PHS 1010 Earth science ch. 16 terms

Meterology

The study of weather and climate

Climate

over a long period of time (years, decades, centuries); generalized, composite of weather; changes, but at a slower rate

Weather

over a short period of time (hours, days, a few weeks); constantly changing

Troposphere

bottom layer of the atmosphere (closests to the ground), where weather occurs, where life occurs/interacts, temperature decreases with increasing altitude; upper boundary is named the tropopause

Tropopause

Upper boundary between troposphere and stratosphere

Altitude

height above the ground

Stratosphere

2nd layer, directly above troposphere, temperature increases at top due to the presence of the ozone layer; upper boundary is named stratopause

Stratopause

upper boundary in stratosphere

Ozone

in the stratosphere; 3 atoms of oygen, distribution not uniform; absorbs harmful UV radiation coming from the sun

CFCs

chlorofluorocarbons; break down oxygen atoms; called ozone holes

Mesosphere

temperature decreases again with altitude, meteors tend to burn up in this layer due to increased friction from the gases that are getting thicker; upper boundary is named the mesopause

Mesopause

upper boundary of mesosphere

Thermosphere

no well-defined upper limit due to the low concentration of gases, consists of only a fraction of atmosphere's mass, gases moving at high speeds due to the absorption of incoming solar radiation, temperature increase with altitude due to the absorption of incoming solar radiation

Thermopause

upper portion of thermosphere

Rotation

earth rotates on its axis (gives day and night)

Revolution

earth revolves around the sun (contributes to seasons)

Conduction

transfer of heat through matter (typically through solids, like copper)

Convection

transfer of heat through bulk motion of fluids (ex. liquids and gases; occurs commonly in the hydrosphere and atmosphere)

Radiation

transfer of energy (heat) through electromagnetic waves (travels through solids, liquids, gases, and the vacuum of space)

Solar radiation

radiant energy

Terrestrial radiation

radiation that is absorbed and radiated back in to the atmosphere-only longer wavelengths of radiant energy

Refraction

atmospheric effect; bent, changes wavelength

Reflection

atmospheric effect; bounces back

Scattering

atmospheric effect; disperses in other directions

Absorption

atmospheric effect; retains heat

Albedo

percent reflected (of incoming solar radiation)

Greenhouse effect

when short-wavelength radiation from the sun is transmitted through Earth's atmosphere, it interacts with matter and can be reradiated as long-wavelength energy that is now trapped in earth's atmosphere

Greenhouse gases

gases that often absorb and re-radiate; water vapor and carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrous oxides, etc.

Heat capacity

ability to retain heat

Isotherm

a line connecting places of equal temperature