| A | B |
|---|
| atmosphere | a mixture of gases that surrounds a planet, such as Earth |
| ozone | a gas molecule that is made up of three oxygen atoms |
| atmospheric pressure | the force per unit area that is exerted on a surface by the weight of the atmosphere |
| troposphere | lowest layer of the atmosphere; temperature drops at a constant rate as altitude increases; part of the atmosphere where weather conditions exist |
| stratosphere | layer of the atmosphere that lies between the troposphere & mesosphere; where temperature increases as altitude increases |
| mesosphere | coldest layer of the atmosphere, between stratosphere & thermosphere; where temperature decreases as altitude increases |
| thermosphere | uppermost layer of the atmosphere; where temperature increases as altitude increases; includes ionosphere |
| electromagnetic spectrum | all of the frequencies or wavelengths of electromagnetic radiation |
| albedo | the fraction of solar radiation that is reflected off the surface of an object |
| greenhouse effect | warming of surface & lower atmosphere of Earth; occurs when carbon dioxide, water vapor & other gases in the air absorb & reradiate infrared radiation |
| conduction | the transfer of energy as heat through a material |
| convection | movement of matter due to differences in density that are caused by temperature variations; can result in transfer of energy as heat |
| Coriolis effect | the curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to Earth's rotation |
| trade winds | prevailing winds that blow from east to west from 30 degrees latitude to the equator in both hemispheres |
| westerlies | prevailing winds that blow from west to east between 30 & 60 degrees latitude in both hemispheres |
| polar easterlies | prevailing winds that blow from east to west between 60 & 90 degrees latitude in both hemispheres |
| jet stream | a narrow band of strong winds that blow in the upper troposphere |
