AP Notes, Outlines, Study Guides, Vocabulary, Practice Exams and more!

AP Environmental Science Atmosphere Flashcards

Terms : Hide Images
5076727982TroposphereLowest layer of Earth's atmosphere. Lies about 10-20 km (5-10 miles)0
5076727983Greenhouse effectThe process by which radiation from a planet's atmosphere warms the planet's surface to a temperature above what it would be without its atmosphere1
5076727984TropopauseThe buffer between the troposphere and the stratosphere2
5076727985StratosphereThe layer of the earth's atmosphere above the troposphere, extending to about 20-50 km (12-30 miles) above the earth's surface3
5076727986OzoneTraps the high-energy radiation of the sun, O34
5076727987MesosphereThe region of the earth's atmosphere above the stratosphere and below the thermosphere, between about 30 and 50 miles (50 and 80 km) in altitude.5
5076727988ThermosphereThe thinnest layer of the Earth's atmosphere, directly above the mesosphere and directly below the exosphere. Also known as the ionosphere6
5076727989WeatherThe day-to-day properties such as wind speed and direction, temperature, amount of sunlight, pressure, and humidity.7
5076727990ClimateThe weather conditions prevailing in an area in general or over a long period8
5076727991prevailing windsBelts of air that distribute heat and moisture unevenly9
5076727992Coriolis effectWinds moving north from the equator in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the right or east, and winds moving south from the equator in the Southern Hemisphere are deflected to the left or west.10
5076727993Convection currentsSolar energy warms Earth's surface, the heat is transferred to the atmosphere by radiation. The warmed gases expand, become less dense, and rise creating vertical currents11
5076727994horizontal airflowCreates surface winds12
5076727995dew pointTemperature at which water vapor condenses into liquid13
5076727996precipitationRain, Snow, Hail, Sleet14
5076727997convection cellWarm moist air rises into the cooler atmosphere, cooling to the dew point creating clouds and then precipitation. The coo drl air is now denser than the surrounding air, it now sinks to the earth's surface where is can be warmed, starting the cycle over again15
5076727998Hadley cellStarts its cycle over the equator, where the warm moist air evaporates and rises into the atmosphere. The precipitation in that region is one cause of the abundant equatorial rainforests. The cool dry air then descends 30 degrees north and south of the equator, forming belts of deserts seen around those areas of latitude.16
5076727999trade windsWinds that blow between about 30 degrees latitude and the equator are steady and strong, and travel at a speed about 11-13 mph17
5076728000horse latitudesAreas about 30-35 degrees south or 30-35 degrees north with unpredictable winds18
5076728001doldrumsAreas about 5 degrees north and 5 degrees south with relatively little wind19
5076728002jet streamHigh speed currents of wind that occur in the upper troposphere20
5076728003monsoonSeasonal winds that are usually accompanied by very heavy rainfall21
5076728004rain shadow effectAn air mass forced to rise due to an obstruction, e.g. mountain, water cools and precipitates before passing the obstruction. Once the mass is past the obstruction the air is devoid of moisture22
5076728005hurricaneStorms with wind speeds in excess of 80 mph or 130 kph in the Atlantic Ocean23
5076728006typhoonStorms with wind speeds in excess of 80 mph or 130 kph in the Pacific Ocean24
5076728007El NiñoThe normal trade winds are weakened or reversed because of the reversal of the high and low pressure regions on either side of the tropical Pacific25
5076728008La NiñaAs air moves toward the equator to replace rising hot air, the moving air deflects to the west and helps move the surface water, allowing the upwelling26
5076728009ENSO eventsThe alterations of atmospheric conditions the lead to El Niños or La Niñas27

Need Help?

We hope your visit has been a productive one. If you're having any problems, or would like to give some feedback, we'd love to hear from you.

For general help, questions, and suggestions, try our dedicated support forums.

If you need to contact the Course-Notes.Org web experience team, please use our contact form.

Need Notes?

While we strive to provide the most comprehensive notes for as many high school textbooks as possible, there are certainly going to be some that we miss. Drop us a note and let us know which textbooks you need. Be sure to include which edition of the textbook you are using! If we see enough demand, we'll do whatever we can to get those notes up on the site for you!