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Phys Sci Midterm
vocab for midterm
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Atom | The smallest chemical unit of matter |
| Molecule | Two or more atoms linked together to make a substance with unique properties |
| Concentration | The quantity of a substance within a certain volume |
| Humidity | The moisture content of air |
| Absolute Humidity | The mass of water vapor contained in a certain volume of air |
| Relative Humidity | The ratio of the mass of water vapor in the air at a given temperature to the maximum mass of water vapor the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage. |
| Greenhouse Effect | The process by which certain gases (principally water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane) trap heat that radiates from earth |
| Atmosphere | The mass of air surrounding a planet |
| Barometer | An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure |
| Homosphere | The lower layer of earth's atmosphere, which exists from ground level to roughly 80 kilometer above sea level |
| Heterosphere | The upper layer of the earth's atmosphere, which exists higher than roughly 80 kilometers above sea level |
| Jet Streams | Narrow bands of high speed winds that circle the earth, blowing from west to east |
| Heat | Energy that is being transferred as a consequence of temperature differences |
| Atmospheric Pressure | The pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all objects within it |
| Polar Molecule | A molecule |