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| refers to the state of the atmosphere at a given time and place |
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| the average weather based on the character of an area, variations, and extremes |
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| quantities or properties that are measured regularly |
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| a mixture of many discrete gases, each with its own physical properties, in which varying quantities of tiny solid and liquid particles are suspended |
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| basic elements of weather |
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| air temperature, humidity, type and amount of cloudiness, type and amount of precipitation, air pressure, and the speed and direction of the wind |
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| tiny solid and liquid particles suspend in the air |
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| a form of oxygen that combines three oxygen atoms into each molecule (O3) |
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| above the troposphere, the temperature remains constant to a height of about 20 km and then gradually increases until the stratopause |
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| the bottom layer of the atmosphere in which we live, where temperature decreases with an increase in altitude |
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| temperature decrease in the troposphere |
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| an instrument package that is attached to a balloon and transmits data by radio as it ascends through the atmosphere |
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| outer boundary of the troposphere |
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| the height where the stratosphere temperature stops increasing, nearly 50 km above Earth's surface |
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| the third layer where temperatures again decrease with height until the mesopause |
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| more than 80 km above the Earth's surface, the temperature approaches -90ºC (-130ºF) |
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| the fourth layer above the mesophere, the layer contains only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere's mass |
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| the spinning of the Earth about its axis, one rotation every 24 hours |
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| the line separating the dark half of Earth from the lighted half |
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| refers to the movement of the Earth in its orbit around the sun, one revolution every 365 days |
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| Earth's axis is tilted 23.5 degrees from the perpendicular |
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| the first official day of summer |
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| energy possessed by a material arising from the internal motions of its atoms or molecules OR refers to the quantity of energy present |
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| related to the average kinetic energy of a material's atoms or molecules OR refers to the intensity or the degree of hotness |
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| the transfer of heat through matter by molecular activity |
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| the transfer of heat by mass movement or circulation within a substance |
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heat-transfer mechanism by which solar energy reaches our planet because only radiation can travel through the vacuum of space
also known as electromagnetic radiation |
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| the distance from one crest to the next |
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| the only portion of the light spectrum that we can see |
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| located adjacent to red; we cannot see but we can detect as heat |
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| closest invisible waves to violet; responsible for sunburn |
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1) All objects, at whatever temperature, emit radiant energy.
2) Hotter objects radiate more total energy per unit area than do colder objects
3) The hotter the radiating body, the shorter the wavelength of maximum radiation.
4) Objects that are good absorbers of radiation are good emitters as well. |
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| the process whereby light bounces back from an object at the same angle at which it encounters a surface and with the same intensity; responsible for the redirecting incoming solar radiation |
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| produces a larger number of weaker rays that travel in different directions; responsible for the redirecting incoming solar radiation |
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| the fraction of the total radiation that is reflected by the surface; on Earth 30% |
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| the result of small dust particles and gas molecules in the atmosphere that scatter incoming solar radiation in all directions |
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| longer wavelengths emitted by Earth |
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| gases in the atmosphere absorb terrestrial radiation, which warms them; some of the energy is then returned to the Earth, which warms it |
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a line that connects points on a map that have the same temperature
(iso = equal, therm = temperature) |
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| amount of temperature change per unit of distance |
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| any factor that causes temperature to vary from place to place and from time to time |
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| amount of energy needed to raise 1 gram of a substance 1ºC |
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| a coastal location where prevailing winds blow from across the ocean onto the shore |
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| a coastal location where the prevailing winds blow from the land toward the ocean |
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