Download Lesson 1 – Air and Weather

Name __________________________________________ Study Guide - Chapter 7 Weather and Climate
Lessons 1 and 2
Lesson 1 – Air and Weather
Our weather takes place in the Atmosphere
There are four main layers of the Atmosphere:
Troposphere – Where all of Earth’s life exists and all of
our weather occurs
Stratosphere – Ozone and Aircraft Flight occur here
Mesosphere – Millions of meteors enter this layer of
the atmosphere
Thermosphere – Important functions are temperature
regulation and filtering powerful X-rays
and ultraviolet radiation emitted by
the sun
Properties of Weather
Air Temperature - The sun’s energy heats Earth’s surface, which heats the air above the ground
Humidity – The measure of how much water vapor is in the air (water evaporates from a liquid
to a gas)
Air Pressure – Cool air is heavier because air particles are close together with little movement
Warm air is lighter because air particles are farther apart due to a lot of particle movement
Precipitation – Any form of water that falls from the sky (rain, snow, sleet, hail)
Weather Station ~ Tools
Match the picture of the weather tool to its definition.
Thermometer – Measures temperature in Celsius (C ) or Fahrenheit (F )
Hygrometer – Measures the amount of humidity in the air
Barometer – Measures air pressure
Rain Gauge – Measures the amount of rain fall
Wind Vane – Points the direction the wind is blowing (N, S, E, W)
Anemometer – Measures wind speed (mph)
A
B
C
D
F
E
States of Water
Solid ~ Frozen/ Ice, particles (molecules)
are close together with very little movement
Liquid ~ water, particles (molecules) are
slightly apart with some movement
Gas ~ water vapor, particles (molecules) have a
a lot of space with much movement in
all directions
Water Cycle
Water moves from Earth’s surface
into the atmosphere. Then it moves back to the
surface. As it moves, it changes states.
Stages of the Water Cycle:
Evaporation
Water Vapor
Condensation
Sun’s Energy
heats water
causing evaporation
Water rises
in the form
of a gas
Water vapor hits
cool air and turns
back into liquid in
the form of a cloud
Precipitation
Liquid droplets in
clouds become large
and heavy, they drop
as precipitation (rain, snow,
sleet, hail)
Clouds
Cumulus clouds are puffy white clouds that
resemble cotton balls.
Cumulonimbus clouds are cumulus clouds
that become dark and form precipitation.
Stratus clouds are blanket like and closest to
the ground. Stratus clouds also form
precipitation.
Fog is really a stratus cloud near Earth’s
Surface.
Cirrus clouds look thin and wispy. They
Are found very high in the sky and are made
Of tiny bits of ice.