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Weather and Atmosphere Unit Post-Test Study Guide
1. Define:
 Precipitation: Any type of liquid or solid water that falls to Earth’s surface, such as rain,
snow, or hail.
 Evaporation: The process by which liquid changes into gas.
 Condensation: The process by which a gas changes into a liquid.
 Fog: A cloud that rests on the ground or a body of water.
 Wind: The horizontal movement of air caused by differences in air pressure.
 Humidity: The amount of water vapor in air.
 Fossil Fuel: Fuels formed from the remains of prehistoric organisms that are burned for
energy.
 Particulate: Tiny particles or droplets, such as dust, dirt, and pollen that are mixed in with
air.
 Infrared Radiation: Radiation of lower frequencies than visible light.
 Ultraviolet Radiation: Radiation of higher frequencies than visible light, which can cause
sunburn and other types of damage.
 Ozone: A gas molecule that consists of three oxygen atoms.
 Greenhouse Gas: Gases, such as carbon dioxide and methane, that absorb and give off
infrared radiation as part of the greenhouse effect.
2. What are the characteristics of a:
 Cumulonimbus cloud: tallest cloud, thunderhead, produce thunderstorms with heavy
rainfall
 Cumulus cloud: puffy white clouds with darker bases, appear in daytime in fair weather,
can produce showers
 Stratus cloud: forms in layers, smooth because they form without strong air movement,
can produce steady and light precipitation.
 Cirrus Cloud: form at high altitudes, wispy or feathery appearance, form in cold air
3. What are the gases in our atmosphere, and what are their percentages? Nitrogen 78%,
Oxygen 21%, and Argon, Carbon Dioxide, and other gases 1%
4. How does precipitation form? Combining cloud droplets or the growth of ice crystals.
5. Describe what happens during the carbon cycle. Carbon dioxide and oxygen gases
constantly cycle among plants, animals and the atmosphere.
6. Describe what happens during the water cycle. Different forms of water cycle between
Earth’s surface and the atmosphere.
7. Define each type of energy transfer and explain how the Earth and its atmosphere are heated
with each:
 Conduction: transfer of heat energy from one substance to another by direct contact. The
ground heats up the air above it.
 Convection: transfer of energy from place to place by the motion of gas or liquid. Cool,
dense air sinks and pushes the warm air out of the way.
 Radiation: energy that travels across distances in the form of certain types of waves.
Sunlight warms the ground.
8. What instrument is used to measure air pressure? Barometer
9. What do isobars measure? Air pressure
10. The radiation that warms the ground comes from what source? Sun
11. Heat energy gets from the Earth’s surface to the air by what type of heat transfer?
Conduction
12. Which atmospheric layer is the thinnest (smallest)? Troposphere
13. In which layer of the atmosphere do humans live? Troposphere
14. Which layer of atmosphere contains a type of gas that absorbs ultraviolet radiation?
Stratosphere
15. How does a sea breeze form? During the day, land heats up faster than water. The air over
the land rises and expands. Denser ocean air moves into the area of low pressure.
16. How does a land breeze form? During the night, land cools faster than water. Warm air rises
over the ocean and cooler air flows in.
17. List at least three air pollutants. Smog, pollen, carbon dioxide, smoke, dust, salt, gases,
particulates, greenhouse gases
18. Give an example of something that can help to reduce greenhouse gases. Recycle, eat
less meat, burn less fossil fuels, energy star products
19. What happens to the density of air as the altitude changes? Density decreases as altitude
increases
20. Why is air at sea level denser than air at high altitudes? Because more air is pushing down
21. As altitude increases, what happens to air pressure? It decreases
22. Where is air pressure the highest: Mt Everest, on top of a skyscraper, at the bottom of
the Grand Canyon, or at sea level? Sea level
23. What type of day would there most likely be 100% relative humidity: cool and sunny,
cool and cloudy, cloudy and rainy, or cloudy and windy? A cloudy and rainy day
24. What would happen to oxygen and carbon dioxide levels if all the trees and plants in the
world were killed? Oxygen levels and carbon dioxide levels would increase.
25. What does the constant motion of air molecules cause? Air pressure.
26. A day where there is little particulate matter in the air can be described as: clear, hazy,
stormy or windy? Clear
27. What is the relationship between particulate matter and air quality? As particulate matter
increases, the air quality gets worse.
28. What characteristics can be shown on a weather map? High and low pressure, cold fronts,
warm fronts, precipitation, clouds, air pressure
29. What atmospheric property is associated with high humidity: warm air, high winds, low
temperatures, or decreased precipitation? Warm air
30. How does wind form when the sun heats the surface of the Earth? (Think of the diagram
you drew and put it into words.) The warm air sinks, causing cooler air to move in to replace
the cooler air.
31. Why is it dangerous for an eye of a hurricane to pass over a town? The winds with the
highest speeds surround the eye.