Question | Answer |
What 2 gasses is the atmosphere made of? | Nitrogen and oxygen |
As you go up through the atmosphere what happens to the air pressure? Why? | The air pressure decreases because gas particles get farther apart |
In what layer of the atmosphere will you find weather conditions? | Troposphere |
Why does the air above land and water have different temperatures? | land and water heat and cool at a different rate |
Define: Convection current | gases or liquids rise and slide in a circular path |
Winds generally blow in which direction across the United States? | West to East |
How do convection currents relate to the water cycle? | Convection currents and water cycle relate because they both have condensation and precipitation. |
Define: Air Mass | large body of air with similar properties through it |
Define: Front | a boundary |
What kind of air causes precipitation at fronts? | cold air |
Explain what happens during a cold front | Cold air forces warm air to rise quickly. The rising air forms clouds. Clouds make precipitation |
Explain what happens during a warm front | warm air out of the area moves against cooler air. The warm air gradually rises above the cooler air. The clouds move slowly and cause longer periods of precipitation. |
Explain what happens at a stationary front | A front that does not move very much and it moves back and forth over the same area |
Name 4 types of severe weather | thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, and blizzards |
How does a thunderstorm form? | 1. All currents rise up
2. Currents are moving both up and down
3. All currents move down precipitation |
How does a hurricane form? | When air rolls between 2 layers of wind moving in different directions |
How does a tornado form? | Air rolls between two layers of winds
The rolling air is turned so it stands upright and becomes a tornado |
What should you do to be prepared for severe weather? What items would be important to have? | Board up your windows, store food and water, have flashlights and battery powered radios available, stay inside |
Define: Barometer | air pressure |
Define: Anemometer | wind speed |
Define: Rain gauge | rain fall |
In what direction across the United States do weather fronts usually move? | West to East |
High Air Pressure (symbol for) | H |
Low Air Pressure (symbol for) | L |
Cold Front (symbol for) | spikes down |
Stationary Front (symbol for) | spikes up and humps down |
Sunny (symbol for) | Sun |
Cloudy (symbol for) | Cloud |
Thunderstorms (symbol for) | Cloud with lightening |
Define: Climate | average of weather conditions over a long period of time |
Compare and contrast weather and climate | Weather is day to day. Climate is weather for a long time. Weather and climate are similar because it is both weather conditions, different because of the length of time. Climates do not change as much as daily temperature does. |
What are 2 things that can affect climate? | Oceans and land forms |
How are climates determined? | Climates are determined by many years of weather |
Name 3 events that can change an areas climate | The sun's energy, volcanic eruptions, and asteroid or meteorite impacts |