Earth and Its Atmosphere Vocabulary

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers key concepts related to Earth and its atmosphere, crucial for understanding weather, climate, and atmospheric science.

Weather

The condition of the atmosphere at any particular time and place.

Meteorology

The study of the physics, chemistry, and dynamics of the earth’s atmosphere.

Metrology

The scientific study of measurement.

Climate

The accumulation of daily and seasonal weather events over a long period of time.

Severe Weather

Extreme weather conditions such as cold outbreaks, heat waves, floods, droughts, wildfires, ice storms, and snowstorms.

Earth

The 3rd planet from the sun, revolving in a slight ellipse and rotating on an axis tilted 23.5 degrees.

Sun

The star at the center of our solar system, responsible for the energy produced from nuclear fusion.

Greenhouse gases

Gases that allow sunlight to pass through but absorb infrared energy emitted by Earth, contributing to the greenhouse effect.

Pressure (P)

The force exerted per unit area, calculated as P=F/A.

Density

The mass of a substance per unit volume, expressed as p=m/v.

Lapse Rate

The rate at which temperature decreases with height, averaging 3.6 degrees F per 1000 ft in the troposphere.

Temperature

A physical property that quantifies the hotness or coldness of an atmosphere.

Humidity

The amount of water vapor present in the air.

Clouds

Visible masses of condensed water vapor in the atmosphere.

Radiosondes

Instruments attached to balloons that measure atmospheric conditions like temperature and pressure.

Radar

A system using radio waves to detect objects and determine their range.

Satellites

Artificial objects in orbit used for continuous monitoring or taking high-resolution images of the Earth.

Carbon Dioxide (CO2)

A greenhouse gas that is transparent in visible light but opaque to infrared radiation.

Sources

Anything that adds a substance, like gas or particles, to the atmosphere.

Sinks

Anything that removes substances from the atmosphere.

Keeling Curve

A graph that shows the ongoing change in concentration of carbon dioxide in Earth's atmosphere.