Atmosphere is Essential for Life on Earth
What is the atmosphere?
The atmosphere is a layer of gases that envelops the Earth
What is global warming?
Increase in average temperature of Earth's surface
What is temperature?
It is the amount of heat contained in the air
What is atmospheric pressure?
Weight of air at any point on Earth's surface.
Bonus: It is measured with a barometer and expressed in hectopascals or milibars
Name a climate catastrophe
Droughts, Floods, Hurricanes, and Tornadoes
What is meteorology?
The science that explains how the atmosphere works. Meteorologists observe and analyze weather phenomena in the atmosphere and produce weather forecasts
What is climate change
A change in Earth's climates, caused directly or indirectly by human activities
What is humdity? What are the three kinds of clouds it forms?
The amount of water vapor contained in the air. Cumulus, Cumulonibus, and Cirrus
What is wind?
Air moving because of differences in atmospheric pressure. It blows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
What are the serious effects of climate change?
Climate migration, loss of biodiversity, extreme weather events, and melting of polar ice caps
What is the atmosphere mostly made out of? (Hint: two gases)
Oxygen and Nitrogen
What traps heat in the atmosphere and causes global warming?
Greenhouse gases
What three main elements influence temperature at certain places?
Latitude, altitude, and distance from the sea
What factors influence atmospheric pressure? (2)
Altitude and temperature
True or false: Hurricanes occur when it rains heavily in a short period of time and the soil is not able to absorb all of the water.
False. That is when floods occur. Hurricansare strong depressions that cause heavy rainfall
What is the difference between the climate and atmospheric/meteorogical weather?
Weather is the state of an atmosphere at a specific time. Climate indicates the typical state of the atmosphere at a particular place.
What is smog?
Smoke combined with fog
What are the three main origins of precipitation?
Relief precipitation, Convectional precipitation, and Frontal precipitation
What are the two main things taken into account when measuring wind?
Speed (looked at with an anemometer) and its direction and course (looked at with a weather vane)
Name an agreement or summit against climate change
Montreal Protocol, Kyoto Protocol, Earth Summit, and Paris Agreement
Name the five layers of the atmosphere
Exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere
What is acid rain and what are its effects?
Rain that contains dissolved acids due to rainwater combined with polluted gases in the air. It can destroy plants, increase the acidity of soil/water, and harm habitats of living things in those environments
What factors affect precipitation? (Name at least three)
Latitude, altitude, distance from the sea, ocean currents, and prevailing winds
What are fronts? (Mention warm fronts vs. cold fronts)
A front is the area of contact between two masses of air with different temperatures and humidity.
When warm air slides over to cold air, a warm front occurs. When cold air slides under warm air and forces it upwards, a cold front forms.
Name a type of hot climate, a temperate climate, and a cold climate (one of each).
Hot Climate: Equatorial climate, tropical climate, desert climate
Temperate Climate: Mediterranean climate, oceanic climate, continental climate
Cold Climate: Polar climate and mountain climate