Vocabulary
The mass of air surrounding a planet
Atmosphere
The region of the atmosphere that extends from ground level to roughly 11 km (7 miles) above sea level
Troposphere
In this part of the atmosphere, the gases are well mixed and have essentially the same compostion
homosphere
If Earth suddenly had twice as many atmospheric molecules, atmospheric pressure would increase or decrease?
Increase
A plane is having trouble because it is flying through a storm. It is most likely in which atmospheric region?
Troposphere
The pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all objects within it
Atmospheric pressure
The region of the atmosphere that spans altitudes roughly 11 km to 48 km (30 miles)
Stratosphere
In this part of the atmosphere, gases are separated according to molecular weight
heterosphere
As you increase in altitude anywhere in the homosphere, this continually decreases
Atmospheric pressure
In the troposphere, temperature generally does this as altitude increases.
Decreases
An instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure
Barometer
Name the three regions of the homosphere from lowest to highest
Troposphere, stratosphere, and mesosphere
An air sample contains about 21% oxygen, 78% nitrogen, and 1% other gases. It came from with which sphere?
homosphere
Two vitals contain the same gas. Molecules in vial A average 1,000 mph while molecules in vial B average 1,300 mph. Which vial has a higher temperature?
Vial B
Narrow bands of high-speed winds that circle the earth, blowing from west to east
Jet streams
A measure of the energy of random motion in a substance's molecules
Temperature
These two regions of the atmosphere are part of the heterosphere
Thermosphere and exosphere
An air sample is composed predominantly of oxygen rather than usual mixture of nitrogen and oxygen. It came from which sphere?
Heterosphere
A barometer develops a leak that allows air into part of the column that should be a vacuum. What happens to the height of the liquid column? Increase or decrease?
Decreases/falls
The ozone hole is primarily a seasonal phenomenon over this pole.
South Pole/Antarctica
Energy that is transferred as a consequence of temperature differences
Heat
As a balloon rises, its thermometer shows temperature decreasing, then increasing, and then decreasing again. Name the three regions it has traveled through in order.
Troposphere, stratosphere, and the mesosphere
A vial contains 95% helium, 4% hydrogen, and 1% other gases which sphere did it come from?
Heterosphere
gasses there are separated according to molecule weight instead of being evenly mixed
Two correctly made barometers are sitting side by side but have different liquid-column heights. Why?
Different liquids with different densities
As you travel upward through the troposphere, what happens to the speed of the air molecules?
Speed decreases
this is because the temperature decreases as altitude increases