphere
Exosphere
the outer layer of the thermosphere
Electromagnetic Waves
waves that can transfer electric and magnetic energy through the vacuum of space
Radiation
the direct transfer of energy through space by electromagnetic waves
Infrared Radiation
electromagnetic waves with wave lengths that are longer than visible life but shorter than microwaves
Ultraviolent Radiation
electromagnetic waves with wave lengths that are shorter than visible light but longer than X-rays
Scattering
reflection of light in all directions
Greenhouse effect
the process by which heat is trapped in the atmosphere by water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane and other gasses that form the "blanket" around earth; the trapping of heat by a planet's atmosphere
Thermal Energy
the total energy of motion in the particles of a substance
Thermometer
an instrument used to measure temperature, consisting of a thin glass tube with a bulb on one end that contains liquid (usually mercury or alcohol)
Heat
the transfer of thermal energy from one object to another because of a difference in temperature
Conduction
the direct transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another substance that is touching
Convection
the transfer of thermal energy by the movement of a fluid
Convection Current
the movement of a fluid, caused by differences in temperature, that transfers heat from one part of a fluid to another
Wind
the horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure
Wind Chill Factor
a measure of cooling combining temperature and wind speed
Sea Breeze
the flow of cooler air from over an ocean or lake toward land
Global Wind
winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances
Latitude
the distance in degrees north or south of the equator
Anemometer
an instrument used to measure wind speed
Local Wind
winds that blow over short distances
Land Breeze
the flow of air from land to a body of water
Coriolis Effect
the effect of Earth's rotation on the directions of winds and currents
Jet steam
bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth's surface

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