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STUDY GUIDE: Climate and Weather Answer Key
WATER IN THE AIR:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Water that falls to the Earth’s surface as rain, snow, sleet, or hail precipitation
Amount of water vapor in the air humidity
Collection of water droplets suspended in the air cloud
Amount of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum it can hold relative humidity
CLOUDS:
5. What happens when air reaches its dew point? 100% relative humidity, condensation
occurs, clouds form
6. What kinds of weather would cumulonimbus clouds bring? thunderstorms
7. High clouds made of ice crystals are called cirrus clouds.
8. Clouds that cover large areas and produce many days of drizzily rain. stratus
AIR PRESSURE:
9.
10.
11.
12.
Area of HIGH pressure where air moves apart and sinks anticyclone
Area of LOW pressure where air masses meet and rise cyclone
How do winds behave in a cyclone? They spiral towards the center.
What kind of weather would an anticyclone bring? Dry and clear
AIR MASSES:
13. The diagram above represents the meeting of two air masses. The air mass on
the left formed over a polar region and the air mass on the right formed over a
tropical region. Which type of front is pictured in the diagram? Cold front
14. Which of the following describes and air mass with the symbol cT? warm and dry
15. Prevailing winds that travel to a region across a large body of water would
probably make the region’s climate wetter.
16. Where does a continental polar air mass forms? Northern Canada
17. What does a maritime tropical air mass contain? Warm, wet air
FRONTS:
18. What kind of weather is associated with this type of front as the front
approaches an area? Thunderstorms, heavy rain, or snow
Label: (Cold Front, Warm Front, Occluded Front, Stationary Front)
19.
COLD
21. _________________OCCLUDED_________
20. _______________WARM ___________________
22. _________STATIONARY___________________
23. What is the boundary between different air masses called? A front
24. What happens when two air masses from different areas meet? The warm air mass
rises.
25. How does a warm front form? Warm air rises over cold air and replaces it.
26. What kind of weather would an occluded front likely bring? Much precipitation
27. What is the kind of front that forms when a warm front air mass is trapped between
cold air masses and is forced to rise? Occluded front
28. What kind of weather does a stationary front bring? many days of cloudy, wet weather
SEVERE WEATHER:
29. Lightening is an electric discharge between a positively charged area and
a negatively charged area.
30. What is a storm surge is a dangerous part of? A hurricane
31. What does warm ocean water do to a hurricane? Gives it power.
32. What is the best way to describe a hurricane? A rotating tropical storm with winds of
120 km/h.
33. How does a hurricane begin? As a few tropical thunderstorms.
34. What are the ways to be safe during a thunderstorm? Crouching on the ground, staying
away from water, listening to a radio
35. Why do thunderstorms and tornadoes in the U.S. happen in the spring and early
summer? Cool Canadian air meets warm tropical air
36. What makes tornadoes so dangerous? Strong-spinning winds
WEATHER VS. CLIMATE:
37. What kind of conditions vary from day to day? weather
38. What causes weather patterns? The uneven heating of the Earth.
39. What causes changes in weather? Air masses move and meet
40. What is the average weather condition in an area over a long period of time called?
climate
41. What does latitude measure? Distance from the equator
42. Why is the temperature at the equator warmer than the temperature at the poles? The
sun hits it directly.
43. What causes seasons? Tilt of the Earth’s axis.
44. How does a large body of water affect nearby land? Temperature changes are less
sudden.
45. Why would you NOT notice a change in climate? Because climate changes slowly
46. What are factors that affects climate? Prevailing winds, latitude, and ocean currents
47. What makes a city a microclimate? Dark pavement absorbs solar radiation.
48. What can cause a change in the climate due to dust particles? Volcanic eruptions
Match: (Spring, Fall, Summer, Winter) 1. Spring 2. Winter 3. Fall 4. Summer
Explain what is occurring in the graph below: The ability of air to hold moisture increases as
temperature increases.
Label: ( temperate, polar, tropical) a. tropical b. temperate c. polar