Meteorology
Name 3 types of clouds.
cumulus, stratus, strotocumulus, altostratus, altocumulus, nimbostratus, cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus, cumulonimbus
Name a sport or activity that uses wind.
sailing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, paragliding, hang gliding, kite flying, ...
What is the difference between fog and mist?
Fog and mist are both made of tiny water droplets suspended in the air, but fog is thicker and reduces visibility to less than 1 kilometer, while mist is thinner and allows you to see more than 1 kilometer ahead.
Name one place where it snows every year.
The Arctic, Antarctica, The High Tatras, The Alps, The Himalayas, ...
Describe one way that human activities can impact the climate.
burning fossil fuels
cutting down forests
raising livestock
creating waste in landfills ...
What is weather, and how is it different from climate?
Weather - the short-term conditions of the atmosphere—like temperature, rain, or wind—that happen over hours or days.
Climate - the average weather patterns in a specific area over a long period, typically 30 years or more.
What tool do we use to see which direction the wind is blowing?
wind vane
Approximately ______% of the Earth's surface is covered by water.
70
How does snow form in the clouds?
Snow forms in clouds when the temperature is below freezing and there is enough moisture; water vapor in the air changes directly into ice crystals, skipping the liquid stage.
These ice crystals grow as more water vapor freezes onto them, eventually sticking together to form snowflakes that become heavy enough to fall to the ground as snow.
How do greenhouse gases affect the Earth's climate?
Greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, methane, and water vapor trap heat in the atmosphere, preventing it from escaping into space. This natural process keeps Earth habitable, but human activities—especially burning fossil fuels—have increased these gases, amplifying the effect and causing global warming.
What weather instruments is used to measure atmospheric pressure?
barometer
What is a tornado, and what conditions are needed for one to develop?
A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.
Conditions include warm, moist air near the surface, cool dry air above, wind shear (changing wind speed and direction with height), and a lifting mechanism like a cold front to trigger strong, rotating thunderstorms.
Why do we see lightning before we hear thunder?
Light travels much faster than sound—light from the lightning reaches our eyes almost instantly, while the sound of thunder takes longer to reach our ears.
Even though lightning and thunder happen at the same time, this difference in speed makes us see the flash first and hear the thunder later.
What is the difference between snow and hail?
Snow is made of soft ice crystals that fall gently in cold weather, while hail is hard balls of ice that fall quickly during strong storms. Snowflakes are light and fluffy; hailstones are heavy and hard.
What is the carbon footprint, and why is it important for the climate?
A carbon footprint is the total amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere by a person, organization, product, or activity, usually measured over a year.
What is a weather front?
boundary between two different air masses with distinct temperatures and humidity, often causing changes in weather like clouds, storms, or precipitation.
Why do weather reports talk about wind speed and direction?
They help predict changes in weather, such as temperature shifts, storms, or precipitation, by showing how air masses are moving.
Knowing wind speed and direction also improves the accuracy of forecasts and helps issue warnings for severe weather events like storms or tornadoes.
What are clouds, and how do they form?
Clouds are made of tiny water droplets or ice crystals that float in the sky. They form when warm air rises, cools, and the water vapor in it condenses onto small particles like dust, creating visible collections of water or ice in the atmosphere.
What was the name of the artificial snow that we used?
insta-snow
What is the difference between an iceberg and a glacier?
A glacier is a huge, slow-moving mass of ice formed over hundreds of years by the accumulation and compaction of snow on land, usually in mountains or polar regions.
An iceberg is a large chunk of ice that breaks off from a glacier and floats in the ocean.
What is relative humidity?
It is the percentage that shows how much water vapor is in the air compared to the maximum amount the air could hold at that temperature.
What is the name of scale that classifies tornadoes?
Enhanced Fujita scale
What is the water cycle, and how does it help regulate climate?
The water cycle is the continuous movement of water on, above, and below the Earth's surface through processes like evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and runof.
This cycle helps regulate climate by distributing heat and moisture around the planet, influencing weather patterns and temperature, and supporting life by replenishing water supplies.
What is the artificial snow made of?
Polyacrylates (acrylate polymer)
The year __________ was the world's warmest year since the records began in 1850.
2024