CHAPTER 1 Key Terms
Match each of the terms on the left with its definition on the right. Click on the term first and then click on the matching definition. As you match them correctly, they will move to the bottom of the activity.
acid rain aerosols air pollution air pressure anthropogenic aurora borealis aurora australis carbon monoxide (CO) CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) cloud droplets environmental lapse rate fossil fuels greenhouse gas ionosphere mesosphere nitrogen dioxide (NO2) ozone (O3) ozonosphere particulate matter (PM) photochemical smog primary pollutant secondary pollutant stratosphere sulfur dioxide (SO2) temperature inversion thermosphere tropopause troposphere ultraviolet (UV) radiation volatile organic compound (VOC) | Created or influenced by people. Liquid and solid particles (aerosols) suspended in the atmosphere. A pollutant that is not directly emitted from a source, but forms through chemical reactions among primary pollutants in air or water. A gas that can absorb and emit thermal energy. A toxic odorless and invisible gas. Rainfall that has a lowered pH because it has mixed with sulfur compounds. The force exerted by molecules of air against a surface. (pronounced oh- Solar radiation that is shorter than visible wavelengths. The atmospheric layer located from 80 to 600 km (50 to 370 mi) above the surface. Displays of light (also called northern lights) caused by energized molecules in the ionosphere. Harmful concentrations of gases or aerosols in the atmosphere. The layer of the atmosphere between 50 and 80 km (30 and 50 mi) above the surface. The rate of cooling with increasing altitude in the troposphere. The average environmental lapse rate is 6.5°C per 1,000 m or 3.6°F per 1,000 ft. Microscopic solid or liquid particles suspended in the atmosphere. A pungent gas, produced by volcanic eruptions and by the burning of fossil fuels, that causes human health problems and acid rain. The atmospheric layer above the troposphere, which extends between about 12 and 50 km (7.5 and 30 mi) above Earth’s surface and has a permanent temperature inversion. Displays of light (also called southern lights) caused by energized molecules in the ionosphere. A region of the upper mesosphere and the thermosphere between about 80 and 500 km (50 to 310 mi) where gases are ionized by solar energy. A toxic reddish- A class of ozone- The ancient remains of plants preserved in the lithosphere in the form of coal, oil, and natural gas. The lowest layer of the atmosphere, extending from Earth’s surface up to about 12 km (7.5 mi), where all weather occurs. A molecule that is a pollutant in the lower atmosphere, but blocks harmful solar UV radiation in the stratosphere. Microscopic drops of liquid water found in clouds. The boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere. A toxic compound of hydrogen and carbon; also called a hydrocarbon. A layer of the atmosphere in which air temperature increases with increased height. Air pollution formed by the action of sunlight on tailpipe emissions. A pollutant that enters the air or water directly from its source. |