Download Meteorology Study Guide Answers

Meteorology Unit Assessment Study Guide
Heat Transfer and the Atmosphere - Chapter 15
1. What are radiation, thermal conduction and convection?
Radiation is the transfer of energy as electromagnetic waves.Ex: Feeling the heat from the sun
while being outside. Thermal Conduction is the transfer of energy as heat through a material.
Ex: Feet touching the hot sand . Convection is the transfer of thermal energy by the
circulation or movement of a liquid or gas. Ex: Sea Breeze/ Land Breeze, Hurricane’s forming,
2. Describe how the sun heats the Earth’s atmosphere and surface.
Energy from the sun is absorbed by the atmosphere , land, and water and is changed into
thermal energy.
3. What are the layers of the atmosphere? What happens in each layer?
The layers of the atmosphere are the troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, and
thermosphere( Ionosphere, Exosphere
Troposphere- Layer we live on . Weather happens here.
Stratosphere- Gases are layered here and do not mix. Ex: Airplanes fly here Temps rise as the
altitude increases here.
Mesosphere- Middle Layer . Coldest layer
Thermosphere- Uppermost layer- Temperature increase with altitude. Ionosphere is found in
the lowest layer. The northern lights (auroras)are found here. Radio waves are found here
too! Exosphere is the outermost layer. Ex; Satellites are found here.
Winds - Chapter 15
1. How is wind created? How does wind relate to air pressure?
Wind is the movement of air caused by differences in air pressure. These are pressure
differences are caused by the unequal heating of the earth. Warmer at the equator – dense air
rising creating areas of low pressure. Cool air sinking at the poles creating areas of high
pressure.
2. What are the types of global winds ? How do they form?
The combination of convection cells found at every 30 degrees latitude and the Coriolis effect
produce patterns of air circulation. Polar easterlies carry form as cold air from the poles
moves toward 60 degrees north and south latitude. The westerlies flow towards the poles
from west to east. The trade winds blow to the equator. The doldrums meet around the
equator .
3. What is the connection of the Coriolis Effect and global wind direction?
The Coriolis effect makes winds traveling north in the northern hemisphere curve to the east,
and winds traveling south curve to the west.
4. How are sea and land breezes created?
Clouds - Chapter 15
1. How are clouds formed?
Clouds form as warm air rises and cools. As rising air cools it becomes saturated, the water
vapor changes to a liquid or solid depending on the air temperature.
2. What are they cloud types, and what type of weather does each bring?
Cumulus Clouds – puffy white, flat bottoms. Form when warm air rises. They bring fair
weather
Cumulonimbus brings thunderstorms.
Stratus Clouds-form in layers. They cover large areas of the sky. Nimbostratus clouds are dark
and produce light to heavy rain. Fog is a stratus cloud and it’s the lowest layer cloud.
Cirrus Clouds – thin feathery – indicate a change in the weather
3. Describe the different forms of precipitation. How does each form?
Rain – Water droplets form in clouds. Once it becomes 100 x’s its size it falls as rain.
Sleet – Forms when rain falls though a layer of freezing air as ice
Hail – forms in cumulonimbus clouds. Updrafts of air carry rain up in the clouds and it freezes.
As it falls, water drops coat it. This process can happen many times
Snow- forms when temperatures are so cold that water vapor changes directly to a solid. It
falls as single ice crystals or snowflakes
Fronts - Chapter 16
1. How do air masses influence weather in North America?
Air masses create changes in the weather. Cold winter weather comes from the polar air
masses. Warm Air Masses create varied weather- in the summer, humid weather, hurricanes,
and thunderstoprms. In the winter, mild and often cloudy weather.
2. Name and describe the four different types of fronts that affect our weather.
Stationary Front
A front that is not moving.
Cold Front
Leading edge of colder air that is replacing warmer air.
Warm Front
Leading edge of warmer air that is replacing cooler air.
Occluded Front
When a cold front catches up to a warm front.
3. How do high/low pressure systems and fronts cause weather to change?
4.
Be sure to know how to read the weather symbols for the different fronts and High and low
pressure systems.
Severe Weather - Chapter 16
1. Compare and contrast tornadoes and hurricanes based on: how they form, the time of year
they form, what damage they cause, and how they are measured.
Hurricanes- forms over tropical oceans and whose winds begin at 74 mph. they take places in the
months of June – November, they cause minimal to severe damage. Measure with the Saffir
Simpson Scale.
Tornadoes – rotating colum of air that has high wind speeds and low central pressure. They occur
in the early spring and summer. The fujita scale is used to measure a tornadoes strength. .
Tornadoes cause damage that is mild to extensive
Hurricanes
Formation- Forms over warm Ocean Water –
80degrees F
Hot air rise, air will start to rotatecounterclockwise , Wind speed reaches 74mph
it’s a hurricane , Less than 74 is a tropical
storm
Scale used to measure Saffir –Simpson Scale
Category 1 74-95mph – Category 5 +150 mph
Prepare? Make a hurricane plan, flashlights,
candles, water, first aid kit, stay inside, board
the windows, have food
Tornadoes
Formation
An updraft lifts a column of spinning air. Cool
dense air begins descending, with a tornado
touches down .
ScaleFujita Scale – F0- F5 +260mph
Prepare? Seek shelter- Storm shelter,
basement, hallway, bathroom, closet