chapter 3: earth’s atmosphere

air pressure

pressure produced by the motion, size, and number of gas molecules in the air and exerted on surfaces in contact with the air

carbon monoxide

an odorless, colorless, tasteless combination of carbon and oxygen produced by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels or other carbon containing substances

lapse rate

the rate of temperature decrease with increasing altitude in the lower atmosphere

noctilucent clouds

a rare, shining band of ice crystals that may glow at high latitudes long after sunset; formed within the mesosphere, where cosmic and meteoric dust act as nuclei for the formation of ice crystals

ozone (O3)

a chemical that absorbs UV energy and converts it to heat energy

particulate

also known as aerosols, microscopic particles of solid or liquid particles that are suspended in the air (haze, smoke, dust, pollen)

photochemical smog

air pollution produced by vehicle emissions through interaction of ultraviolet light, nitrogen dioxide

pm2.5

particles that are 2.5 microns or less in diameter (can come from wood and coal fires, cooking fumes, and even candles)

pm10

inhalable particles, diameters that are generally 10 micrometers and smaller (construction site dust, landfills, wildfires, industrial waste, etc.)

pollutant

natural or human-caused gases, particles, and other substances in the troposphere that accumulate in amounts harmful to humans or to the environment

temperature inversion

a reversal of the normal decrease of temperature with increasing altitude; can occur anywhere from ground level up to several thousand meters; functions to block atmospheric convention and thereby trap pollutants