Lesson 1/2
What forces drive the water cycle?
Density
Gravity
Solar Energy
What is air pressure?
The force of the atmosphere pushing down on Earth
What is a front?
Line where two air masses meet
What causes the Earth's poles to be cold?
Angled light (indirect light)
What are greenhouse gases?
Gases in the atmosphere that absorb heat
What is density?
Amount of matter in a space
What can hold more moisture, warm or cold air? Why?
Warm air.
It is less dense.
What is it when a cold air mass moves into a warm air mass?
Cold Front
Why doe the equator get so much rain?
It's a low pressure zone, warm air rises leaving room for cold air to rush in, cold air cannot hold moisture leading to rain.
What would happen to Earth's temperature if greenhouse gases increased?
It would get hotter
What a water reservoir?
A place that holds water
Where is air pressure the greatest? Top of a mountain or at the beach?
At the beach.
What is a warm front?
Warm air mass moves towards a cold air mass
Warmer and Wetter
Describe the atmosphere (thick/thin) and temperature (hot/cold) on Venus.
Thick atmosphere
Very hot
What are 3 examples of reservoirs?
Ocean, lake, river, stream, ground water, glacier, ice caps, biosphere, atmosphere
What is nearly the same throughout an air mass?
Temperature
Humidity
What is it when a cold air mass and a warm air mass come towards each other?
Stationary Front
What creates surface currents?
Global winds and rotation of the earth
Why is Mars so cold?
Thin atmosphere.
What reservoir holds the most water?
Ocean
What is a air mass?
A large body of air with nearly the same temperature and humidity
What is an occluded front?
Cold air mass moves into another cold air mass pushing the warm air mass up
What creates global winds?
Unequal heating of the Earth
Rotation of the Earth
What would happen to Earth's temperature if there was less atmosphere?
Colder