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Chapter 9
Air: Climate and Pollution
23
Environmental Studies
Undergraduate 2
11/09/2006

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Cards

Term
climate
Definition
long-term weather patterns
Term
aerosals
Definition
minute particles and liquid droplets
Term
convection currents
Definition
redistribute heat and moisture
Term
stratosphere
Definition
more dilute than troposphere, but contains almost no water and 1,000 times ozone (O3)
Term
thermosphere
Definition
ionized gases and high temperatures (ionosphere...)
Term
greenhouse effect
Definition
trapping of heat bu tje earth's atmosphere, which is transparent to incoming visible light rays but absorbs outgoing longwave infrared radiation
Term
latent heat
Definition
stored energy
Term
why does it rain?
Definition
water condenses as air cools and air cools as it rises
Term
coriolis effect
Definition
apparent curvature of the winds
Term
coriolis effect
Definition
apparent curvature of the winds
Term
jet streams
Definition
found at top of troposphere, hurricane force wind
Term
monsoons
Definition
regular, seasonal wind and rain
Term
Milankovitch cycles
Definition
explanation of climate shifts at different time scales: one explanation is periodic changes in sunlight intensity resulting from these cycles: 1) shape of earth's orbit around the sun elongates and shortens in a 100,000 year cycle, 2) the axis of rotation changes it's angle of tilt in a 40,000 year schedule, 3) over a 26,000 year time period, tje axis wobbles like an out-of balance spinning top
Term
el nino
Definition
major ocean current/climate connection that effects weather throughout the pacific
Term
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change
Definition
inter-nation approach to asses current knowledge of the state of climate change
Term
photochemical oxidants
Definition
compunds formed wiht solar energy
Term
fugitive emmisions
Definition
do not go through smoke stack
Term
converntional/criteria pollutants
Definition
sulfur dioxide, carbon monoxide, particulates,volatile organic compounds, nitrogen oxides, ozone, lead - most serious threat to humans
Term
unconventional pollutants
Definition
less volume but especially hazardous/toxic to humans
Term
sulfur dioxide
Definition
colorless, corrosive gas - major component of acid rain
Term
nitrogen oxides
Definition
highly reactive gases - initial products oxidizes (can be many different ways)
Term
carbon monoxide
Definition
less common than carbon dioxide but more dangerous - incomplete combustion of fuel
Term
Clean Air Act
Definition
acid rain, urban smog, toxic air pollutants, ozone protection, marketing pollution rights, VOC's, ambient ozone, soot, dust, NOx emissions
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