ATMO 1300 Chapter 1: Earth's Atmosphere

atmosphere

the envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it by the plant's gravitational attraction; influences everything we see and hear

nitrogen and oxygen

earth's atmosphere is made up of mainly...

93 million miles

how far is the sun from the earth

15 C or 59 F

earth's avg surface temperature

scientific method

includes posing a question, putting forth a hypothesis, predicting what the hypothesis would imply if it were true, carrying out tests to see if the prediction is accurate

correct

to be accepted, a hypothesis has to be...

numerical models

software packages that represent the physical laws that control atmospheric behavior

weather elements

air temperature, air pressure, humidity, clouds, precipitation, visibility, wind

air temperature

the degree of hotness/coldness above the air

humidity

a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air

air pressure

the force of the air above an area

clouds

visible masses of tiny water droplets and ice crystals or both that are above Earth's surface

precipitation

any form of water that falls to Earth's surface from the clouds

visibility

the greatest distance one can see

wind

the horizontal movement of the air

climate

the accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time

meterology

The study of the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena as well as the atmosphere's interaction with Earth's surface, oceans, and life in general.

meteoros

high in the air

isobars

lines of equal pressure

doppler radars

radars with the ability to peer into a severe thunderstorm and unveil its wind and show precipitation intensity

tiros 1

First weather satellite launched in 1960.

wind direction

the direction from which the wind is blowing

wind barbs

lines that parallel the wind and extend outward from the center of the station

anticyclones

regions of high atmospheric pressure

wind speed

The rate at which the air moves by a stationary object, usually measured in statute miles per hour (mi/hr), nautical miles per hour (knots), kilometers per hour (km/hr), or meters per second (m/sec).

front

The transition zone between two distinct air masses.

nitrogen, oxygen, water vapor, carbon dioxide

makes up earth's atmosphere

nitrogen

the colorless, odorless gas that makes up about 78% of the earth's atmosphere

oxygen

a colorless and odorless gas that occupies about 21 percent of the earth's atmosphere

water vapor

water in its gaseous form

carbon dioxide

a colorless, odorless gas produced by burning carbon and organic compounds and by respiration. It is naturally present in air (about 0.03 percent) and is absorbed by plants in photosynthesis.

ozone

an almost colorless gaseous form of oxygen with an odor similar to weak chlorine

pollutants

any gaseous, chemical, or organic matter that contaminates the atmosphere, soil, or water

air density

The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it.

lapse rate

The rate at which an atmospheric variable (usually temperature) decreases with height.

temperature inversion

an increase in air temperature with height

radiosonde

A balloon-borne instrument that measures and transmits pressure, temperature, and humidity to a ground-based receiving station.

troposphere

A layer of the atmosphere closest to the surface of Earth, extending up to approximately 16 km (10 miles).

stratosphere

layer of atmosphere above the troposphere and below the mesosphere

tropopause

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere.

mesosphere

The layer of Earth's atmosphere immediately above the stratosphere

thermosphere

above the mesosphere, where temp. increases rapidly with height

ionosphere

An electrified region of the upper atmosphere where fairly large concentrations of ions and free electrons exist.

meridians

lines of longitude

longitude

how far a place is in degrees from the prime meridian

middle latitudes

the region of the world typically described as being between 30-50 degrees latitude

hurricane

a tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 64 knots (74 mi/hr)

eye

tiny dot at hurricane’s center

thunderstorms

a convective storm with lightning and thunder

tornadoes

an intense, rotating column of air that often protrudes form a cumuliform could in a tunnel shape