Atmosphere

atmosphere

thin layer of gasses that surrounds Earth

relative humidity

ratio of water vapor the air contains to the maximum amount it could have at that temperature

air pressure

Force exerted by air onto the area below it

Troposphere

Lowest atmospheric layer; with most moisture and weather

Stratosphere

Layer above troposphere, cold & dry, ozone

ozone layer

Upper layer in stratosphere with O3, which helps absorb and scatter radiation

mesosphere

Above the stratosphere; low pressure and decreasing temperature

thermosphere

Above the mesosphere; increasingly thin until exosphere (outer limit); high temperature due to increased radiation exposure

radiation, conduction, convection

Transfer of energy through space, between contacting objects, and through movement of currents in a fluid or gas

convection currents

Rising, expanding heat' and sinking, condensing cool gasses (air) or fluid (ocean, magma)

air mass

Mass of air sharing qualities like temp, pressure, humidity, composition, etc.

front

A boundary between two air masses

emissions

atmospheric pollutant substances released as gasses, vapor, or particulates

fossil fuels

Carbon-containing fuel formed from living things; usually millions of years ago; includes coal, natural gas, and petroleum

primary air pollutant

Pollutants that do harm directly; like coal soot and CO

Secondary air pollutant

Harmful products produced when primary air pollutants react chemically with other substances; like tropospheric ozone and sulfuric acid

smog

Smoke + fog

thermal inversion

a layer in the atmosphere in which air temperature increases with height

acid deposition

Some pollutants combine with water, oxygen, and other chemicals in the atmosphere to form acids, which precipitate and cause damage to surfaces

Clean Air Act

Law that protects and improves the quality of air in order to safeguard human health and the environment

Catalytic converter

Device in a motor vehicle that reduces the amount of air pollutants in emissions

Scrubber

removes pollutants or changes them chemically before they leave factory smokestacks

ozone hole

area of lowered ozone concentration over Antarctica that occurs every year from August until October; largely caused by CFCs

Chlorofluorocarbon (CFC)

family of chemical compounds containing chlorine, fluorine, and carbon; used in refrigerants & aerosol and banned due to air pollution

Montreal Protocol

International treaty to stop use of CFCs