6th grade science atmosphere definitions

jet stream

narrow belts of high-speed winds that blow in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. they do not follow regular paths

ozone layer

protects the Earth from the sun's ultra violet rays

ionsphere

sphere that contains electrically charged particles

lithosphere

sphere that includes all land masses including Earth's crust ; litho means rock

stratosphere

the atmospheric level above the troposphere; the ozone layer is located in the stratosphere

altitude

the height of an object above the Earth's surface

troposphere

the lowest/bottom layer and most dense; all weather occurs in the troposphere

air pressure

the measure of the force with which the air molecules push on a surface

thermosphere

the uppermost layer of the atmosphere

mesosphere

layer above the stratosphere; the mesosphere is the coldest layer of the atmosphere

atmosphere

a mixture of gases that surrounds Earth

hydrosphere

all of Earth's water; polar caps, iceburgs,and glaciers

density

amount of matter in a given space

ions

electrically charged particles; important for radio communication