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SC 211
Chapter 7-10
72
Science
Not Applicable
12/09/2012

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Term
homosphere
Definition
refers to the earths lower atmosphere
Term
water vapor
Definition
the gaseous form of water, can compose up to 4% of air, depending on the air's humidity and altitude
Term
ozone
Definition
-a relatively scarce type of oxygen molecule in which three oxygen atoms are bonded together
-helps protect the earth's surface from the sun's intense ultraviolet radiation
Term
oxygen
Definition
is vital to humans and most animal life
Term
carbon dioxide
Definition
is vital to plants
Term
atmosphere
Definition
is more than 50 miles above the earth's surface
Term
heterosphere
Definition
the upper atmosphere
Term
troposhere
Definition
is the "weather layer"
Term
temperature gradient
Definition
averages about 3.5*F per 1000 feet of altitude
Term
tropopause
Definition
upper boundary of the troposphere
Term
stratosphere
Definition
-layer immediately above the tropopause, it stretches from the tropopause to an altitude about 31 miles
-has strong stready winds but few changes in weather, it is usually free of clouds and water vapor
Term
ozone layer
Definition
-within the stratosphere, extends from 10 to 30 miles above the earth's surface
-acts as a "sheild" to protect the earth's surface from the dangerous effects of the sun's ultraviolet radiation
Term
UVA
Definition
least harmful
Term
UVB
Definition
causes tanning and sunburn, partially absorbed by the ozone layer, allowing some of it to reach the earth's surface
Term
UVC
Definition
the most powerful and dangerous
oceans and volcanoes destroys the ozone layers
Term
mesosphere
Definition
next layer, extends to 53 mithe surface of earth
Term
mesopause
Definition
is the coldest point in the atmosphere
Term
thermosphere
Definition
high temperatures, temperatures may exceed 3000*F
it is the hottest
Term
ionosphere
Definition
-part of mesophere and thermosphere
-mostly composed of ions
-acts like a giant mirror, "bouncing" certain types of radio waves back down toward the ground
Term
magnestosphere
Definition
the region of the earth's magnetic field that is influenced, by the solar wind
Term
auroras
Definition
when particles react with the atmosphere's molecules, they produce colorful streaks in the sky
Term
Van Allen radiation belts
Definition
discovered the inner belt in 1958
Term
atmostpheric pressure
Definition
normally equal to 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level
Term
solar energy
Definition
energy from the sun
Term
the atmosphere
Definition
obtains heat from the solar energy that reaches the earth (although some of the solar energy is reflected back into space
Term
radiation
Definition
is the transfer of heat by electromagnetic waves
Term
elecromagnetic waves
Definition
waves that include radio waves and waves of light
whole spectrum of waves
Term
albedo
Definition
the decimal equivalent of solar radiation reflected by an object
Term
insolation
Definition
the solar energy that does reach the surface of the earth
incoming solar radiation
Term
watt
Definition
abreviated W, measures the amount of energy that something gains, loses, or uses in one second
Term
four things to insolation
Definition
-cloudy weather reduces the amount of insolation by as much as 85%
-length of daytime
-by the angle of the sun's ray
-earth's distance from the sun also affects
Term
energy budget
Definition
energy that enters the earth's atmosphere and is not reflected becomes part of Earth's _________, the amount of energy available to heat the earth's land, water, and air
Term
greenhouse effect
Definition
process of trapping heat in the earth's atmosphere
Term
greenhouse gases
Definition
water vapor, carbon dioxide, and several other gases
Term
water vapor is
Definition
the most important and abundant gas in the greenhouse
Term
warmest part of day
Definition
occurs well after noon (about 3 PM over land and 5 PM over the sea)
Term
widespread warmth
Definition
insolation warms water much more slowly than it warms land
water holds heat longer than land does
Term
conduction
Definition
transfer of heat by direct contact between two objects
Term
convection
Definition
heat transferred to your hand is an example of heat transfer by moving currents of hot air (or of other fluids)
Term
updrafts or downdrafts
Definition
heating by the earth's surface produces by vertical movements of air
Term
winds
Definition
horizontal movements of air
Term
adiabatic heating
Definition
gas being compressed undergoes in which temperature of a gas rises as the gas is compressed with no heat lost (no heat leaves the confined gases)
Term
adiabatic cooling
Definition
if no heat is added, temperature of a gas drops as it expands
Term
low pressure
Definition
warm air rising
Term
high pressure
Definition
cold air rising
Term
air flow
Definition
is allowed, air will always go from a region of higher pressure toward a region of lower pressure
Term
winds blow
Definition
-toward regions of low pressure or winds blow away
-they blow away from regions of high pressure
Term
unequal heating
Definition
at the equator and poles produces convection currents on global scale
Term
Hadley cell
Definition
convection cells that exists between the equator and latitude 30* named after George Hadley who in 1735 first described the main features of tropical circulation
Term
Ferrel cell
Definition
unlike in the other two convection cells, the winds are caused by the pressure differences between these two latitudes
Term
Coriolis effect
Definition
the way in which the earth's rotation causes a change in the course of the winds
Term
inertia
Definition
-the tendency for matter to stay at rest if at rest or continue moving if in motion
-makes an object tend to keep the same condition of motion with which it started out
Term
cyclone
Definition
hurricane
goes counterclockwise
Term
anticyclone
Definition
clockwise
opposite
Term
ITCZ (Intertropical Convergence Zone)
Definition
a wind belt
Term
doldrums
Definition
rising air near equator
Term
horse latitudes
Definition
regions of high pressure and gentle winds at 30* north and south latitude
Term
trade winds
Definition
surface winds that blow from the high pressure regions of the horse latitudes toward the equator
Term
polar easterlies
Definition
winds in the Northern and Southern hemispheres
Term
prevailing westerlies
Definition
these winds blow toward the poles, they "outrun" the earth's surface so that they come out of the southwest or northwest
Term
jet streams
Definition
high altitude winds are concentrated in narrow, meandering bands of rapidly moving air
Term
monsoon effects
Definition
seasonal change in wind directions
Term
monsoons
Definition
that reverse their direction from season to season
Term
sea breeze
Definition
cooler air from over the water blows inland during the afternoon
Term
land breeze
Definition
blows from the land to the sea
Term
forest breeze
Definition
warm air over the open terrain rises, cooler air from under the trees moves into the area of lower pressure
Term
anabatic winds
Definition
upslope movements of air
Term
katabatic winds
Definition
downslope winds
Term
weather
Definition
the state of atmosphere at a certain time and place
Term
climate
Definition
the year round weather typical of a certain place
Term
meteorology
Definition
the study of weather and of the atmospheric conditions that produce weather
Term
saturated
Definition
the water in the air is evaporating at the same rate that it is condensing
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