Atmospheric Layers and Climate Change Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards defined verbatim from lecture notes covering atmospheric layers, boundary zones, auroras, and climate change concepts.

Troposphere

The most important layer of the atmosphere with an average height of about 12 kilometres, where temperature decreases with increasing altitude and nearly all weather phenomena occur.

Tropopause

The transition zone that separates the troposphere from the stratosphere.

Stratosphere

The layer above the troposphere extending up to 50 kilometres, which is free of clouds and weather disturbances, making it ideal for flying aeroplanes.

Ozone Gas

A gas located in the stratosphere that shields Earth by filtering out the Sun's harmful radiation, including ultraviolet radiation.

Stratopause

The boundary marking the division between the stratosphere and the mesosphere.

Mesosphere

The third layer of the atmosphere, extending up to a height of 80 kilometres, in which temperature decreases with altitude and most meteorites burn up upon entry.

Thermosphere

An atmospheric layer extending from 80 to 700 km where temperature rises very rapidly with altitude as gas molecules absorb X-rays and short-wave ultraviolet radiation.

Ionosphere

A part of the thermosphere that reflects radio waves transmitted from Earth back towards it to assist with radio transmission.

Aurora

Northern and southern lights occurring in the thermosphere, named after a Latin word meaning 'dawn' or 'morning light'.

Exosphere

The uppermost layer of the atmosphere characterised by very thin air where light gases like helium and hydrogen float into space due to weak gravity.

Climate Change

Long-term changes in weather patterns such as temperature, rainfall, and wind, caused mainly by human activities including burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and industrial pollution.

Greenhouse Gases

Gases released into the atmosphere—including carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and water vapour—that trap heat and raise global temperatures.

Carbon Footprints

The measure of environmental impact whose reduction is part of collective efforts to mitigate climate change.