Atmosphere
the amount of water vapor in the air
What are 3 factors that affect a locations weather?
air temperature
air pressure
fog
humidity
cloud cover
precipitation
wind speed and direction
Alabama has what type of climate?
Humid Subtropical
What is evaporation?
The process of a liquid changing into a gas
Which 2 molecules are continually absorbed and emitted back into the environment?
Carbon Dioxide and Oxygen
Weather occurs in which layer of the atmosphere?
troposphere
How do clouds form?
clouds form when air in the atmosphere reaches the dew point
What is the main difference between a tropical wet climate and an arid climate?
the amount of precipitation the climate receives
What is sublimation?
The process of snow and ice changing into water vapor without melting first
What is the main difference between respiration and photosynthesis?
they are opposites
Which layer of the atmosphere is the International Space Station located?
thermosphere
cirrus, stratus, cumulus
Some deserts are considered tropical. Why?
Because they are located near the equator
What is transpiration?
Plants absorb water through their roots and then give off water vapor through their leaves
What are 3 examples of organisms that take in CO2 from the environment and use it to make food?
Plants, algae, and some bacteria
As altitude increases in the thermosphere, what happens to the temperature?
it increases
What is the name of a large storm system that forms due to interactions between air masses and the coriolis effect?
cyclone
What is the difference between weather and climate?
weather is short term while a climate is an average of about 30 years
What is the difference between infiltration and surface run-off
surface run-off flows over land while infiltration soaks into the ground and moves into rocks through cracks and pores
What is diffusion?
Gases containing carbon move between the ocean and the atmosphere
What layer in the stratosphere protects living things on Earth's surface from harmful UV radiation?
Ozone layer
Describe how a thunderstorm forms
Thunderstorms form when the air near the ground is very warm and humid which creates an updraft. The air in the updraft cools and condenses as it rises in the atmosphere. when the water condenses it then falls back toward the ground
Name 3 factors that can influence climate
Global wind patterns
Nearby physical features (oceans and mountains)
elevation
latitude
overall rainfall
amount of sunshine
What is the name of condensed water vapor that falls back toward Earth
Precipitation
What happens to plant matter and waste in order for the carbon to be released back into the environment
They go through decomposition