Weather and Pressure

Troposphere

lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature decreases at a constant rate as altitude increases

Weather

condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a particular time and place

Rotation

spinning of Earth on it’s axis

Thermosphere

outermost layer of Earth atmosphere

climate

overall weather in an area over a long period of time

heat

total amount of kinetic energy due to the random motion of atoms or molecules in a body of matter

also called thermal energy

heat is energy in its most random form

tropic of cancer

23.5 degrees north latitude

element of weather and climate

quantities or properties of the atmosphere that are measured regularly and that are used to express the nature of weather and climate

convection

vertical movement of heat or other properties by massive motion within the atmosphere

inclination of the axis

tilt of Earth’s axis from the perpendicular to the plane of Earth’s orbit

autumnal equinox

equinox that occurs on september 22 or 23 in the northern hemisphere

environmental lapse rate (ELR)

temperature change with height in the surrounding atmosphere

average is 6.5 degrees C/km

tropic of capricorn

line of latitude at about 23 degrees south of the equator

circle of illumination

the great circle that separates daylight from darkness

mesosphere

the layer of the atmosphere between the stratosphere and the thermosphere and in which temperature decreases as altitude increases

radiation

the transfer of energy by electromagnetic waves

revolution

the motion of one body about another, as earth about the sun

conduction

the transfer of thermal energy from one substance to another through direct contact

stratosphere

the layer of atmosphere that contains ozone and is located above the troposphere