Characteristics of the Atmosphere Flashcards
What is the Atmosphere?
A barrier surrounding the planet.
What gases are in the air we breathe?
Mostly oxygen and nitrogen, but there are a few trace gases present.
What are trace gases?
Small portions of different kinds of gases in the air we breathe.
What is the Troposphere?
The layer of the atmosphere that we live in, it is the one closest to the Earth’s surface.
What is Temperature Inversion?
The condition where warm air traps colder air near the Earth’s surface.
What is the Stratosphere?
The layer that lies on top of the one we live in and contains the ozone layer.
What is Ozone?
A form of oxygen that is able to absorb solar radiation.
What is the Mesosphere?
The next layer up after the Stratosphere, this layer is the coldest.
What is the Thermosphere?
The last layer of the atmosphere, a layer in which temperature increases as altitude increases.
What is the Ionosphere?
An area between the upper mesosphere and the lower thermosphere (not a real atmospheric layer) in which radio waves are sent over long distances.
What types of plants contribute oxygen to the atmosphere?
Photosynthetic plants.
What is the Oxygen-CO2 Cycle?
The exchange where animals produce CO2 for plants and plants produce Oxygen for animals.
What is the Greenhouse Effect?
The trapping of heat with gases, water vapor, or CO2.
