Vocab
this is a thin layer of gases surrounding the earth.
atmosphere
is the atmospheric layer closest to Earth’s surface.
troposphere
21% of this element makes up the Earth's atmosphere
Oxygen
What type of radiation has shorter wavelengths than visible light and can cause sunburn and skin cancer?
Ultraviolet light
About 50 percent of the Sun’s radiation that reaches Earth’s atmosphere is absorbed by
Earth's Surface
is matter with a definite volume but with no definite shape.
liquid
is the transfer of thermal energy by the movement of matter from one place to another.
convection
Which atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer?
stratosphere
What percentage of the Sun's energy is absorbed by gases and particles in the atmosphere as it passes through?
20%
What atmospheric phenomenon causes global winds to appear curved, can also cause hurricanes to spin.
Coriolis effect
is an area of the stratosphere with a high concentration of ozone.
ozone layer
is the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.
Radiation
What is the role of Earth's atmosphere in relation to the Sun's rays?
to protect from harmful rays
What is the property of the atmosphere that describes whether circulating air motions will be strong or weak?
stability
What is point-source air pollution?
Pollution from an identifiable source.
is the atmospheric layer directly above the troposphere.
stratosphere
describes whether circulating air motions will be strong or weak in the atmosphere.
stability
Why does air pressure decrease with altitude?
There are fewer air molecules pressing down
When water changes from one phase to another, __________ ____________ is exchanged.
latent heat
How does wind affect air pollution movement?
It can carry air pollution from one place to another.
is the transfer of thermal energy by collisions between particles of matter.
conduction
are cold winds that blow from the east to the west near the North and South poles.
polar easterlies
What phenomena are common in the ionosphere?
auroras
What is the primary reason air moves from high-pressure to low-pressure areas?
To balance temperature differences
this can prevent air from mixing and can trap pollution close to Earth’s surface.
Temperature inversions