Science Vocab

Exosphere

The outermost layer of Earth’s atmosphere

Thermosphere/lonosphere

A layer of Earth’s atmosphere located above the mesosphere

Mesosphere

The layer of the atmosphere directly above the stratosphere

Ozone

A molecule of oxygen containing three oxygen atoms

Stratosphere

The layer of the atmosphere above the troposphere

TropoPause

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere in Earth’s atmosphere.

Troposphere

The lowermost layer of the atmosphere

Heat

Thermal energy transferred from one object to another

Specific heat of a substance

The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree celsius.

Temperature

A measure of the average kinetic energy of individual atoms or molecules in a substance

Conduction

The transfer of heat through matter by molecular activity

Convection

The transfer of heat by the movement of a mass or substance; it can take place only in fluids

Radiation

The transfer of energy (heat) through space by electromagnetic waves

Reflection

The process where light bounces back from an object at the same angle at which it encounters a surface and with the same intensity

Scattering

The redirecting of light by small particles and gas molecules in the atmosphere; the result is more light rays with weaker intensity

Greenhouse effect

The heating of Earth’s surface and atmosphere from solar radiation being absorbed and emitted by the atmosphere, mainly by water vapor and carbon dioxide

Albedo

The fraction of total radiation that is reflected back by a surface

Isotherm

A line connecting points of equal temperature

Water cycle

The constant movement of water among oceans, atmosphere, geosphere, and the biosphere