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Name________________________________ Date____________________ Hour ___________________
WEATHER UNIT STUDY GUIDE
Unscramble the boldface term at the end of each sentence and write the correct term in the
blank space within the sentence.
1. When water _condenses__ in the atmosphere, it forms clouds. donscense
2. The amount of water vapor in the air is called _humidity_______________. dimythui
3. An instrument which measures relative humidity is a __psychrometer_______. stremyphocre
4. When air near the ground is cooled to the saturation point, _dew_______ forms. wed
5. Snowflakes that melt as they fall then refreeze form ___sleet______________. steel
6. One basis for Earth’s weather is the ____water cycle___________. retaw lycec
7. The temperature at which the air is saturated and condensation takes place is
the _dew point___________. wed topin
8. A _cumulus___________________ cloud as large and billowy. slumucu
9. Cloud droplets that fall in temperatures above freezing fall as ____rain_________. anir
10. When the air temperature is below freezing, ___snow_______________ forms. wons
11. Fog is a __cloud_______________ that forms at the Earth’s surface. duloc
12. Molecules of cold air have little __kinetic_______________ energy. ineckti
13. The ____stratosphere__ is the layer of Earth’s atmosphere, which contains the
Ozone layer. eprstaheotsr
14. ___wind________ is caused when Earth’s material are heated at different rates. ndwi
15. A __convection_ current forms when warm air rises and cool air moves in to replace it. vocencoint
16. The _Coriolis Effect_ is the apparent curving of the winds due to the earth’s rotation. osilocir fecfet
17. Conduction______ is the direct transfer of heat when objects are touching. ductionnoc
18. The suns energy travels in waves and is called _Radiation_________. adiarnoit
19. A __sea breeze___ forms when the warm air over the land rises and the cooler air over the water
moves in to replace the warm air. eas zerebe
20. Lines on weather maps connecting areas having the same temperature are called _isobars_. rabsois
21. An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure is called an _barometer__. romabeter
22. Wind speed is measured using a ___anemometer______________. menaretemo
23. _Hail_______ forms when ice crystals are forced back up into the atmosphere and accumulate several
layers of ice. liha
24. Clouds that produce rain or snow are called _nimbostratus_________ clouds. sutartsobmin
25. _Cirrus_________ clouds are thin, feathery, or wispy. rucirs
In the space provided, write the word or words that best complete the sentence.
1. The boundary between air masses is a __front__________________.
2. A cold_____ front forms when a cold air mass moves underneath a warm air mass.
3. Warm_______ form when a warm air mass is forced up over a cold air mass.
4. Cold, dense air __sinks____________.
5. __Stationary_______________ fronts form when air masses stop moving.
6. The slope of a warm front is __gentle________________.
7. Precipitation usually forms under __low__________ pressure
8. A __warm_____________ front forms when a warm air mass moves over a cold air mass.
9. When two cold air masses merge and force the warm air mass between them to rise, an
__occluded______________ front forms.
10. High pressure brings __clear_______________ weather.
11. The warming of the earth due to an atmosphere is called the _greenhouse effect__.
12. Clouds are classified by their _altitude_____ and _shape__________________.
13. _Cold__________ fronts cause violent storms.
14. The ozone layer protects the earth’s surface by _absorbing__ ultraviolet radiation before it
reaches the surface.
15. Weather patterns generally move across the United States from _west_ to _east____.
16. Winds are named by the direction they _blow from___.
17. Air pressure _decreases_____________ as you increase altitude.
18. Winds are caused when air moves from an area of _high__ pressure to an area of _low___
pressure.
19. An _occluded_ front forms when cold air masses meet and force warm air between them up.
READING
A
WEATHER MAP
B
A
C
Weather Elements
A (Detroit)
B (Quebec)
C (S.Dakota)
34
0
-10
Sky conditions
100% cloudy
75% cloudy
0% cloud cover
Wind direction
SW
N-NE
NW
Wind speed
10
1-2
10
Temperature
Atmospheric pressure
Dew Point
1. What type of front passed over point C? _cold_ ________________
2. What type of front is north of point A? ___stationary_____________
WEATHER UNIT REVIEW
EARTH’S ATMOSPHERE
Name _______________________
Date _______________________
1. What is our atmosphere made up of?
_____Invisible gasses; 77% Nitrogen, 22% oxygen, 1% trace gasses_____
2. Label the four layers of our atmosphere and list the characteristics of each.
In order from top to surface of ear
Thermosphere
Mesosphere
Stratosphere
Troposphere
3. How does the Greenhouse Effect work?
Solar energy (sun) is short – wavelength radiation which easily penetrates the
earth’s atmosphere and warms the earth; the warmed earth emits lowwavelength radiation (Infrared waves or heat energy) back into space; these
longer waves are mostly absorbed by greenhouse gasses, trapping the energy.
Some energy is reradiated back to earth
4. What causes Global Warming and what are three impacts it could have on our planet?
Increasing greenhouse gasses that hold in heat causes global temperatures to
rise; polar ice caps will melt, causing flooding, loss of animal habitat, changing
weather patterns__
5. What is the relationship between air pressure and temperature?
When the temperature goes up, air pressure goes down, when it is cooler air
pressure is higher.___
6. What happens to the air pressure as altitude increases?
_As altitude increases, air pressure decreases; as altitude decreases, air
pressure increases_
WATER IN THE ATMOSPHERE
1. What is the difference between humidity and relative humidity?
Humidity is the amount of water vapor in the air. Relative Humidity is the ratio of the amount
of water vapor to the maximum amount that can be held at a set temperature.
2. What is dew point and how is it related to humidity?
Dew point is when air temperature has reached saturation and condensation has occurred.
Humidity measures how much water is in the air. When air has reached 100% humidity, it has
reached its dew point.
3. What is the relationship between temperature and humidity?
The higher the temperature of the air, the more “space” there is for water. Higher
temperatures will hold more water, and will feel more humid. The cooler the air, the less water
will be held, and there will be little humidity felt as the dew point will be reached more quickly.
4. How are weather and the water cycle related?
The water cycle is a very important part of weather from when the water evaporates from the
ground into the air and condenses and forms clouds when the drop precipitation back to the
ground which then returns to the streams, ponds, lakes, and oceans.
5. What are the three components needed for cloud formation?
Condensation Nuclei, Dust particle, Water Vapor.
AIR MOVEMENT AND WINDS
1. What causes the winds to be deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the
left in the Southern Hemisphere?
The coriolis effect
2. What is a local wind and how are local winds named?
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
3. Which diagram is a land breeze and which is a sea breeze? Describe how each forms.
This is a land breeze
This is a sea breeze
CHANGING WEATHER AND FORECASTING
1. List the devices used for measuring temperature, air pressure, humidity, rain and winds.
Temperature= thermometer
Air pressure= barometer
Humidity=hygrometer
Rain= rain gauge
Winds= annemometer
2. Describe a cold front including the weather associated with them.
As a cold front moves in it pushes up underneath the warm air quickly causing storms. As the
front passes, it brings with it cooler air and drier air.
3. Describe a warm front including the weather associated with them.
When a warm front moves in, it moves over a cold denser air. Warm fronts bring drizzly rain
but are followed by clear and warm weather.
4. Describe a stationary front including the weather associated with them.
Forms when a cold air mass meets a warm air mass. Neither one can advance and many days of
cloudy wet weather can occur.
5. What is a high pressure system and what type of weather do they bring?
High pressure regions are usually associated with dry weather because as the air sinks it
warms and the moisture evaporates.
6. What is a low pressure system and what type of weather do they bring?
Low pressure regions usually bring precipitation because when the air rises it cools and the
water vapor condenses.
7. How is a weather map used to predict the weather?
Climate
1. What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather is the day to day conditions of an area. Climate is the average conditions over a long
period of time.
2. What factors affect climate?
Temperature and precipitation
3. What causes seasons?
The tilt of the earth as it orbits the sun affects how much solar energy an area receives. The
latitude at which you are located will be affected by this amount of energy causing different
seasons. If the location you are at receives close to the same amount of energy all year long,
you won’t experience seasonal changes.
4. Describe why one city may be warmer than another during the same season? If your city was
affected by a large body of water, or prevailing winds or surface ocean currents