The Air Up There
What's the one basic thing that air has and what does it do?
What is has mass and takes up space
As you go higher up a mountain, what happens to the air pressure?
What is it decreases
Clouds form when water vapor cools and does what?
What is condenses
This front is represented by a blue line with triangles.
What is a cold front
Which pressure system (High or Low) brings "Happy" weather and clear skies?
What is high pressure
This gas makes up the largest part of atmosphere at 78%?
What is Nitrogen
Why are air molecules most dense and packed together at sea level?
What is gravity pulls them toward the surface.
What are the "Three Ingredients" needed to make a cloud?
What is water vapor, cooling temperatures, and condensation nuclei/dust.
Which type of front brings steady, light rain over a long period?
What is a warm front
What severe weather event is defined as a violently rotating column of air touching the ground?
What is a tornado
Besides Nitrogen and Oxygen, name one of the "Other Gases" that make up the final 1%.
What is: Argon, Carbon Dioxide, or Water Vapor.
If the air molecules are spreading out and becoming "thin," is the density increasing or decreasing?
What is decreasing
What do we call the tiny particles like dust or smoke that water vapor clings to?
What is Condensation Nuclei
What kind of weather usually follows a Cold Front once the thunderstorms pass?
Cooler and clearer weather
"Lousy" weather and rain are associated with which pressure system?
What is low pressure
What percentage of our atmosphere is made of Oygen?
What is 21%
Define "Air Pressure" in your own words based on the study guide.
What is the weight of the atmosphere pressing down on Earth
Explain the relationship between "rising air" and "cooling temperatures" in cloud formation
What is s air rises, it cools down, which allows it to condense into a cloud.
Describe what happens physically when a Cold Front meets a warm air mass.
What is cold air mass pushes under the warm air mass
Tornadoes often form when these two types of air masses meet, creating instability
What is cold/dry air and warm/moist air
If you were to remove all the Nitrogen and Oxygen from a sample of air, name all three specific substances that would remain in that final 1% "Other" category.
What is Argon, Carbon Dioxide, and Water Vapor
Explain the specific role Gravity plays in the relationship between altitude and air pressure.
Gravity pulls air molecules toward Earth's surface; therefore, the closer you are to sea level, the more molecules are stacked on top of you, creating higher pressure and density
Without this specific "ingredient," water vapor would have nothing to grab onto and could not transform into a visible cloud. What is the scientific term for these particles?
What is Condensation Nuclei
Compare the symbols: Describe the difference in shape and color between the symbol for a front that brings brief thunderstorms versus a front that brings long periods of drizzle
What is brief thunderstorms (Cold Front) = Blue line with triangles; long drizzle (Warm Front) = Red line with half-circles
To form a tornado, you need instability created by "Wind Shear." Based on your study guide, what two things about the wind must change to create this effect?
What is wind direction and wind speed