| A | B |
|---|
| weather | state of the atmosphere at a particular time and a particular place |
| climate | long-term state of the atmosphere at a particular location |
| visibility | distance one can see horizontally |
| solar insolation | measure of the portion of the sun's energy that reaches Earth's surface |
| albedo | solar energy reflected by the Earth's surface |
| troposphere | layer of the atmosphere closest to the Earth's surface where almost all weather occurs |
| stratosphere | layer above troposphere that contains the ozone layer and jet streams |
| temperature inversion | indicates that the temperature is increasing with height in the atmosphere |
| mesosphere | atmospheric layer above the stratoshere where meteoroids burn up |
| thermosphere | largest, hottest atmospheric layer; found above the mesosphere and contains the ionosphere |
| ionosphere | reflects radio waves; absorbs x-rays and gamma rays, exciting electrons |
| exosphere | exists out beyond the thermosphere and extends into space; zone where shuttle and satellites orbit |
| radiosonde | measures the vertical profile of air temperature in the atmosphere |
| mercury barometer | measures the force of air's weight (pressure) on the fluid surrounding a mercury tube |
| aneroid barometer | measures air pressure using a spring between 2 metal disks that can expand/contract |
| isobar | countour line drawn connecting areas of equal pressure |
| anemometer | measures wind speed |
| humidity | amount of water vaport content in the atmosphere |
| relative humidity | actual ratio of how much water vapor is present vs. how much the air is capable of holding for that temperature and pressure |
| hygrometer | measures humidity |
| sling psychrometer | type of hygrometer using 2 thermometers, one with a wet bulb and one dry, and a table |
| dew point | the temperature at which a parcel of air has to be cooled to reach saturation |
| station model | symbolic illustration showing weather occurring at a given reporting station |
