Water Cycle
What are the four main stages of the water cycle?
Evaporation, condensation, precipitation, and transpiration
What is a large body of air with similar temperature and humidity called?
An air mass
Which front moves quickly and causes thunder, lightning, or even tornadoes?
Cold front
What is one main factor that affects climate?
Amount of sunlight, uneven heating, wind currents, water currents, latitude
Where do hurricanes form?
Over warm ocean water
What process describes water released from plants into the air?
Transpiration
What are the four main types of air masses?
Maritime, continental, polar, and tropical
What type of front forms when a cold front overtakes a warm front?
Occluded front
Why do areas near water have milder temperatures?
Water heats and cools more slowly than land
What causes floods to happen quickly in cities?
Poor drainage and too much rain too fast
What happens to water molecules when they gain energy from the Sun?
They move faster, become less dense and evaporate into water vapor
What kind of air mass would Florida have?
Maritime tropical
How would you describe an occluded front?
A faster moving cold front catches up with a slower moving warm front.
How would you describe an oceanic climate temperature and precipitation? Also, give one example of a plate with this climate.
The temperature is mild with frequent rain. An example would be UK or Seattle, WA.
What two air types meet to form tornadoes?
Warm, moist air and cool, dry air
Why does condensation form clouds?
Cool air holds less water vapor than warm air, so it turns into droplets
What two factors describe an air mass?
Temperature and humidity
The boundary where two air masses meet
Why do areas near water have milder temperatures?
Water heats and cools more slowly than land
What is a doppler radar?
It is a tool that meteorologists use to detect spinning winds in tornadoes.
Why does ice float on water even though most solids sink in liquids?
Ice is less dense than liquid water
What happens when different air masses collide?
They cause changes in weather like storms or precipitation
Why does a cold front move faster than a warm front? Include density in your answer.
What are the three temperature zones, their latitude, AND the two climates within each zone?
Tropical - 0-30 degrees latitude - rainforest & savannah
Temperate - 30-60 degrees latitude - mediterranean & oceanic
Polar - 60-90 degrees latitude - ice cap & tundra
What technology helps fight drought by watering plants directly at the roots?
Drip irrigation systems