Introduction to the Atmosphere, Radiation, and Temperature Flashcards

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions, atmospheric layers, radiation principles, and temperature dynamics from Chapters 1, 2, and 3.

Weather vs. Climate Difference

A primary difference between the concepts of weather and climate is the time period involved.

Scientific Theory

A hypothesis that has been extensively tested and is generally accepted by the scientific community.

Steps of the Scientific Method

The sequential order of scientific inquiry: collect data; develop hypothesis; test hypothesis; accept/modify/reject hypothesis.

Hydrosphere

The sphere of Earth's environment that is composed exclusively of water.

Lithosphere

Earth's rocky outer layer.

Biosphere

The sphere of Earth containing living organisms, including insects, plants, humans, and bacteria, which interacts with the lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere.

Air

A mixture of different gases rather than a single compound or element.

Composition of Clean, Dry Air

Nitrogen and oxygen make up a combined total of 99% of clean, dry air, with nitrogen being the most abundant gas.

Water Vapor

The most important atmospheric component regarding Earth's climate and weather systems, capable of existing in all three states of matter at normal Earth temperatures and pressures.

Primary Source of Free Oxygen

Green plants carrying on photosynthesis.

Carbon Dioxide Trend

The overall upward trend in atmospheric $\text{CO}_2$ concentration caused by rapidly increasing fossil fuel combustion and resulting emissions.

Atmospheric Pressure

The pressure exerted by the weight of the air above, which decreases at a decreasing rate as altitude increases.

Troposphere

The lowmost layer of the atmosphere, known as the 'weather sphere,' where temperature drops about $6.5^\text{o}\text{C}$ for every 1 km increase in altitude.

Stratosphere

The atmospheric layer located above the troposphere where ozone is concentrated and temperature increases with height.

Primary Cause of Earth's Seasons

The tilt of Earth's rotation axis (constant at $23.5^\text{o}$), which causes variation in sun angles and daylight length.

Equinox

Dates when days and nights are equal in length across all parts of the world because the Sun's vertical rays strike directly at the equator.

Heat

A transfer of energy from areas with high temperatures to those with low temperatures (from warmer to cooler substances).

Temperature

A measurement of the average kinetic energy possessed by the atoms or molecules in a substance.

Convection

A mechanism of heat transfer that involves the movement or circulation of a mass or substance.

Albedo

The fraction or percentage of total solar radiation reflected by a surface, averaging about 30% for the Earth system as a whole.

Greenhouse Effect

The absorption of outgoing longwave (terrestrial) radiation by atmospheric gases such as water vapor and carbon dioxide in the lower atmosphere.

Reflection

The process whereby radiation retains the same intensity and bounces back at the same angle with which it struck a surface.

Scattering (Blue Sky)

The process where gas molecules in the atmosphere scatter short, blue light wavelengths in all directions.

Daily Mean Temperature

The average value determined by adding the daily maximum temperature and the daily minimum temperature and dividing by 2.

Annual Mean Temperature

The calculated average of all 12 monthly mean temperatures for a given year.

Isotherm

A line on a map that connects points of equal air temperature, allowing for the visualization of temperature distribution.

Specific Heat

The amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by $1^\text{o}\text{C}$; water has a high specific heat compared to land.

Ocean Currents

Primary surface movements whose major role is to transfer heat and equalize energy imbalances between the poles and the equator.