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Week 12 Vocabulary for Environmental Science

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Term
Definition
atmosphere   the layer of gases surrounding our planet; mostly consists of nitrogen, oxygen, and carbon dioxide today  
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ozone   made of 3 atoms of oxygen (O3), found in the upper atmosphere, helps absorb harmful UV rays from the sun  
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troposphere   layer of atmosphere closest to earth, where our weather occurs, 75%+ of our atmosphere is in this layer  
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stratosphere   2nd layer, above troposphere, 24% of the atmosphere is in this layer, holds the ozone layer  
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mesosphere   3rd layer, shooting stars burn up here, cold with very few molecules  
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thermosphere   4th layer, very few molecules, large temperature fluctuations, very hot due to closeness to the sun  
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exosphere   almost no molecules, gradually leads out into space  
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ionosphere   begins in the mesosphere and extends out through the thermosphere, electrified region where the Northern lights (auroras) can be seen  
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radiation   transfer of energy through space  
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conduction   transfer of energy from one object to another when they are touching  
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convection   transfer of energy through air or water currents, as a fluid heats up, it rises, then it sinks as it cools down  
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weather   atmospheric conditions at any given time in any given place (what is it doing right now)  
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climate   an average of all the weather variations during the year (cold winters, mild summers, etc.)  
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latitude   the distance from the equator measured from north to south in degrees  
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density   mass/volume, (heavy vs light)  
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convection currents   cycles of flowing air due to warm air rising and cold air sinking  
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wind   movement of air within the atmosphere  
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Coriolis Effect   winds do not move in straight lines. The rotation of the Earth causes winds to curve  
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jet stream   a band of high altitude, swiftly moving westerly winds  
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polar front jet   The jet stream found over North America  
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Topography   elevation of land above sea level  
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NOAA   National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration  
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tornado   a vortex with swirling winds up to 220 miles per hour or more, form where warm, moist air meets cold, dry air  
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Latent heat   the hidden heat that is found in the molecules of water vapor  
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inversion   where moist, warm air gets trapped beneath warm, dry air under a stable layer of cold, dry air  
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Hurricanes   produce extreme winds, which can wreak havoc on shoreline communities, form in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific oceans,produced when warm, moist air rises over the heated waters of the equator  
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eye   the center of the hurricane  
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lake effect   in the winter, the land quickly loses its heat while the water slowly cools as winter sets in, keeping the air on and near the shoreline warmer than the temperatures found further inland  
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Gulf Stream   ocean current that originates in the warm waters of the Gulf of Mexico, carries warm water to areas of the earth that don't get much energy from the sun, creates a mild climate in places like England  
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