Parts of the Water Cycle
Air Movements
Severe Weather
Forecasting the Weather
Clouds and Cloud Formation
100
Name two parts of the water cycle.
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, percolation (or saturation or run-off)
100
In which direction to winds travel across the United States?
West to East
100
When a spinning column of air touches the ground, it is called a...
A tornado
100
Name two instruments used to help make weather forecasts.
Barometer, anemometer, rain gauge, thermometer, hygrometer, radar
100
Which type of cloud touches the ground?
Fog. Air near the ground cools, and water vapor condenses into tiny droplets and forms a cloud at or near ground level.
200
What part of the water cycle most involves the formation of clouds?
Condensation. In condensation, water vapor turns to a liquid, such as water droplets in clouds.
200
True or False: An air mass is a large body of air with generally the same temperature and moisture.
True! Four large air masses travel across the globe. When these air masses are pushed together, the weather can change.
200
What type of severe weather gets its energy from warm ocean water?
A hurricane
200
Which weather instrument uses mercury in a tube to show air pressure?
A barometer
200
What determines whether a cloud is made up of tiny water droplets or ice cyrstals?
The temperature! Clouds will be made of ice crystals if the termperature is lower, and water droplets if the temperature is higher.
300
Name four parts of the water cycle in the correct order.
Evaporation, Condensation, Precipitation, Percolation (run-off, saturation)
300
How do convection currents move? (Hint: Think of our convection current experiment!)
In a circular path
300
What is the difference between a severe thunderstorm watch and a severe thunderstorm warning?
A severe thunderstorm watch means that severe thunderstorms with high winds and hail might form. A severe thunderstorm warning means that these storms have formed and you should prepare for them.
300
True or False: A hygrometer uses horse hair to determine the amount of moisture in the air.
True! Hygrometers have a pointer attached to a horse hair. The hair shortens in drier air, moving the pointer.
300
True or False: Clouds form when air moves upwards into areas of high pressure. (Hint: Think of our cloud in the bottle experiment- When did you see the cloud form?)
False! Clouds form when air moves upwards into areas of LOW pressure. In our experiment, clouds formed when we stopped squeezing the bottle- or imitated low pressure.
400
Rain, snow, sleet, and hail are all forms of what?
Precipitation. In precipitation, the water falls from clouds as rain, snow, sleet, and hail.
400
Does air pressure decrease or increase as you go away from Earth?
Air pressure decreases as you move farther and farther away.
400
Name four types of severe weather.
Thunderstorms, tornadoes, hurricanes, blizzards
400
When measuring the winds and precipitation inside a storm, what do forecasters use that involves energy signals?
Radar. Energy bounces back from raindrops, and the changes in the returning energy show the direction and speed of a rainstorm.
400
What step of the water cycle most involves cloud formation?
Condensation. In condensation, water vapor turns into a liquid, such as water droplets in clouds.
500
Does the Earth have more or less water than it did thousands of years ago? Why?
About the same, because water is recycled over and over in the water cycle.
500
Name two types of wind that travel around the Earth. (Hint: Think of our wind worksheet!)
Polar easterlies, prevailing westerlies, trade winds
500
True or False: Typically, air currents are downward during the final stage of a thunderstorm.
True! In a storm's final stage, all currents are moving downwards, and the clouds get smaller as precipitation falls.
500
On a weather map, what do the lines of triangles show? What do the lines of half circles show?
Red lines with half circles represent warm fronts. Blue lines with triangles show cold fronts.
500
What type of cloud usually brings thuderstorms?
Cumulonimbus clouds indicate the approach of a thunderstorm. They can be up to 12 miles high, and full of strong winds and lightning.
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