Use LEFT and RIGHT arrow keys to navigate between flashcards;
Use UP and DOWN arrow keys to flip the card;
H to show hint;
A reads text to speech;
31 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
nitrogen |
makes up 78% of the atmosphere
|
|
oxygen |
makes up 21% of the atmosphere |
|
ultraviolet light |
can cause a tan or sunburn; skin cancer and other health problems |
|
condensation |
the conversion of a vapor or gas to a liquid |
|
convection |
the transfer of heat by the flow of a heated material; the process of warm air rising and cool air sinking |
|
conduction |
the transfer of energy that occurs when molecules bump or collide into one another |
|
equator |
the Sun's energy hits the Earth most directly at this location |
|
carbon dioxide |
a gas that is given off when fossils fuels are burned |
|
fossil fuels |
coal, oil, and natural gas |
|
radiation |
transfer of energy in the forms of rays or waves |
|
atmospheric pressure decreases |
the further away one gets from sea level or Earth's surface |
|
sun |
the source of all energy in our atmosphere; source of energy in the water cycle |
|
Coriolis effect |
caused by Earth's rotation; causes moving air to deflect to the right in the northern hemisphere |
|
troposphere |
layer of the atmosphere nearest Earth's surface; temperature decreases when altitude increases; where weather occurs; contains most of the mass of the atmosphere |
|
prevailing westerlies |
responsible for the movement of much of the weather across the United States and Canada |
|
What happens when Earth receives energy from the Sun? |
some energy is reflected back into space, some absorbed by the atmosphere, and some absorbed by land and water on Earth's surface |
|
sea breeze |
when cool, dense air from over the water flows inland |
|
stratosphere |
the 2nd layer above Earth's surface; contains the ozone layer; temperature increases when altitude increases |
|
particulate matter |
a mixture of dust, acids, and other chemicals that can be hazardous to human health |
|
Atmosphere layers are distinguished by their ___. |
composition, altitude, and temperature |
|
What would happen to a pot of water if heated from the top? |
liquid substance heated from the top would boil slower as the heated water would stay at the top and not warm the water below |
|
atmosphere |
layer of gases surrounding Earth |
|
mesosphere |
the middle layer in the atmosphere; where most meteors burn up |
|
water vapor |
makes up from zero to four percent of the atmosphere |
|
smog |
fog or haze combined with other atmospheric pollutants which reacts with sunlight |
|
ozone |
made up of 3 oxygen atoms; absorbs much of the ultraviolet radiation |
|
thermosphere |
next to last layer in the atmosphere; contains the ionosphere |
|
exosphere |
last layer in the atmosphere; least dense layer of gases; known as transitional region |
|
ionosphere |
contains ions; reflects AM radio waves; where auroras occur |
|
3 methods of energy transfer in the atmosphere |
conduction, convection, and radiation |
|
Why is Earth referred to as the water planet? |
70% of Earth's surface is covered with water; can be found in all three states of matter such as glaciers, oceans and rivers, and water vapor |