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Unit 3 Weather
Science Block 4
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Troposphere | The layer of the atmosphere that closest to Earth where weather happens |
| Stratosphere | Contains the ozone layer; commercial jets sometimes cruise near its lower region; temperature increases with altitude here. |
| Mesosphere | Meteors burn up here; temperatures decrease with altitude. |
| Thermosphere | Auroras occur; very thin air; temperature increases with altitude; satellites begin to orbit in upper parts. |
| Exosphere | Outermost layer; very sparse gas; satellites orbit here. |
| Evaporation | Liquid water becomes water vapor. This process absorbs energy (heat from the Sun). |
| Transpiration | Water released from plants into the air; also absorbs energy (driven by heat for evaporation from leaves). |
| Condensation | Water vapor cools and forms droplets (clouds). Condensation releases energy into the atmosphere (latent heat). |
| Precipitation | Droplets fall as rain/snow due to gravity — this is driven by gravity |
| Surface runoff and infiltration/percolation | Water moves across or into the ground; largely driven by gravity. |
| Sublimation | Solid (ice/snow) becomes water vapor, absorbs energy. |
| what does condensation require | Condensation requires cooling of water vapor and tiny particles (dust, smoke) called condensation nuclei. |
| how do you know condensation is going to occur | Look at forecast clues: high relative humidity (near 100%), fog, clouds, and precipitation indicate condensation is occurring. For example, 100% relative humidity with fog indicates condensation (water vapor turning into droplets). |
| Warm surface currents: | Warm the air above them. Tend to make the coastal climate warmer and more humid (can make climates warm and wet or warm and dry depending on local conditions). |
| Cold surface currents: | Cool the air above them. Tend to make coastal climates cooler and often drier (can create cooler and dry conditions, sometimes stable air and fog). |
| Barometer (measures air pressure) | Falling pressure often means stormy or unsettled weather is approaching. Rising pressure suggests calming/sunnier weather. Example: If pressure falls steadily through the afternoon, forecast likely: stormy or bad weather. |
| Relative humidity: | High humidity (close to 100%) indicates air is nearly saturated — fog, dew, or precipitation likely. |
| Meteorologist duties: | Collect and analyze data, use technology and observations to make weather predictions (choose answers about collecting/analyzing data and using technology and global patterns). |
| Cold front: | A cold air mass runs into a warm air mass; cold air pushes under the warm air, forcing it up — often triggers thunderstorms and abrupt temperature drops. |
| Warm front: | A warm air mass runs into a cold air mass; warm air rises over cooler air and brings gradual cloudiness and steady precipitation; temperature usually rises after it passes. |
| Stationary front: | Neither air mass can move the other significantly; weather near a stationary front can remain cloudy and wet for days. |
| Occluded front: | A warm air mass is caught between two colder air masses (a faster cold front overtakes a warm front), often producing complex weather. |
| Convection current: | Warm air rises and cool air sinks — the pattern where warm air rises from the ground and cooler air moves in to replace it. |
| Sea breeze (day) | Land heats more quickly, warm air rises over land; cooler air over the ocean moves toward land — breeze from sea to land. |
| Land breeze (night): | Land cools faster at night, air flows from land to sea. |
| Tornado | Violently spinning columns of air |
| Tsunami | Large wave from underwater earthquake |
| Landslide | Large scale erosion caused by gravity |
| Hurricane (or tropical cyclone) | Large storms of rotating clouds with high winds over water |
| Volcanic eruption | When magma violently breaks through Earth’s crust |
| Tropical region | 0° to 30° |
| Temperate region | 30° to 60° |
| Polar region | 60° to 90° |
| Thunderstorms: | More likely to increase in intensity as temperatures rise. (Choose “increase”.) |
| Hurricanes: | Likely to produce heavier rain events and more dangerous/stronger winds (choose “heavier” and “more dangerous”). |
| what factor matters most? | Temperature determines whether precipitation falls as rain, snow, sleet, or freezing rain. Higher/lower temperatures in the air column and near the surface determine the form. Correct choice: temperature. |