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Chapter 3
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Weather | The condition of Earths atmosphere at a particular time and place. |
| Atmosphere | The envelope of glasses that surrounds Earth. |
| Water vapor | Water in the form of gas. |
| Density | The ratio of the mass of a substance to its volume. |
| Air pressure | The pressure caused by 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 tune partially filled with Mercury, with its open end resting in a dish of mercury. |
| Aneroid barometer | An instrument that measures changes in air pressure without using liquid. |
| Altitude | Elevation above sea level. |
| Troposphere | The lowest layer of Earths atmosphere. |
| Mesosphere | The layer of Earths atmosphere immediately above the stratosphere. |
| Stratosphere | The second lowest layer of Earths atmosphere. |
| Thermosphere | The outermost layer of Earths atmosphere. |
| ionosphere | The lower part of the thermosphere. |
| exosphere | The outer layer of the thermosphere. |
| Electromagnetic waves | A wave that can transfer electric and magnetic energy through the vacuum of space. |
| Radiation | The transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves. |
| Infrared radiation | Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths that are longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves. |
| Scattering | Reflection of light in all directions. |
| Ultraviolet radiation | Electromagnetic waves with wavelengths that are shorter than visible light but longer than X-rays. |
| Greenhouse effect | The trapping of heat near a planets surface by certain gases in the planets atmosphere. |