Learn: Exploring Creation with Physical Science: Module 2

humidity

the moisture content of air

heat index

a combination of temperature and humidity in weather reports

absolute humidity

the mass of water vapor contained in a certain volume of air

relative humidity

the ratio of the mass of water vapor in the air at a given temperature to the maximum mass of water vapor the air could hold at that temperature, expressed as a percentage

saturated

when the air has the maximum amount of water vapor in it

percent

per hundred

combustion

burning

greenhouse effect

the process by which certain gases (principally water vapor, carbon dioxide, and methane) trap heat that radiates from the earth

global warming

when the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air increases too much, and because of the greenhouse effect, causes the earth to get too warm

parts per million

the number of molecules (or atoms) of a substance in a mixture for every 1 million molecules (or atoms) in that mixture

ozone

a gas that is composed of 3 oxygen atoms and plays a critical role in supporting life by creating a filter that breaks down the ultraviolet light that is most damaging to living tissue

ultraviolet light

a harmful light coming from the sun that is not visible to the human eye and has enough energy to damage or kill living tissue

sulfur oxides

an air pollutant comprised of two toxic gases, sulfur dioxide and sulfur trioxide, that are formed when sulfur burns

scrubbers

limestone devices installed in the smokestacks of most coal burning plants that clean sulfur oxides out of the mixture of gases that result from burning coal

nitrogen oxides

an air pollutant and toxic gas formed when nitrogen burns

ground-level ozone

although crucial in protecting us from ultraviolet light, when this gas is near the ground and breathable, we call it this and classify it as it as a pollutant

airborne lead

known as this, this metal when mixed with the air becomes toxic in high enough concentrations

carbon monoxide

when the amount of oxygen available to fire is scarce, it produces this, a toxic byproduct of incomplete combustion

incomplete combustion

whenever fire produces carbon monoxide instead of carbon dioxide

catalytic converter

converts most of the carbon monoxide produced by automobiles into carbon dioxide

cost/benefit analysis

the kind of reasoning when one considers whether the benefit achieved by an action is worth the cost

exhaled air

75% nitrogen, 16% oxygen, 4% carbon dioxide, 4% water vapor, 1% other

inhaled air (dry air)

78% nitrogen, 21% oxygen, 1% other