The Air (Pressure) Around You
The condition of Earth's atmosphere at a particular time and place.
Weather
The result of the weight of a column of air pressing down on an area.
Air Pressure
The process by which heat is held in Earth's atmosphere.
Greenhouse Effect
This type of electromagnetic energy has waves that are longer than the waves of red light.
Infrared Radiation
An instrument that measures air temperature.
Thermometer
The envelope of gases that surrounds Earth.
Atmosphere
An instrument used to measure air pressure.
Barometer
This layer of the atmosphere extends from 80km above the earth's surface into outer space. It is the outermost layer of the atmosphere.
Thermosphere
This form of electromagnetic energy has wavelengths shorter than violet light.
Ultraviolet Radiation
The thermal energy that is transferred from a hotter object to a cooler one.
Heat
Water in the form of a gas.
Water Vapor
The outer layer of the thermosphere.
Exosphere
Located at around 50-80 km above the Earth and marked by a drop in temperature, this layer of the atmosphere is literally named the "middle sphere".
Mesosphere
The direct transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves.
Radiation
True or False: Temperature is the average amount of energy of motion of each particle of a substance, where thermal energy is the total energy of motion in the particles of a substance.
True
The distance above sea level.
Altitude
The lower layer of the thermosphere.
Ionosphere
Extends from the top of the troposphere to about 50km above Earth's surface. The name means "layered" or "spread out". This layer contains the ozone layer.
Stratosphere
A form of energy that can move through the vacuum of space.
Electromagnetic Energy
True or False: The transfer of heat by the movement of a fluid is called conduction; the transfer of heat between two substances that are in direct contact is called convection.
False; convection, conduction
The amount of mass in a given volume of air.
Density
What is the difference between a mercury barometer and an aneroid barometer?
Mercury barometers use a long glass tube that is open at one end and resting in a dish of mercury. It measures air pressure by forcing the mercury to fill the tube when the pressure is higher and pressing down on the mercury. The mercury is measured by inches in the tube.
Aneroid barometers are thin metal chambers that are sensitive to an increase in atmospheric pressure, and that connect to a dial and needle that indicates the air pressure on a semi-circular chart.
The layer of earth's atmosphere in which conditions are more variable than any other layer. The name literally means "turning" or "changing."
Troposphere
The dispersing of light in all directions by dust-sized particles and gases in the atmosphere.
Scattering
The upward movement of warm air and the downward movement of cool air.
Convection Currents