Glossary of Earth Science 8: Meteorology: Questions

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What is absolute humidity?
the measurable amount of water the air holds
What is temperature?
intensity of heat
Who discovered nitrogen?
Daniel Rutherford
Near the surface of the earth, _______ ________ varies from 0 to 5 percent.
water vapor
The continual mixing of cold and warm air occurs only in the ________.
Thirty-two percent of the incoming ________ ________ is reflected by the atmosphere.
solar radiation
Name the gas discovered by Daniel Rutherford.
Beautifully colored displays of light occur when charged particles escape from the ________ into the earth's atmosphere.
The magnetosphere protects us from ________ and ________ radiation.
cosmic and solar
The gas called ________ is composed of oxygen atoms.
Fires would burn too rapidly if there were too much ________ in the atmosphere.
What charged particles are associated with the magnetosphere?
protons and electrons
The ozone layer acts as a shield to protect us by absorbing the harmful ________ ________.
ultraviolet radiation
The coldest temperature of the atmosphere is found at the top of what layer?
Joseph Priestley of England and Karl Scheele of Sweden discovered ________.
If the ________ ________ is low, perspiration evaporates quickly.
relative humidity
What layer contains the jet streams?
The ________ layer acts as a shield to protect us by absorbing the harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Give the location of the mesosphere.
directly above the stratosphere
Oxygen is consumed by ________.
Usually _________ pressure is associated with cool, clear weather.
If the relative humidity is ________, perspiration evaporates quickly.
Give the name of the gas that is consumed by burning.
The ________ temperature of the atmosphere is found at the top of the mesosphere.
Airplanes that travel long distances fly in the ________ to avoid storms.
What kind of atoms make up ozone?
What layer of the atmosphere touches the earth's surface?
This term describes the amount of water the air holds compared to what it could hold.
relative humidity
What is the troposphere?
the lowest layer of air (nearest the ground) according to temperature
How much of the incoming solar radiation does the atmosphere reflect?
32 percent
The __________ is a region extending thousands of kilometers into space where charged particles have been trapped in the earth's magnetic field.
What is the greenhouse effect?
indirect warming of the atmosphere
What is wind-chill?
the decrease in the apparent air temperature
The stratosphere is the atmospheric layer that is free of ________ and ________.
clouds and dust
What is the homosphere?
homogeneous mixture of gases extending up to about 80 kilometers
What is atmosphere?
the layers of air surrounding the earth
What is the most common form of precipitation?
Where does weather occur?
Define atmospheric pressure.
weight of atmospheric gases
What is the most abundant gas in the atmosphere?
What is the location of the heterosphere?
directly above the homosphere
What term refers to the steady temperature drop in the troposphere?
lapse rate
What makes up the heterosphere?
helium and hydrogen
What would happen if there were too much oxygen in the atmosphere?
fires would burn very rapidly and rage out of control
What is weather?
the condition of the atmosphere at a given time
Where does most of the heat of the air come from?
from the earth which has absorbed much of the light from the sun and re-emits it as heat
What are jet streams?
paths of fast winds in the stratosphere
________ occurs in the troposphere.
High pressure is usually associated with what type of weather?
cool and clear
List five conditions usually included in the description of the weather.
atmospheric pressure
wind speed and direction
Define meteorology.
the study of the atmosphere
The lapse rate is the steady temperature drop in the _______.
Who discovered oxygen?
Joseph Priestley and Karl Scheele
The troposphere is the layer of the atmosphere that touches the ________ ________.
earth's surface
Name the atmospheric layer that is free of clouds and dust.
Nitrogen is the most ________ gas in the atmosphere.

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