Atmosphere
Air Currents
Ocean Currents
Severe Weather
Predicting Weather
100
In which layer of the atmosphere does all weather occur?
Troposphere
100
The sun heats Earth's atmosphere ____________.
unevenly (unequally)
100
The average weather conditions of a region
climate
100
What happens when air masses with different temperatures and humidity meet?
thunderstorms
100
Name three ways that meteorologists collect weather data.
satellites, weather balloons, doppler radar
200
Name an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure.
barometer (mercury or aneroid)
200
What kind of wind blows steadily, in predictable directions, over long distances?
global winds
200
Earth's oceans keep Earth's temperatures _________.
mild (moderate)
200
Name three ways hurricanes cause damage.
high winds, storm surge, rain and flooding
200
The meeting place between air masses is called a ________. This boundary marks the leading edge of an oncoming air mass.
front
300
The force put on a given area by the weight of the air above it
air pressure
300
The transfer of heat through the movement of a gas or liquid
convection
300
Ocean currents move what two things around the Earth?
heat and water
300
Storms with a low pressure center that cause a circular pattern of winds to form
cyclones
300
What do weather maps show?
The weather in a specific area at a specific point in time.
400
What four variables can change air pressure?
altitude (height), volume, temperature, water vapor (humidity)
400
Air moves from where the pressure is _______ to where the pressure is ________ (lower, higher)
higher to lower
400
Every 2-7 years, warmer temperatures at the surface of the ocean cause this weather condition.
El Nino
400
Name two types of cyclones.
hurricanes (or typhoons) and tornadoes (or twisters)
400
In what direction do weather fronts move in North America?
From west to east
500
How many layers of gases are there in the atmosphere?
five
500
Why are temperatures different around the world?
Earth is shaped like a sphere, so sunlight strikes Earth most directly at the equator. Areas farther north or south of the equator receive less heat energy from sunlight.
500
Name one major warm current & one major cold current.
Gulf Stream (warm) & California Current (cold)
500
Besides thunderstorms and cyclones, what other types of severe weather are there? (Name two.)
Monsoons and fog
500
What type of weather do low pressure systems bring? What type of weather do high pressure systems bring?
low pressure - warm & stormy, high pressure - dry & clear
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