Climate & Weather
How do weather and climate differ?
Weather refers to elements outside like temperature, precipitation, and wind conditions at any given time. Climate is the types of weather patterns in a location over many years.
Describe physical characteristics of the Earth.
Earth is a rocky planet with a solid and dynamic surface of mountains, canyons, plains and more. Most of our planet is covered in water.
Describe physical characteristics of the Moon.
The moon's surface is covered with dead volcanoes, craters (bowl-shaped basins) caused by asteroids, and lava flows, some visible to stargazer.
There are oceans of a sort, but not made of water, they are pools of hardened lava. Early in the moon's history, the interior was molten enough to produce volcanoes. However, it quickly cooled and hardened.
The Moon has mountains called terrae, or highlands (lighter parts) .
The sun is a huge size ball that has a very high amount of thermal energy. The diameter of the Sun is 1.4 million kilometers. The sun appears orangish-yellow because the blue light it emits has a shorter wavelength, and is scattered in the atmosphere—the same process that makes the sky appear blue. Astronomers, however, call the sun a “yellow dwarf” star because its colors fall within the yellow-green section of the electromagnetic spectrum.
Explain rotation vs revolution.
"Rotation" refers to an object's spinning motion about its own axis. "Revolution" refers the object's orbital motion around another object. For example, Earth rotates on its own axis, producing the 24-hour day. Earth revolves about the Sun, producing the 365-day year.
True or False.
Climate is often described using words such as humid, hot, temperate, dry, desert, or cold.
True.
Climate is often described using words such as humid, hot, temperate, dry, desert, or cold.
What energy keeps the water cycle going?
The sun’s energy heats the earth’s surface causing water to heat and evaporate.
What is responsible for the moon's illumination?
-infrared rays
-sunlight reflecting on the surface of the moon
-sunlight bouncing off the earth's atmosphere
-sunlight reflecting on the surface of the moon
True or Flase
Over a million of Earths could fit inside the Sun.
True.
Earth takes _____ days to revolve around the Sun.
365 days.
Which choice is an example of a climate description?
A) In March 1971, Canada was hit by a major blizzard and up to 32 inches of snow fell.
B) The U.S. gulf coast typically has warm, wet weather and tropical storms during the summer and fall.
C) An extremely dangerous tornado hit Jarrell, Texas in 1997 destroying 40 homes.
B) The U.S. gulf coast typically has warm, wet weather and tropical storms during the summer and fall.
What movement causes the day and night cycle on Earth?
Every 24 hours Earth rotates on its axis.
How long after a new moon will it take to see another new moon?
A) 12 days
B) 29.5 days
C) 365 days
B) 29.5 days
How many planets orbit the Sun?
8
True or False.
In space, the planets are lined up in perfect order from the Sun.
False.
Which choice is an example of weather, as opposed to climate?
A) A tropical storm hit Florida with 45 mile an hour winds and torrential rains.
B) Southwestern Arizona gets less than 4 inches of rain a year.
C) Each year, Hawaii averages over 17 inches of rain, mostly during the winter.
A) A tropical storm hit Florida with 45 mile an hour winds and torrential rains.
Which choice explains how Earth’s movement and the way we see the Sun are connected?
A) The Sun is stationary, but Earth’s rotation makes it appear to move east to west across the sky. The Sun is stationary, but Earth’s rotation makes it appear to move east to west across the sky.
B) Earth’s rotation around the Sun makes the Sun appear to move across the sky every 24 hours. Earth’s rotation around the Sun makes the Sun appear to move across the sky every 24 hours.
C) The Sun is stationary, but Earth’s clockwise rotation makes it appear to move west to east across the sky. The Sun is stationary, but Earth’s clockwise rotation makes it appear to move west to east across the sky.
A) The Sun is stationary, but Earth’s rotation makes it appear to move east to west across the sky.
The different shapes of the moon you see from Earth are called ________.
-lunar eclipse
-phases
-solar eclipse
-spring
-phases
What causes sunspots?
-eruptions
-solar wind
-cooler parts of the sun
cooler parts of the sun
Which choice explains a use of a Venn diagram?
Illustrates ways things are similar and different.
What two factors determine the climate of a region?
latitude and altitude
temperature and precipitation
natural disasters and temperature
the moon's tides and temperature
2. temperature and precipitation
Why does rainwater near an ocean not taste salty?
When the Sun heats up ocean water, only the water vapor is light enough to rise in the air. The saltwater mixture separates, and the salt stays behind in the ocean.
A ______ eclipse occurs when the moon passes between Earth and the sun, blocking the sunlight from reaching Earth. The moon's shadow then hits Earth.
-solar
-lunar
solar
What is the sun mostly made out of?
-water
-hydrogen
-helium
hydrogen
Which choice identifies bodies in the solar system that are rocky, have mountains and a crust, and revolve around another body in our solar system?
Choose all that apply.
-Moon
-Earth
-Sun
The Moon and Earth.