Ch. 15- The Atmosphere

  1. This atmospheric layer's temp. decreases with altitude with the gases mixing continuously
    Troposphere
  2. Narrow belts of winds that can reach 400 km/hr are called
    Jet Streams
  3. This layer contains the ionosphere and temp. can be 1,000 degrees Celsius or higher
    Thermosphere
  4. This layer is known as the middles layer where temp. decreases as altiude increases
    Mesosphere
  5. What causes differences in air temperature at different altitudes?
    The way gases absorb solar energy
  6. What is the major source of human-caused air pollution?
    Vehicle exhaust
  7. Carbon monoxide, dust and smoke put directly into the air are known as
    Primary pollutants
  8. What is acid precipitation?
    Rain, sleet or snow with high levels of acid
  9. Identify the different gases found in the remaining 1% of other gases found in the atmosphere
    argon, carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane
  10. Electrically charges particles are called
    ions
  11. Ovens that circulate hot air inside to cook food more quickly are called _______________ ovens
    convection
  12. What causes differences in air pressure on Earth?
    Unequal heating of Earth
  13. Warm air rises because it is ____________ _____________ than cold air
    less dense
  14. Identify two examples of secondary pollutants
    smog and ozone
  15. Most thermal energy is transferred by
    convection
  16. How long does it take the light from the sun to reach us?
    8 minutes
  17. Wind occurs because of differences in
    air pressure
  18. What is the atmosphere made up of?
    a mixture of gases (78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen and 1% other gases)
  19. What can acid precipitation do to bodies of water surch as lakes and streams?
    Acid shock or acidification to aquatic life
  20. What is the coldest layer of the atmosphere?
    mesosphere
  21. What is the most common gas in the atmosphere?
    nitrogen
  22. Earth's surface absorbs what % of the sun's energy rec'd by Earth?
    50%
  23. This atmospheric layer is responsible for absorbing UV radiation from the sun
    Stratosphere
  24. What is radiation?
    Transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves
  25. What are the 2 lowest layers of the atmosphere?
    Troposphere and Stratosphere
  26. How much energy radiated by the sun reaches Earth?
    2 billionths
  27. A rapid change in a body of water's acidity is called
    acid shock
  28. In the Northern Hemisphere winds traveling north appear to curve east is called
    Coriolis Effect
  29. When the amount of energy received from the sun and the amount of energy returned to space are equal, it is called
    radiation balance
  30. The ozone layer is primarily found in this layer
    stratosphere
  31. Why is air pressure greatest at Earth's surface?
    The force of gravity pulls everything toward Earth's surface
  32. Thermal conduction is the transfer of energy as
    heat through a material
  33. A pan that gets hot on a stove is an example of what kind of energy transfer?
    Thermal conduction
  34. Local winds are produced by
    Local geographic features like mountains and shorelines
  35. Some experts believe that increasing greenhouse gases causes
    global warming
  36. What are the 2 highest layers of the atmosphere?
    mesosphere, thermosphere
  37. In which layer do most meteoroids burn up?
    Mesosphere
  38. What is the densest layer?
    Troposphere
  39. In which layer does weather occur?
    Troposphere
  40. In which layer is there little to no transfer of thermal energy due to low density?
    Thermosphere
Author
hutchremodel
ID
156484
Card Set
Ch. 15- The Atmosphere
Description
Ch. 15-The Atmosphere
Updated