Properties
Layers of the Atmosphere
Clouds
Fronts and Air Masses
Storms and Other Features
100
The top two most abundant gases in the air.
What are nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)?
100
The second layer that contains the ozone layer that absorbs much of the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
What is the stratosphere?
100
Puffy, white, fair weather clouds.
What are cumulus?
100

When a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass. Shown by a blue line with blue triangles pointing in the direction the cold air is moving.

What is a cold front?

100
When rising warm air lifts air off the ground and begins to condense higher up in the atmosphere. This often begins cloudy weather with precipitation near a front. These rotate counterclockwise.
What is a low pressure (or a cyclone, shown with a red L on a weather map)?
200
How air pressure changes going up in the atmosphere.
What is as altitude increases, air pressure decreases?
200
The lowest layer, so it is the most dense air and has the highest air pressure. This is where all weather and most clouds occur.
What is the troposphere?
200
Layered clouds that can carry light rain and drizzle.
What is stratus?
200
When a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass. Show on a weather map by a red line with red half-circles showing the direction of movement of the warm air.
What is a warm front?
200
When cooler air sinks, pressing on the ground and sweeping away cloudy, rainy weather. It is usually a precursor to nice, sunny days ahead. These rotate clockwise.
What is a high pressure system (or an anticyclone, shown by a blue H on a weather map).
300
How air density changes going up in the atmosphere.
What is as altitude increases, air density decreases?
300
The 3rd layer up, where most meteoroids burn up by friction with the air, and become meteors (also called shooting stars).
What is the mesosphere?
300
The highest clouds that appear thin and whispy, like brushed by an artist.
What is cirrus?
300
Cold and warm air masses meet, but neither can move the other, creating a "stalemate." Shown by alternating red half-circles and blue triangles on a weather map. Can stall out and bring much rain over a few days where it happens.
What is a stationary front?
300
The effect that makes ocean currents and winds turn as they move across the Earth's surface and that is due to the Earth's rotation. These turn clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere, and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere.
What is the Coriolis Effect?
400
What convection causes that distributes the sun's heat more evenly across the Earth.
What is the wind?
400
The 4th layer up that deflects some of the sun's energy and causes the northern lights, or aurora borealis.
What is the ionosphere (or thermosphere)?
400
Layered, dark clouds that carry much water and that are a sign of rainy, maybe stormy weather.
What is nimbostratus?
400
When a cold front overtakes a warm front, trapping warm air in between two cold air masses. Often happens in snow storms in the Northern U.S. Shown in purple on weather maps, with alternating purple triangles and half-circles on the same side of the purple line.
What is an occluded front?
400

A harmful gas that may cause cancer (carcinogen) that seeps up from the ground and can enter homes undetected, causing bad air pollution indoors.

What is radon?

500
Near a large body of water, 1) the wind pattern during the day and 2) the wind pattern at night.
What is 1) a sea breeze and 2) a land breeze?
500
The highest layer of the atmosphere that is the boundary with outer space. Communications satellites orbit here.
What is the exosphere?
500
A convection updraft causes these clouds to rise up very high into the atmosphere, making them the tallest clouds. They contain much energy, and are the producers of thunderstorms.
What is cumulonimbus?
500

3 things that often happen either at or near a weather front.

What are condensation, clouds, precipitation, winds, etc. (3 of them)?

500

4 natural sources of air pollution.

What are radon, dust, smoke, ash, greenhouse gases, mold spores, pollen, etc. (4 of them)?

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