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Name ____________________________________
Science, Period _______
Date ____________________
Ch. 16 Understanding Weather – STUDY GUIDE
STUDY GUIDE DUE: March 4th
TEST DATE: March 9th
 Re-read Ch. 16 Sections 1-4 (pg. 482-507)
 Review highlighted vocabulary terms in Ch. 16
 Review the following handouts:
o Seasons
o Directed Readings
o Coriolis Effect
o Winds & Fronts Notes
o Types of Weather Fronts Drawing
o Severe Weather Notes
o Weather Forecasting
1. What are the 4 components of the water cycle (pg. 482)?
Condensation – water vapor cools and changes from a gas to a liquid
clouds to the ground
Precipitation- occurs when rain, in the form of rain, snow, sleet, or hail, falls from the clouds to the
ground
Runoff –water, usually from precipitation, that flows across the ground and collects in rivers, streams,
and eventually the ocean
Evaporation – occurs when liquid water changes into water vapor, which is a gas
2. What is the difference between humidity (absolute) and relative humidity? How does
temperature affect humidity (pg. 483)?
Absolute humidity - the amount of water vapor the air can actually hold
Relative humidity – the amount of water that is really in the air
3. Describe how condensation and dew point are related (pg. 485).
Condensation is the change of state from a gas to a liquid. Condensation occurs when saturated air
cools.(100% humidity) The dew point is the temperature where condensation can occur. At its dew
point, air is saturated.
4. How are clouds classified? What are the three forms of clouds? What kind of cloud would a
thunderstorm for in (pg. 486-487)?
Clouds are classified based on form and altitude.
Cumulus - fluffy and often large. When they get too large, they can produce storms
Stratus – cover large areas and cause fog when they are near the ground
Cirrus – high feathery clouds, indicate change is coming.
Nimbo – prefix meaning rain
Thunderstorms would occur in cumulonimbus clouds.
Name ____________________________________
Science, Period _______
Date ____________________
5. What are the 4 types of precipitation? How does each one form (pg. 488)?
Rain – form when water droplets in the clouds become too large for the clouds to hold (usually 100
times its original size)
Snow – forms when water vapor changes directly to a solid (crystal) in the clouds--- due to below
freezing temperatures
Sleet – form when rain falls through a layer of freezing air, causing the rain to freeze on the way
down.
Hail – During a thunderstorm: when updrafts carry rain up into the clouds before it can come down,
hail forms. The more updrafts, the larger the hail pieces. Eventually the hail falls to the Earth.
6. What are the 4 types of weather fronts? What causes each one to occur (pg. 492-493)?
Cold front – forms when cold air moves under warm air, which is less dense, and pushes warm air up.
Cold fronts move quickly and cause thunderstorms, heavy rain, or snow.
Warm front – forms where warm air moves over cold, denser air. In a warm front, the warm air
gradually replaces the cold air. Drizzly rain is usually followed by clear and warm weather.
Occluded front - forms when a warm air mass is caught between two colder air masses. The coldest
air mass moves under and pushes the warmer air mass up. The coldest air mass then moves forward
until it meets a cold air mass that is warmer and less dense. The colder of these two air masses
moves under and pushes up the warmer air mass. Cool temperatures occur and large amounts of
rain or snow.
Stationary front – forms when a cold air mass meets a warm air mass. In this case, both air masses
do not have enough force to lift the warm air mass over the cold air mass. So, the air masses remain
separate and often brings days of cloudy or rainy weather.
7. What is the difference between a cyclone and an anticyclone (pg. 494)?
A cyclone is an area of lower pressure than the surrounding areas and has winds that spiral toward
the center.
An anticyclone is an area of high pressure where air moves apart, or diverges, and sinks.
8. Which kind of severe weather is the most dangerous and why (pg. 499-501)?
Hurricanes! The most mild winds are 120 mph.
9. Explain what each of the following weather forecasting tools measures: thermometer,
barometer, anemometer, windsock, radar and satellite (pg. 505-506).
Thermometer – measures and indicates temperature
Barometer – measures atmospheric pressure
Anemometer – an instrument used to measure wind speed
Windsock – cone-shaped cloth bag open at both ends
Radar – used to find the location, movement, and amount of precipitation.
Satellite – they orbit the Earth and provide images of weather system.
Name ____________________________________
Science, Period _______
Date ____________________
10. What do isobars represent on a weather map? What information can you gather from
looking at a weather map (pg. 507)?
Isobars represent areas of equal pressure. They form closed circles and represent areas of high or
low pressure.
Weather maps show us temperatures, fronts, pressure areas (low and high) and precipitation
.
11. What is the difference between weather and climate? (pg 518)
Weather is the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time. Weather conditions change from day
to day and include temperature, precipitation, wind, and visibility.
Climate is the average weather conditions for an area over a long period of time.
12. Identify the five factors that determine climate (pg 519-523)
Five factors that affect climate are bodies of water, latitude, mountains, prevailing winds, and ocean
currents.
13. Identify the three climate zones of the world (pg 524)
The three climate zones of the world are tropical, temperate, and polar.