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. |