| A | B |
|---|
| atmospheric pressure | pressure exerted by the atmosphere on all objects within it |
| atmosphere | the mass of air surrounding a planet |
| barometer | an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure |
| homosphere | the lower layer of earth's atmosphere, which exists from ground level to roughly 80 km above sea level |
| heterosphere | the upper layer of earth's atmosphere (80km and higher) |
| troposphere | atmosphere that extends from ground level up to 11 km above sea level |
| stratosphere | atmosphere that extends 11km-48 km above sea level |
| mesosphere | atmosphere that extends 48 km-80 km above sea level |
| tropopause | boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere |
| stratopause | separates stratosphere and mesosphere |
| mesopause | separates mesosphere and heterosphere |
| temperature gradient | refers to gradual change in temperature with altitude |
| jet streams | narrow bands of high-speed winds that circle the earth, blowing west to east |
| heat | energy that is transferred as a consequence of temperature differences |
| temperature | a measure of the energy of random motion in a substance's molecules |
| polar vortex | a weather phenomenom in which winds blowing around the South Pole prevent warmer air from entering the South Pole region, which causes constant low temperatures and a steady rush of wind blowing upwards |
| thermosphere | the region of the atmosphere between altitudes of 80-460 km |
| exosphere | the region of the atmosphere above 460 km |
| ionosphere | the region of the atmosphere between the upper portions of the mesosphere and the lower portions of the thermosphere |
| ion | refers to an atom once it becomes electrically charged |
