Earth's Atmosphere
What are the two most abundant gases that make up Earth's atmosphere?
Nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)
Someone who studies the weather is called what?
Meteorologist
The long-term record of weather patterns for a region is called what?
Climate
What are the two main causes of wind?
Carbon dioxide, methane, water vapor, and nitrous oxide are all considered what type of gases in our atmosphere?
Greenhouse gases
This is the layer where weather occurs.
Troposphere
The instrument used to measure wind speed and direction is called what?
Anemometer
What are the names of Earth's 6 major biomes?
Condensed water droplets or ice crystals in the atmosphere are called what?
Clouds
The process of more parts of Earth becoming cities is called what?
Urbanization
The coldest is the mesosphere. The hottest is the thermosphere.
Meteorologists make future predictions about the weather that are called what?
Forecasts
This is the largest biome, and is also sometimes called coniferous forests.
Taiga
When cold are sinks, it creates this type of atmospheric pressure.
High-pressure center
This is the measure of how much solar energy Earth's surface reflects.
Albedo
As altitude increases throughout the atmosphere, what does atmospheric pressure do? Why?
Atmospheric pressure decreases because air molecules are less tightly packed/less dense as you rise in altitude in Earth's atmosphere.
What are the 5 variables that affect the weather?
1) Temperature, 2) pressure, 3) wind,
4) water vapor, and 5) precipitation
These biomes are found near the equator, have high annual rainfall, and have a high biodiversity.
Tropical rainforests
These types of clouds are actually ice crystals high up in the troposphere, and are sometimes called "mare's tails" when curved from wind.
Cirrus clouds
Give at least two reasons why global climate change is considered an issue for humans and other living organisms.
Warming temperatures
Decreasing ice coverage at the poles
Rising sea levels
Increased water vapor in the atmosphere (more precipitation/more severe weather)
Name the 5 main layers of the atmosphere in the correct order, starting from Earth's surface.
1) troposphere 2) stratosphere 3) mesosphere 4) thermosphere 5) exosphere
What is the oldest type of barometer and why do we not use that kind anymore?
The mercury barometer is the oldest type and we no longer use this type of barometer to measure atmospheric pressure because mercury is toxic to humans.
What are the 5 factors that affect the climate of a region?
1) latitude, 2) precipitation, 3) elevation,
4) topography, and 5) distance from large bodies of water
Describe the difference between the appearance of cumulus and stratus clouds.
Cumulus clouds are tall, puffy, white, and are created when the air over land is heated.
Stratus clouds look like gray fog that has not reached the ground.
Describe the greenhouse effect. (Use the terms temperature and greenhouse gases in your answer.)
Earth's average global temperatures are warming because greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are trapping heat energy from the sun that is reflecting from Earth's surface.