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

infared

electromagnetic radiation that can be felt as heat

winter solstice

Occurs when the Sun is directly overhead at 23.5° south latitude, the Tropic of Capricorn, around December 21, and results in the minimum number of daylight hours for the northern hemisphere and the maximum number for the southern hemisphere.

aerosols

tiny solid particles or liquid droplets that remain suspended in the atmosphere for a long time

albedo

percent of solar radiation reflected by a surface

greenhouse effect

warming of the Earth due to the insulating effect of gases in the atmosphere, such as carbon dioxide and water vapor

summer solstice

On June 21, it is the longest day in the Northern Hemisphere due to the fact that the sun is directly over the tropic of Cancer

reflection

bouncing of light off an object

isotherm

line drawn on a weather map that connects points having equal temperature