click below
click below
Normal Size Small Size show me how
Atmosphere
Atmosphere flash cards
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Atmospere | The mixture of gases that surround earth. |
| Ozone | A form of oxygen that has three oxygen atoms in each molecule instead of the usual two it is a toxic form of oxygen. |
| Air pollution | A change to the atmosphere that has harmful effects. |
| Emissions | Solid particles and gases released into the air from a smockstack or motor veichle. |
| Photochemical smog | A brownish haze that is a mixture of ozone and other chemicals, formed when nitrogen oxides,hydrocarbons and other pollutants react with one another in the presence of sunlight. |
| Temperature inversion | The condition in which a layer of warm air thats polluted air close to earth's surface. |
| Acid rain | Rain that is more acidic than normal, caused by release of molecules of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide into the air. |
| Chlorofluorocarbons | Chlorine compounds formerly used in air conditioners,refrigarators and spray cans; also called CFC's. |
| Greenhouse effect | The process by which heat is trapped in the atmosphere by water vapor,carbon dioxide,methane and other gases that form a blsnket around the earth. |
| Greenhouse gases | Gases in the atmosphere that trap heat. |
| Global warming | A gradual increase in the temperature of earth's atmosphere. |
| Altitude | Elavation above sea level. |
| Troposphere | The lowest layer of earth's atmosphere, where weather occurs. |
| Stratosphere | The second-lowest layer of earth's atmosphere; the ozone layer is located in the upper stratosphere. |
| Mesosphere | The middle layer of earth's atmosphere; the layer in which most meteorites burn up. |
| Thermosphere | The outermost layer of earth's atmosphere. |
| Ionosphere | The lower part of the thermosphere, where electrically charged particles called ions are found. |
| Aurora borealis | A colorful,glowing display in the sky caused when particles from the sun strike oxygen and nitrogen atoms in the ionosphere; also called the northern lights. |
| Exosphere | The outer layer of the thermosphere extending outward into space. |