Physical Science: Atmosphere Review

Changes in atmospheric pressure cause the sides of this instrument to bend inward and outward

aneroid barometer

The transfer of energy as heat through a material is called________.

conduction

The movement of matter due to differences in density caused by temperature variations is called____.

convection

The three looping patterns of air flow that exist in each hemisphere is_____________________.

convection cells

Not all areas on Earth's surface receive the same amount of radiation because Earth's surface is______.

curved

All of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation is called_______.

electromagnetic spectrum

The uppermost layer of the atmosphere is________.

exosphere

Approximately 70% of Earth's surface is covered by_____________________.

global oceans

The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when carbon dioxide and water vapor in the air absorb and re-radiate infrared radiation is called_____.

greenhouse effect

The warming of the surface and lower atmosphere of Earth that occurs when carbon dioxide, water vapor, and other gases in the air absorb and trap infrared radiation is known as_____________?

greenhouse effect

If the ozone layer disappeared, life on Earth would be exposed to__________concentration of ultraviolet radiation.

higher

The narrow bands of high-speed winds that blow in the upper atmosphere are called________________.

jet streams

This kind of wind blows cool air from land to water.

land breeze

What are the two types of barometers?

mercurial and aneroid

The coldest layer of the atmosphere in which temperature decreases as altitude increases is called ____________.

mesosphere

What is the name of the gas that makes up most of the Earth's atmosphere?

nitrogen

What are the components of the atmosphere?

nitrogen, oxygen, ozone, argon, water vapor & particulates

Are atmospheric pressure and gravity components of the atmosphere?

no

Are gases considered particulates?

no

What percentage of solar energy that reaches Earth is absorbed by the land, oceans, and the atmosphere?

70%

______is the transfer of heat by the flow of heated material.

Convection

The curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to Earth's rotation is called_____________________.

Coriolis effect

The_____is caused by the Earth's rotation.

Coriolis effect

What happens to solar radiation that is not reflected back into the atmosphere?

It is absorbed by surface materials.

The_____is the source of all energy in our atmosphere.

Sun

Name the type of radiation whose wavelengths are shorter than UV, but longer than Gamma Rays.

X rays

The fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the surface of an object is called____.

albedo

___________is the fraction of solar radiation reaching Earth that is reflected.

albedo

A mixture of gases, primarily nitrogen, oxygen, and argon, that surrounds Earth is called___________.

atmosphere

Interactions between solar radiation and the Thermosphere cause____?

auroras

What is the name of the instrument that measures air pressure?

barometer

Winds that extend over distances of less than 100 km are___________.

breezes

The two most abundant compounds in the atmosphere are: ____________ & _________________

carbon dioxide and water vapor

In general, atmospheric pressure is greatest near Earth's surface and _______as you move upward away from sea level.

decreases

Because of the Coriolis effect, an object that travels north from the equator will curve which direction?

east (right)

Prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60 degrees and 90 degrees latitude in both hemispheres are called________________________.

polar easterlies

Energy from the sun travels to Earth as____________.

radiation

Reflection and absorption by the atmosphere prevent some______from reaching Earth's surface.

radiation

_________is the transfer of energy in the form of rays or waves.

radiation

What are particulates in the atmosphere?

salt, pollen, and dust

The layer of the atmosphere in which temperature increases as altitude increases and contains the ozone layer is____.

stratosphere

Sea and land breezes are caused by___________________.

the land heats and cools more quickly than the water

Prevailing winds that blow from east to west from 30 degrees latitude to the equator in both hemispheres are called_________.

trade winds

The global wind belt is made up of which winds?

trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies

Air pressure is greatest in the______because there are more molecules of air pushing down from above.

troposphere

The lowest layer of the atmosphere, in which temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increases, the level where all weather conditions exist is_____.

troposphere

The____is the layer of the atmosphere nearest to Earth's surface.

troposphere

List the layers of the atmosphere from sea level up

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

Temperature inversions can intensify the effect of smog when cool, polluted ground air is trapped by _______?

warm air

Prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30 and 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres are________________________.

westerlies