Download Weather Benchmark Test Study Guide

Weather Benchmark Test Study Guide
Test is 11/11/15 Wednesday
Name:
Date:
period:
Composition and Structure of the Atmosphere
Layers of the Atmosphere- Describe the temperature and what is going on in each layer.
Troposphere: warm to cold/ weather and life
Stratosphere: cold to warm/ ozone layer/ jet stream shared with troposphere
Mesosphere: very cold/ burns up meteors
Thermosphere: very hot/ ionosphere
Exosphere: extreme temps./ outer space/ satellites
Composition of the atmosphere- list the 2 most abundant gasses and their percentages include other gases
Nitrogen: 78% & Oxygen: 21%
Air pressure and altitude: Describe the relationship between air pressure, altitude, and density. Draw a
diagram to explain the relationship.
Air pressure and density decrease as altitude increases/ should include mountain diagram
Water Cycle- is also know as the
hydrosphere
Define the following terms and draw a water cycle diagram on a separate sheet.
Evaporation: when water is heated by the sun and turns from a liquid to a gas
Condensation: when water vapor (gas) cools and turns back into water droplets (liquid)
Precipitation: when clouds become to full and heavy of water droplets and they fall down to the surface of
Earth (rain, snow, sleet, and hail)
Run-off: after precipitation when water “pools” or collects and follows gravity back into a larger body of
water
Transpiration: when moisture evaporates from plants and trees
Clouds: Fill in the chart below to describe each cloud type
Cloud
Description/shape
Type of Weather
Altitude
cirrus
wispy
Clear or cold front
High
cumulus
Puffy/ cotton ball shape
Clear or sunny
Medium
stratus
Flat and layered
Rainy
Low or medium
cumulonimbus
Large, dark and tall
Stormy
Low to high
(anvil top)
Air masses, air pressure, fronts, and storms- Define and describe the following terms
Air Mass: a large body of air with similar temp., air pressure, and humidity that takes on the
characteristics of the area it is over
Front: area where two air masses come together
Cold Front: an cold air mass that is taking over a warm air mass
Warm Front: a warm air mass that if taking over a cold air mass
Stationary Front: Warm and cold air meet, but neither has the force to move the other.
Occluded Front: Warm air mass is caught between two cold masses
Draw and label the symbols for all 4 fronts below:
Describe the type of weather in the following systems
High pressure=fair weather; clockwise winds
Low pressure=storms and precipitation; counterclockwise winds
Complete the chart below on Storms/sever weather
Severe Weather
How it forms
Hurricane
Tornado
Thunderstorms
Where it forms
What occurs
Usually form in the
Atlantic Ocean north of
the equator over warm
water
Likely to form at frontal
boundaries where strong
thunderstorms are
present
Coastal areas with warm
Form in large
cumulonimbus clouds;
Usually form along a
cold front
anywhere
Weather instruments
What do they measure, what is their unit of measurement, how is it used?
Thermometers : measures temperature/ Celsius and Fahrenheit
Psychrometer: measures relative humidity/ %
Hygrometer: measures relative humidity/ %
Barometers: measures air pressure/ millibars or inches
Anemometers: measures wind speed/mph
Wind vane: measures wind direction/ N, S, E, W
Heat and solar energy: Define the terms and answer the questions.
water
Anywhere/ mainly in
tornado alley
How does solar energy effect Land?
How does solar energy effect water?
Convection:
Conduction:
Radiation:
Heat travels from a hot object to a cold object
Convection in the atmosphere
How does convection help to heat the atmosphere?
How do ocean currents influence the weather?
 Warm Gulf Stream ocean current brings warm water (and air) to the eastern US
 Cold California current brings cooler water (and air) to the western Pacific shoreline
List and describe the 3 main climate/convection regions?
Polar-found @ south and north poles- extremely cold
Tropical-found around the equator-very warm/hot and humid year round
Temperate-found between the polar and tropical areas-have more moderate temperatures
Define and describe the following terms. Be sure to include the locations of each wind belt!
Land breezes: warm air above the ocean rises (low pressure) and air from the land (high pressure) moves
in to take its place. Usually happens at night.
Sea breezes: hot air above the land rises (low pressure) and air from the ocean (high pressure) moves in to
take its place. Usually happens during the day.
Global Winds : winds that blow steadily from specific directions over long distances.
Trade Winds :reliable winds, consistently blowing; between doldrums and horse latitudes
Westerlies-consistent winds blowing from the west that are responsible for moving our weather systems
Polar Easterlies
Jet stream
What causes global winds?
Weather forecasting
Station models—be able to read and interpret weather conditions
Satellites, radar, computers—how have they helped forecasting?
Isobars
Isotherms
Weather maps and symbols—how do you know if a front is approaching; high and low pressure areas, etc. Be
able to read a map and use a key to answer questions about weather.
Create 3 Station Models below and describe the type of weather that is occurring at each location.
Model
Temperature
Cloud Coverage
Wind direction
Wind speed