Download Weather Unit Study Guide with Answers

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Weather Unit Test Study Guide
Test Date: Thursday, Feb. 4th
1. Based on the illustration below, explain a sea breeze.
During the day, land heats up faster and the warm air rises.
The cool air over the water blows toward the land.
2. Based on the illustration below, explain a land breeze.
At night, the water is warmer, and the warm air rises. The
air over land is cooler, so wind blows from the land to the
sea.
Heat Transfer
3. Land heats up faster, and cools off faster than water.
4. What occurs in convection current? Warm(low pressure) air rises and cool (higher pressure) air
sinks.
5. Radiation is the transfer of heat through empty space.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Conduction is the transfer of heat by direct physical contact.
Where does most of the water vapor in the air come from? The Oceans
What causes water to evaporate into the air? Energy from the Sun
Warm air expands and rises, creating an area of low pressure; cold air is more dense, and sinks
creating an area of high pressure.
Local/Global Winds
10. Wind is caused by the unequal heating of the Earth.
11. How does wind tend to move? High pressure to low pressure
12. What part of Earth receives the most heat energy? Areas near or on the Equator
13. What causes wind to travel counter clock wise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the
Southern Hemisphere? This curves wind. Coriolis Effect due to Earth’s rotation
14. Which Global Wind System blows across most of North America? Prevailing Westerlies
15. Which wind system is located between 60° to 90° latitude? Polar Easterlies
16. Where are the Doldrums located? Very weak winds over the Equator
17. Identify the global wind systems below.
Global Wind Systems
1. Polar Easterlies 60 – 90 degrees
2. Prevailing Westerlies 30 – 60 degrees
3. Trade Winds 0 – 30 degrees
4. Doldrums located over equator
Air Masses/Fronts
18. Air Mass is a body of air with all the same temperature and humidity.
19. A maritime polar is a cold and moist air mass.
20. Which air mass makes South Georgia warm and humid? Maritime Tropical
21. Illustrate and compare a cold and warm front.
WARM
COLD
Thunderstorms/Tornados/Hurricanes
22. What type of front produces tornadoes and thunderstorms? Cold Front
23. Does severe weather develop over areas of high or low pressure? Low Pressure because warm
air rises into the atmosphere and condenses, creating areas more likely to precipitate.
24. Sequence the following steps to produce a cold front.
4
Cumulolnimbus clouds form
1
Cold air moves toward warm air
3
Warm air is displaced and pushed upward
2
Cold air and warm air collide
25. What types of clouds create thunderstorms? Cumulonimbus cloud (Anvil Shaped Cloud)
26. What is the main difference between a tornado and hurricane? Hurricane forms over warm
oceans.
27. What is the source of energy for a tropical cyclone (a.k.a. Hurricane/Himmicane?) Warm moist
area of low pressure
28. Illustrate, label, and explain the parts of a hurricane.
Eye – Very weak area. No winds or rain.
Eye Wall- Surrounds eye. Extremely severe, intense area
of storm. High winds.
Spiral Rainbands – Heave precipitation reaching out from
eye.
29. What type of air over land makes hurricanes lose their strength? Dry and high pressure air.
30. Average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time is climate.
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