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ch 11
Question | Answer |
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troposphere | layer of the atmosphere closest to Earth's surface where most of the mass of the atmos-phere is found and in which most weather takes place and air pollution collects. |
stratosphere | layer of Earth's atmosphere that is located above the tropopause and is made up primary of concentrated ozone. |
mesosphere | layer of Earth's atmosphere above the statopause. |
thermosphere | layer of Earth's atmosphere that is located above the mesopause oxygen atoms absorb solar radiation causing the temperature to increase in this layer. |
exosphere | outermost layer of Earth's atmosphere that is located above the thermosphere with on clear boundary at the top transitional region between Earth's atmosphere and outer space. |
Radiation | the transfer of thermal energy electromagnetic waves the transfer of thermal energy from the sun to Earth by radiation. |
conduction | the transfer of thermal energy between objects in contact by the collisions between the particles in the objects. |
covection | the transfer of thermal energy by the movement of heated material from on place to another. |
temperature inversion | increase in temperature with height in an atmospheric layer which inverts the temperature-altitude relationship and can worsen air-pollution problems |
Humidity | amount of water vapor in the atmosphere at a given location on on Earth's surface. |
Saturation | the point at which water molecules leaving the water's surface equals the rate of water molecule returning to the surface. |
relative humidity | ratio of water vapor contained in a specific volume of air compared with how much water vapor that amount of air actually can hold expressed as a percentage. |
Latent heat | stored energy in water vapor that is not released to warm the atmosphere until condensation takes place. |
condensation nucleus | small particle in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can from. |
Orgraphic lifting | cloud formation that occurs when warm moist air is forced to rise up the side of a mountain. |
cumulus | puffy,lumpy looking clouds hat usually occur blow 2000m. |
stratus | a layered sheetlike cloud that covers much of all of the sky in a given area. |
cirrus | high clouds made up of ice crystals that from at heights of 6000m; often have a wispy indistinct appearance. |
precipitoation | all solid and liquid forms of water-including rain snow and that fall from clouds. |
coalescence | process that occurs when cloud droplets collide and form larger droplets which eventually become too heavy to remain aloft and can fall to Earth as precipitation. |