Chapter 1 Study Guide

The envelope of gases that surround a planet and are held to it by the planet’s gravitational attraction is called __________.

atmosphere

The condition of the atmosphere at any particular time and place is known as __________.

weather

The elements that determine the present state of the atmosphere are called __________.

weather elements

The accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time is referred to as __________.

climate

The study of the atmosphere and atmospheric phenomena is known as __________.

meteorology

A type of storm that most often forms along a front in middle and high latitudes is called __________.

middle-latitude cyclonic storm

A tropical cyclone with sustained winds of at least 64 knots is known as a __________.

hurricane

A convective storm characterized by lightning and thunder is termed a __________.

thunderstorm

An intense, rotating column of air that protrudes from a cumuliform cloud is called __________.

tornado

The direction __________ the wind is blowing is known as wind direction.

from which

The pressure exerted by the mass of air above a given point is known as __________.

air pressure

The release of gases dissolved in hot, molten rock is referred to as __________.

outgassing

The gas that occupies about 78 percent of dry air in the lower atmosphere is __________.

nitrogen

A colorless, odorless gas that occupies about 21 percent of dry air in the lower atmosphere is __________.

oxygen

Water in a vapor form is also called __________.

moisture

A gas whose concentration is about 0.039 percent in the atmosphere is __________.

carbon dioxide

The almost colorless gaseous form of oxygen found mostly in the stratosphere is __________.

ozone

Tiny suspended solid particles or liquid droplets that enter the atmosphere are called __________.

aerosols

Any gaseous, chemical, or organic matter that contaminates the atmosphere is known as __________.

Pollutants

The ratio of the mass of a substance to the volume occupied by it is known as __________.

air density

An increase in air temperature with height is often referred to as __________.

temperature inversion

A balloon-borne instrument that measures and transmits pressure, temperature, and humidity is called a __________.

radiosonde

The layer of the atmosphere extending from Earth’s surface up to the tropopause is called __________.

troposphere

The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere is known as __________.

Exosphere

The atmospheric layer located between the stratosphere and the thermosphere is called __________.

mesosphere

The atmospheric layer where temperature increases rapidly with height is known as __________.

thermosphere