Earth's Atmosphere
What is the height above sea level called?
altitude
How much of Earth's water is freshwater?
3%
What is the entire rising-and-sinking, cyclical movement of air?
convection cell
What is a winter storm that is characterized by low temperatures, winds that gust or blow at 56 km/hr or more, and low visibility because of blowing snow?
blizzard
What is a large ecosystem made up of distinct plant and animal communities and distinct environmental conditions in a large geographic region?
biome
What layer of the atmosphere is where temperature increases with altitude, has high temperature because of intense solar radiation, and contains separate layers of different gases with heavier gases at lower levels?
Thermosphere
What process of the water cycle is when solid water (ice or snow) evaporates directly into a gas without first becoming a liquid?
sublimation
What is responsible for the spiral rotation of storm clouds on Earth?
The Coriolis Effect
How do conditions differ in high-pressure systems and low-pressure systems?
High-pressure systems tend to bring fair weather.
Low-pressure systems tend to bring rainy or even stormy weather.
What determines which plants and animals make up a biome?
climate
What are the two main gases that make up Earth's atmosphere?
nitrogen and oxygen
Which water cycle processes directly add molecules of water to the atmosphere?
evaporation and transpiration
What direction to jet streams flow?
They flow in an easterly direction
What is a front?
the boundary between two air masses with different characteristics
Name 3 factors that affect climate.
Latitude, elevation, bodies of water, ocean currents, and topography
Why does temperature increase in the stratosphere?
The stratosphere contains ozone, which is a gas that absorbs certain rays from the Sun.
What happens to energy during evaporation and condensation?
Energy is absorbed during evaporation.
Energy is released during condensation.
Which global wind system has the greatest effect on weather in our area?
westerlies
Describe the characteristics of a continental air mass.
It is a cold air mass that forms over land.
Name and describe one type of climate zone.
Tropical zones have high temperatures all year round. High levels of precipitation.
Temperate Zones have temperatures and precipitation that vary throughout the year.
Polar Zones are always cold and have a low rate of precipitation.
How does the atmosphere affect life? How does life affect the atmosphere?
Possible answer:
The atmosphere helps keep temperatures on Earth at the right level for life.The presence of oxygen in the troposphere allows life to survive.
Producers produce oxygen for the atmosphere.
In an area experiencing below freezing temperatures, why can a cloud day be warmer than a sunny day?
The clouds help to keep heat energy that is leaving the Earth's surface from escaping into the atmosphere, whereas that heat is lost on a sunny day.
Identify two differences between land breeze and sea breeze.
Land breeze occurs during the night. Land near the ocean cools down more quickly than the water. Cool, dense air over land sinks and moves out waters the water. The local wind blows from land toward the sea.
Sea breeze occurs during the day. Air over the water is cooler than air over land. The cool, dense air sinks and moves inland. The wind blows from the sea over land.
How are a thunderstorm and tornado alike? How are they different?
Both are severe storms that can have strong wind.
Thunderstorms form from tall cumulonimbus clouds and contain thunder and lightning. Tornadoes are powerful, rotating columns of air that touch the ground.
Describe the effects of latitude and bodies of water on climate?
Latitude - areas near the poles are cooler in temperature and warm near the equator.
Bodies of Water - Coastal areas have cooler summers and milder winters than inland area.