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CH 12. Vocab_
Term | Definition |
---|---|
Weather | The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place. |
Atmosphere | The envelope of gases that surrounds Earth. |
Ozone | A form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of the usual two. |
Water Vapor | Water in the form of a gas. |
Photochemical Smog | A brownish haze that is a 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. |
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. |
Barometer | An instrument used to measure changes in air pressure. |
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. |
Aneroid Barometer | An instrument that measures changes in aur pressure withough using a liquid. |
Altitude | Elevation above sea level. |
Jet Stream | Bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth's atmosphere. |
Trophosphere | The lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. |
Stratosphere | The second lowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. |
Mesosphere | The layer of Earth;s atmosphere immeadiatley above Earth's stratosphere. |
Thermosphere | The outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere. |
Ionosphere | The lower part of the thermosphere. |
Exosphere | The outer layer of the thermosphere. |
Electromagnetic Wave | Waves that can transfer electric and magnetic energy through the vacuum of space. |
Radiation | The direct transfer of energy through space through electromagnetic waves. |
Infrared Radiation | Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths that are longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves. |
Ultraviolet Radiation | Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths that are shorter than visible light but longer than X-Rays. |
Scattering | Reflection of light in all directions. |
Thermal Energy | The total energy of motion in the particles of a substance. |
Conduction | The direct transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another substance that it is touching. |
Convection | The transfer of energy by the movement of liquid. |
Wind | The horizontal movement of air from an area with high pressure to an area of lower pressure. |
Anemometer | An instrument used to measure wind speed. |
Wind-Chill Factor | A measure of cooling combining temperature and wind speed. |
Local Wind | Winds that blow over short distances. |
Sea Breeze | The flow of cooler air from over an ocean or lake to land. |
Land Breeze | The flow of air from land to a body of water. |
Global Wind | Winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances. |
Latitude | The distance in degrees north or south of the equator. |