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Looking Back: Atmospheric Structure

Assess your understanding of concepts related to this chapter section by answering the questions below before proceeding with this chapter. Click the question to reveal the correct answer.

Explain what normally happens to air temperature as one moves upward through the troposphere?

Temperature decreases.

Define the normal and environmental lapse rate of temperature.

The normal lapse rate of temperature is the average decrease in temperature with an increase in elevation. The environmental lapse rate is the decrease in temperature with an increase in elevation at any given time.

What happens to air temperature as one moves upward through the stratosphere?

Generally increases.

Define "temperature inversion".

A temperature inversion is a situation in which air temperature increases with increasing elevation.

Describe the "functional layers" of the atmosphere and explain what do they do?

The ionosphere absorbs cosmic rays, gamma rays, X-rays, and shorter wavelengths of ultraviolet radiation. THe ozonosphere absorbs 97% of the Sun's ultraviolet light that can be harmful to life on earth.

For Citation: Ritter, Michael E. The Physical Environment: an Introduction to Physical Geography.
Date visited. https://www.thephysicalenvironment.com/

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