Download BENCHMARK 4 STUDY GUIDE

Name_________________________________________Date___________Period_____
BENCHMARK 4 STUDY GUIDE
OBJECTIVE I
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

recognize that the Sun provides the energy that drives convection within the atmosphere and oceans,
producing winds and ocean currents
identify how global patterns of atmospheric movement influence local weather using weather maps that
show high and low pressures and fronts
identify the role of the oceans in the formation of weather systems such as hurricanes
Match the appropriate phrase to the following key terms
1.
2.
3.
4.
b
c
d
a
Jet Stream
Coriolis Effect
Wind
Gulf Stream
A. relatively warm ocean current flowing northeastwards off
the Atlantic coast of the US from the Gulf of Mexico
B. A high-speed, meandering wind current
C. Causes moving air to turn left in the southern hemisphere
and right in the northern hemisphere due to Earth’s
rotation.
D. Created by the uneven heating of the Earth
5. Explain where hurricanes are most likely to form and what factors would most likely weaken them.
Hurricanes are tropical storms exceeding 74 mph that form within low pressure systems of the Atlantic
Ocean. As long as a hurricane remains over water, the warm, moist air rises and supplies energy to the
hurricane. When it reaches land, the hurricane loses strength and begins to dissipate (scatter)
6. While waiting to go on the air, the weather forecaster for the nightly news pops the top on a can of carbonated
soda. Gas whooshes out from the high pressure inside the can to the low pressure outside the can. In what way
does the gas in the can behave like the wind?
a. When two masses in the atmosphere with different pressures meet, the air moves from the high
pressure to the low pressure area, creating the wind.
b. The collision of warm and cold fronts set off shock waves that result in wind.
c. When two masses in the atmosphere with different pressures meet, the air moves from the low pressure to
the high pressure area, creating the wind
d. There is no link to how the gas in a can behaves and how wind behaves
7. Which would BEST describe how the Gulf Stream would probably affect Iceland?
a. The current prevents sunlight from reaching Iceland.
b. The current causes Iceland’s climate to be warmer
c. The current causes Iceland’s climate to be colder.
d. The current carries cold water to Iceland.
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Use the following weather map to answer questions 8-10
H
L
8. Based on the weather map, the forecast for Chicago, IL is
e. High pressure with a warm front
f. Low pressure with a cold front
g. High pressure with a cold front
h. Low pressure with a warm front
9. What type of weather conditions would you expect if the warm front from San Diego collided with the cold front
coming from Seattle?
a. Dry, warm conditions
b. Possible thunderstorms
c. Hurricanes forming
d. Snowfall
10. Illustrate the direction and label the type of jet stream that would pass through the United States, affecting the
weather patterns for the current season. (See Map)
OBJECTIVE II:
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Model and illustrate how the tilted Earth rotates on its axis, causing day and night, and revolves
around the Sun causing changes in seasons
Demonstrate and predict the sequence of events in the lunar cycle
Relate the position of the Moon and Sun to their effect on ocean tides
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11. Construct a model illustrating the Earth’s revolution around the Sun. The model will need to demonstrate how the
Earth rotates and revolves. Describe how these movements are responsible for the daily light cycle and the
seasons.
NH: Vernal Equinox
SH: Autumnal Equinox
Rotates
counterclockwise
on axis.
1 day (24 hrs):
Causing day and
night
March 22nd
June 21st
Dec. 21st
Sept. 22nd
NH: Autumnal Equinox
SH: Vernal Equinox
It takes the Earth 1 year (365 ¼ days) to revolve in a counterclockwise direction around the Sun, resulting in the
changing of the seasons.
12. Use the model below as a reference to complete the following:
 illustrate and label the phases of the moon during the lunar cycle.
 describe what causes the tides
 explain the occurrence of Spring and Neap Tides
 demonstrate when we experience solar and lunar eclipses
 describe a limitation and advantage to utilizing a model such as this.
Fig 12.1
3rd Qtr
Waning Gibbous
Waning Crescent
Full
Moon
New
Moon
Waxing Gibbous
Waxing Crescent
1st Qtr
Tides are the result of the Moon’s gravitational attraction on the oceans on the Earth in addition to the gravitational
pull on the Earth itself. Any location will experience two high tides and two low tides in a 24 hr period due to the
Earth’s rotation on its axis and the positioning of the Moon. Spring Tides occur during a new moon or full moon
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phase and Neap Tides occur at the first quarter or third quarter phase of the lunar cycle. (Fig 12.2) Solar and lunar
eclipses are produced when one celestial body such as the Moon or Earth, temporarily blocks sunlight from reaching
the other celestial body. A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves directly between the Earth and Sun, casting its
shadow on the Earth. A lunar eclipse results from the Moon passing through the Earth’s shadow during its revolution
Fig 12.3.
Fig 12.2
Fig 12.3
Using the lunar cycle model allows you make accurate predictions by using a visual representation to learn the phases of
the moon and events that may occur during a particular phase. On the other hand, attempts to model the three-dimensional
nature of Moon phases with two dimensions and may lead to confusion because there is always a side of the Moon which
we do not see due to its revolution around the Earth. Also, we have to visually imagine how the Moon appears to us from
Earth.
OBJECTIVE III: Polaris, the North Star, is 430 ly from Earth.
Scale: 1 light year = 2 cm
13. Which of these instruments should you use to view Polaris?
a. Binoculars
c. telescope
b. Magnifying glass
d. microscope
14. What is the approximate distance of Polaris from Earth?
a. 430 light years
c. 4.3 trillion light years
b. 4.3 light years
d. 430 trillion light years
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15. At this scale, how far from Earth would you draw a star that is 100 light years away?
a. 50 cm
c. 100 cm
b. 75 cm
d. 200 cm
Star
A
B
C
D
Apparent magnitude
-26
-1.5
0.4
0.1
Distance in Light Years
0.00002
8.7
520
45
16. Using Star B, what is the distance of light in kilometers from Earth?
1 ly = 9.5 trillion km
8.7 x 9.5 = 82.65 trillion km
17. What is the relationship between the apparent magnitude and the distance in light years from Earth?
There is no relationship between the distance from Earth and the apparent magnitude.
18.
Theory
Copernicus Universe Model
Scientist(s) Responsible
Nicolaus Copernicus
Description
Big Bang
Edwin Hubble, Arno Penzias,
Wilson
The universe began from a singularity that was
hot and dense which exploded about 14.5 billion
yrs ago. Since then the Universe continues to
expand (redshifting), cosmic microwave
background radiation has been detected, along
with the presence of light elements in space.
Kepler Universe Model
Johann Kepler
Sun is at the center of the universe, Earth
and the other planets revolve around the
Sun, but in elliptical orbits rather than
circular and at varying speeds.
Sun is at the center of the universe (called
the heliocentric model), Earth and the other
planets revolve around the Sun in circular
orbits at constant speed
**3 Laws of Planetary Motion**