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39 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Atmosphere |
The layer of gasses surrounding a planet or celestial body |
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Meteorology |
The study of the atmosphere processes responsible for weather |
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Weather |
The state of the atmosphere at a given place and time |
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Climatology |
The study of the climate |
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Climate |
The average conditions of the atmosphere |
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Microclimate |
The climate of a small area at Earth's surface |
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Global Warming |
The increase in Earth's temperature caused y increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases associated with human activities |
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Anthropogenic |
Related to human activities |
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System |
An interrelated set of parts |
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Lithosphere |
The rocks of Earth |
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Biosphere |
Life on Earth |
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Hydrosphere |
The water of Earth |
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Cryosphere |
The ice on Earth |
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Evaporation |
The process by which a substance changes phases from liquid to gas. |
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Condensation |
The process by which a substance changes from a gas to a liquid |
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Respiration |
The life process in which oxygen is removed from the atmosphere and carbon dioxide is returned |
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Photosynthesis |
The life process in which energy from the sun is used to convert carbon dioxide and water to oxygen and carbohydrates |
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Feedback Effect |
A mechanism that operated within a system to either amplify or lessen an initial change |
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Scientific Law |
A precise statement that describes the behavior of nature and is believed to always hold true |
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Scientific Theory |
A body of knowledge that provides a detached explanation for a set of observations |
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Hypothesis |
A tentative explanation for an observation |
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Model |
A representation of reality used to help in understanding complex or abstract natural phenomena |
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General Circulation Model |
A computer program that represents the physics of the atmosphere through a set of equations |
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Force |
An action capable of accelerating an object |
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Energy |
The capacity to do work |
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Work |
The transfer of energy by mechanical means |
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Power |
The rate at which energy is transferred, or work is done |
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Pressure |
The force per unit area |
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Energy Flux Density |
The rate of the flow of energy per unit area of surface |
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Atmospheric Pressure |
The force exerted by the atmosphere on Earth's surface |
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Standard Atmosphere |
A se of values that represents the average vertical distribution of pressure, temperature, and density in the atmosphere |
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Troposphere |
The layer of the atmosphere extending from Earth's surface to an average height of 11km |
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Tropopause |
The top of the troposphere |
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Stratosphere |
The layer of the atmosphere extending from (on average) 11km to 50km above Earth's surface |
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Stratopause |
The top of the stratosphere |
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Inversion |
In increase in temperature with altitude |
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Mesosphere |
The layer of the atmosphere that extends from about 50km above Earth's surface to about 85km about the surface. |
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Mesopause |
The top of the mesosphere |
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Thermosphere |
The top layer of the atmosphere. Its base is located about 85km above Earth's surface. It has no well-defined top. |
