Download Weather and Climate

Period: _____
Name: _______________________________________
Weather and Climate
Heat Transfer (pages 468-471)
1. Match the type of heat transfer with its example.
____ radiation
a. drying your boots over a hot-air vent
____ conduction
b. burning your feet on hot sand
____ convection
c. feeling the sun’s warmth on your face
2. Most of the heating of the troposphere is caused by ______________________
3. The upward movement of warm air and the downward movement of cool air form _____________________
Winds (pages 472-480)
4. The horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower pressure is referred to as
__________________________
5. Differences in air pressure are caused by _________________________of the atmosphere.
6. Match the instrument with what it measures.
______ wind vane
a. wind speed
______ anemometer
b.wind direction
7. True or false: A south wind blows toward the south
________________
8. Winds that blow over short distances are called ___________________________
9. Local winds are caused by ________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
10. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about the unequal heating of land and water.
a. Land warms up faster than water.
b. During the day, air over water is warmer than air over land.
c. Water cools more quickly than land.
d. At night, air over water is cooler than air over land.
11. Label the drawings to indicate which drawing shows a sea breeze and which drawing shows a land breeze
Science 8- Weather and Climate
12. Winds; that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances are called
___________________________.
13. Identify the global wind belts and calm areas in the figure:
a. __________________________
b. __________________________
c. __________________________
d. __________________________
e. __________________________
14. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about global winds:
a. They are caused by unequal heating of Earth’s surface
b. They are produced by the movement of air between the equator and the poles.
c. They blow in a straight line from the poles toward the equator.
d. They curve because of Earth’s rotation.
15. As Earth rotates, the Coriolis effect causes wind in the Northern Hemisphere to turn toward the
________________.
16. The calm areas around Earth include the ____________________ and the
____________________________
17. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about jet streams.
a. They are about 100 kilometers above Earth’s surface.
b. They are hundreds of kilometers wide.
c. They blow from east to west.
d. They blow at speeds of 200 to 400 kilometers per hour.
Building Vocabulary – Winds
18. A __________________ is a horizontal movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of lower
pressure.
19. Wind speed is measured with a(n) ________________________.
20. The increased cooling that a wind can cause is called the ____________________________.
21. _____________________________ are winds that blow over short distances.
22. The flow of air from an ocean or lake to the land is called a ______________________.
23. The flow of air from land to a body of water is called a ________________________.
24. Sea and land breezes over a large region that change direction with the seasons are called
______________________.
Science 8- Weather and Climate
25. Winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances are ___________________.
26. The way Earth’s rotation makes winds curve is called the ________________________________.
27. Bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface are called
________________________.
Humidity (page 482)
28. A measure of the amount of water vapor in the air is _____________________
29. Relative humidity is the __________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
Air Masses and Fronts (pages 496-502)
30. What is an air mass? ___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________
31. Scientists classify air masses according to __________________ and ___________________.
32. True or false: Polar air masses have low air pressure. ______________
33. Complete the compare/contrast table:
34. In the continental United States, major wind belts generally push air masses from ____________________
to ______________________
35. Label the drawings to indicate a cold front and a warm front.
Science 8- Weather and Climate
36. Match the type of front with how it forms.
_____ cold front
A. a slowly moving cold air mass.
_____ warm front
B. a warm air mass is caught between two cooler air masses.
_____ stationary front
C. a rapidly moving cold air mass runs into a slowly moving warm air mass.
_____ occluded front
D. a cold air mass and a warm air mass meet and remain stalled over an area.
Building Vocabulary – Air Masses and Fronts
37. A huge body of air that has similar temperature, humidity, and air pressure throughout it is called a(n)
______________________ .
38. _______________ air masses form in the tropics and have low pressure.
39. Air masses that form over oceans are called ____________________ air masses.
40. ______________________ air masses form north of 50° north latitude and south of 50° south latitude.
41. The area where air masses meet and do not mix becomes a(n) _______________________.
42. _____________________ air masses form over land, in the middle of continents.
43. A warm air mass that is cut off from the ground is said to be __________________________.
44. A swirling center of low air pressure is called a(n) _________________________.
45. _________________ are high-pressure centers of dry air.
Cyclones and Anticyclones (pages 501-502)
46. A swirling center of low air pressure is called a(n) ______________________.
47. True or false: Winds spiral inward toward the center of a cyclone. __________________
48. True or false: Winds in an anticyclone spin clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere. _________________
Storms (pages 503-511)
49. A sudden energy discharge between parts of a cloud or between the cloud and the ground is called
__________________
50. What is a tornado? _____________________________________________________________________
51. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about where and when tornadoes occur.
a. Tornadoes are most likely in late summer and early fall.
b. Tornadoes occur often in the Great Plains.
c. Tornadoes occur more often in the United States than in any other country.
d. Tornadoes occur in just a few parts of the United States.
Science 8- Weather and Climate
52. Where is the safest place to be during a tornado? _____________________________________________
53. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about a hurricane.
a. It is a tropical storm.
b. It has winds of at least 159 kilometers per hour.
c. It is typically about 60 kilometers across.
d. It forms over water.
54. Fill in each blank in the diagram with one of the following phrases: path of hurricane; eye of hurricane;
warm moist air; wind direction
55. The quiet center of a hurricane is called the _________________
56. True or false: Hurricanes do not last as long as other storms. ____________________
57. True or false: If you hear a hurricane warning and are told to evacuate, you should leave the area
immediately. ________________
Building Vocabulary – Storms
58. ______ storm
a. a tropical storm that has winds of 119 kilometers per hour or higher
59. ______ lightning
b. a sudden spark, or energy discharge, between parts of a cloud or between
the cloud and the ground
60. ______ tornado
c. a violent disturbance in the atmosphere
61. ______ hurricane
d. a rapidly whirling, funnel-shaped cloud that reaches down from a storm cloud
to touch Earth’s surface
62. ______ storm surge
e. move away temporarily
63. ______ evacuate
f. a “dome” of water that sweeps across the coast where a hurricane lands
Science 8- Weather and Climate
Predicting the Weather (pages 519-525)
64. Scientists who study the causes of weather and try to predict it are called ________________________
65. A warm-water event that occurs periodically in the Pacific Ocean is called ______________________.
66. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about El Nino.
a. When it occurs, warm surface water is pushed toward South America.
b. It prevents cold water from rising to the surface near the coast of South America.
c. It occurs once every five to ten years.
d. It can affect weather patterns in places as far away as Florida.
67. What data are shown on a weather map? __________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
68. Use the weather station to the right to determine the weather information requested below.
a. temperature ________________
b. air pressure ________________
c. wind direction _______________
69. Use the information provided in the weather boxes on the map to answer the following questions.
a. What is the temperature in Des Moines, Iowa? ________________________
b. What is the wind speed in Atlanta, Georgia? __________________
c. What type of weather warning is likely being issued in Miami, Florida? _____________________
d. What is the wind direction in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma? _________________
e. What is the barometric pressure in Columbus, Ohio? ________________________
f. Is the barometric pressure rising, falling, or remaining steady in Kansas City, Missouri? How do you
know? ____________________________________________________________________
g. What is the percentage of cloud cover in Memphis, Tennessee? __________________
h. What type of precipitation is occurring in St. Louis, Missouri? ____________________
i. From your understanding of barometric pressure, identify and label an area of stormy weather with
very low pressure on the map.
j. What type of weather is likely to occur in Tampa in several hours? Explain ____________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
k. Plot the data (from the chart below) on the map for the cities that are missing weather boxes.
Science 8- Weather and Climate
70. Fill in the blanks in the table below by interpreting the symbols on the map.
Weather Factor
Temperature (°F)
Cloud Cover
Wind Direction
Wind Speed (MPH)
Air Pressure (inches)
Denver
78
Chicago
New York
Partly cloudy
southeast
30.3
Science 8- Weather and Climate
71. Match the term with its definition:
______ isobar
a. lines on a weather map joining places that have the same temperature
______ isotherm
b. lines on a weather map joining places that have the same air pressure
72. Why is weather forecasting tricky, even with current technology? ________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
73. True or false: The butterfly effect refers to the fact that a small change in the weather today can mean a
larger change in the weather a week later. ________________
74. Write the temperature on the weather map below for each location, then draw the isotherms. Track the
isotherms from various cities: two distinct air masses should emerge. Label the relative temperature of each air
mass warm or cold. Use colored pencils to represent where you believe a front exists. Label one air mass “low”
and one air mass “high”.
City
Temperature
City
Temperature
Chicago, IL
65
Memphis, TN
85
Cincinnati, OH
83
Minneapolis, MN
60
Des Moines, IA
65
Nashville, TN
80
Detroit, MI
79
Oklahoma City, OK
69
Little Rock, AR
68
Springfield, IL
65
Madison, WI
64
St. Louis, MO
67
75. Is the cold air mass moving into the area of warm air or vice versa? _____________________________
76. Predict what type of weather is likely to occur along the front you have just drawn. _________________
Science 8- Weather and Climate
What Causes Climate? (pages 514-521)—8th grade book
77. The average, year-after-year conditions of temperature, precipitation, winds, and clouds in an area is the
______________________________
78. The main factors that affect precipitation are ____________________ and ____________________.
79. Why does precipitation occur when warm air rises? __________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________________
80. True or false: Winds blowing inland from oceans carry less water than winds blowing from land.
81. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about the effect of mountain ranges on precipitation.
a. Precipitation falls on the leeward side of mountains.
b. The windward side of mountains is in a rain shadow.
c. Air that flows over the mountains absorbs a lot of water vapor as it rises.
d. Precipitation falls on the side of the mountain that the oncoming wind his.
82. What are the main factors that influence temperature? ________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________________
83. It is warmer near ___________________________ because the sun’s rays strike Earth’s surface mostly
directly there.
84. Identify the three temperature zones on Earth’s surface that are based on latitude. Shade the tropical
zone-- red, the temperate zone-- green, and the polar zone—blue. Also label the Tropic of Cancer, the
Tropic of Capricorn, and the Equator.
Science 8- Weather and Climate
85. True or false: Areas at high altitudes have cool climates no matter what their latitude. ____________
86. Match the type of climate with its description:
_____ marine climate
_____ continental climate
a. relatively warm winters and cool summers
b. cold winters and warm or hot summers
87. The climate characteristics of a small specific area is a(n) _______________________
Climate Regions (pages 524-533)
88. What are the two major factors that scientists use to classify climates?
a. _____________________
b. ________________________
89. What are the five major climate regions?
a. _______________________
b. _______________________
c. _______________________
d. _______________________
e. _______________________
90. True or false: A highland can occur within any of the other climate regions. _______________
91. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about a tropical wet climate.
a. It has heavy rainfall year-round
b. it is hot year-round
c. Rainforests grown in this type of climate
d. Florida has this type of climate.
92. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about a tropical wet-and-dry climate.
a. it has a wet season and a dry season
b. it is hot year-round
c. tropical grasslands grow in this type of climate
e. Hawaii has this type of climate.
93. Dry climates: Arid regions, which get less than 25 centimeters of rain every year, are also called ____________
94. Where are there arid climates in the United States? ___________________________________________
Science 8- Weather and Climate
95 Complete the compare/contrast table for the temperature marine climate:
Type of Climate
Temperate Marine Climates
Characteristics
Regions Where it is Found
Cool & wet
Pacific Northwest
Warm & dry
Southern coast of California
Warm & wet
Southeastern United States
96. Circle the letter of each sentence that is true about temperature continental climate.
a. They are found in both Northern and Southern hemispheres
b. They are greatly influenced by oceans.
c. They have extremes of temperature.
d. They are found in the northeastern United States.
97. Complete the compare/contrast table for the polar climates:
Type of Climate
Tundra
Polar Climates
Warmest Temperature
0°C (freezing)
Organisms Found There
Only lichens and a few low plants
Many kinds of plants & animals
Science 8- Weather and Climate
Weather & Climate Vocabulary
Weather – the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place in a region
Meteorology – the study of weather, and the understanding of the forces and causes of weather
Meteorologists – scientists who study the Earth’s atmosphere
Atmosphere – the air that surrounds the Earth
Wind – air in motion, a result of the uneven heating of the Earth’s surface by the sun
Global winds – winds that blow over long distances from specific direction
Local winds – winds that blow over short distances
Coriolis Effect – the deflection of winds caused by the rotation of the Earth on its axis
Doldrums – mostly very calm air in a band over the equator
Latitude – the distance of a place north or south of the equator
Trade Winds – warm, steady winds that blow back toward the equator in usually clear skies
Prevailing Westerlies – cool air, usually moving quickly toward the poles from the west to east in both hemispheres
Polar Easterlies – cold, fairly weak winds blowing from east to west
Prevailing winds – winds that blow more often from one direction than the other
Jet Streams – bands of high-speed winds about 10 kilometers above Earth’s surface
Sea breeze – the breeze created when cooler moist air from over the water slides beneath the rising air on an ocean
beach
Offshore breezes or land breezes – the breeze caused when the water stays warm and the land has cooled
Heat – energy that flows from one object to a cooler object
Specific Heat – amount of heat needed to raise the temperature of one gram of a substance by one degree Celsius
Weather Box – an organized collection of symbols used to represent weather data
Isobars – lines on a weather map that connect areas of equal barometric pressure
Isotherms – lines on a weather map that connect areas of equal temperature
Barometric Pressure – a measurement of force exerted on a given unit of space by the weight of air
Barometer – an instrument used to measuring air pressure
Fronts – points of contact between air masses
Cold Front – cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass
Warm Front – when a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass
Stationary Front – occurs when air masses tend to remain in place for a period of time
Science 8- Weather and Climate
Occluded Front – when two cold air masses collide and push a warm air mass up between them
Thunderstorms – a storm of heavy rain accompanied by lightning, thunder and sometimes hail
Tornado – a violently rotating column of air; usually takes the form of a funnel-shaped cloud extending downward out of a
cumulonimbus cloud
Hurricane – a severe, rotating tropical storm with heavy rains and cyclonic winds exceeding 74 miles per hour
Lightning – a flash of light in the sky caused by an electrical discharge between clouds or between a cloud and the
Earth’s surface; the flash heats the air and usually causes thunder
Thunder – the explosive noise that accompanies a stroke of lightning; sound wave is caused by the expansion of the air
through with lightning passes
Continental Air Mass – air mass that builds over land
Maritime Air Mass – air masses assembled over oceans
High-pressure system – regions of sinking cool air
Low-pressure system – regions of rising warm moist air
Climate – temperature and precipitation for a particular area over a long period of time
o
o
Polar Zone – exists between 60 and 90 in latitude, both in the northern and southern hemispheres; there is no
o
summer, and average yearly temperature remains below 0 C
o
o
Temperate Zone – exists between 30 and 60 in latitude, both in the northern and southern hemispheres; average
temperatures can vary
o
o
Tropical Zone – exists between 0 and 30 in latitude, both in the northern and southern hemispheres; temperatures are
hot, and there is high humidity
Windward – the side of a mountain that faces the oncoming wind
Leeward – the downwind side of mountains
Microclimate – the climate characteristic of a small specific area; it may be different from the climate of the surrounding
area
Science 8- Weather and Climate
Science 8- Weather and Climate