Atmosphere
A mountain climber notices it is harder to breathe at high altitude. What happens to air density as you increase in altitude?
Air density (amount of particles in air) decreases as your altitude increases
At one location, air pressure is high; nearby, pressure is low. Which way will air generally move?
From high pressure to low pressure.
Water from a puddle changes into water vapor on a sunny day. Name the process.
Evaporation.
A tornado watch is issued. Should people take it seriously even if a tornado has not been spotted? Why?
Yes. Conditions are favorable for tornadoes, so people should prepare and monitor updates.
The AQI is good, what color would it be on the chart?
Green
Which layer of the atmosphere would feel the hottest??
Thermosphere- the air is extremely thin, so there are very few particles to transfer the heat energy.
What temperatures could you expect to find with tropical air masses?
Warm/hot!
Polar air masses- Cold air
Water soaks into the soil after rain instead of flowing across the ground. Name the process.
Infiltration
A person drives onto a flooded road because the water looks shallow. Why is this unsafe?
Floodwater can be deeper or faster-moving than it appears, and flash floods can be deadly.
The AQI rises from 80 to 175. What does that tell you about pollution and potential health effects?
Air pollution and health concerns have increased; 175 is in the Unhealthy category.
A meteor enters Earth's atmosphere and burns up. Which layer is most associated with this?
The mesosphere.
Why does warm air rise during convection?
It expands and becomes less dense the air around it.
Cold air=more dense
A boundary between warm and cold air barely moves, and rain continues for days. Which front is likely present?
Stationary Front
On a hot, humid day, the heat index is higher than the actual temperature. Explain why.
High humidity makes it harder for sweat to evaporate and cool the body
Why can a hot, sunny day increase photochemical smog?
Sunlight helps pollutants react and form ground-level ozone
Which layers contain the ozone layer and weather.
The stratosphere contains ozone that absorbs harmful UV radiation
Weather occurs in the troposphere.
A weather system moves across the United States. What high-altitude feature can help steer it?
Jet Stream!
What kind of weather front forms when a warm air mass is trapped between two cold air masses.
When the two cold air masses begin to meet at the center, the warm air starts to rise
An occluded front.
Two days of unusually hot weather are forecast to continue for several more days. Name the hazard and one protective action.
A heat wave; drink water, seek shade or air conditioning, or limit strenuous outdoor activity.
A town burns more fossil fuels and cuts down many trees. How can these activities strengthen the greenhouse effect?
Burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases, and deforestation reduces the number of trees that remove carbon dioxide through photosynthesis.
Why can losing some of our ozone layer be harmful even if greenhouse gases are still present?
The ozone layer absorbs harmful UV radiation, while greenhouse gases help regulate Earth's temperature.
They serve different roles.
Where will you see the most dense air?
Closest to Earth's Surface.
Explain how water vapor from the Atlantic can contribute to rain in coastal North Carolina.
Evaporation adds water vapor to the air
Winds move moist air inland and rising air can cool and condense to form clouds and precipitation.
A hurricane is approaching the coast. Explain two ways it can damage coastal communities and one action people should take.
It can cause damaging winds, storm surge, heavy rain, flooding, or coastal erosion. Follow official forecasts and evacuation orders.
Explain the difference between good and bad ozone.
Bad (Ground-level) ozone can damage lung tissue and harm plants when it creates smog
The ozone layer in the atmosphere absorbs much of the Sun's harmful UV radiation.