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Weather 1;1-1;2
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weather | The condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place. |
| Atmosphere | The layer of gasses 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. |
| Pollutants | Harmful substances in the air, water, or soil. |
| Photochemical Smog | A brownish haze that is a mixture of ozone and other chemicals, formed when nitrogen oxides,hydrocarbons, and other pollutants react with each other in the presence of sunlight. |
| Acid Rain | Rain that contains more acid than normal |
| Density | The amount of mass of a substance to a given volume. |
| Pressure | The force pushing on an area or surface |
| Air Pressure | A force that is the result of 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. Air pressure pushing on the mercury in the dish forces the mercury in the tube higher. |
| Aneroid Barometer | An instrument that measures changes in air pressure without using a liquid. Changes in the shape of an airtight metal box cause a needle on the barometer dial to move. |
| Altitude | Elevation 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 meteoroids 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. |
| Exosphere | The outer layer of the thermosphere, extending outward into space. |
| 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. |