Cloudy with a Chance of Science
What two processes help form clouds?
Evaporation and condensation
What provides most of Earth’s evaporation?
The ocean
What happens to air as it moves up a mountain?
It cools and forms clouds.
What kind of climate does northern Canada have?
Polar (cold and dry)
What kind of environment do dragonflies need to survive?
Wet and humid environments
What happens to water vapor when it cools?
It condenses into liquid droplets.
Which tool measures humidity?
A hygrometer
What happens to the air on the leeward side of a mountain?
It becomes drier.
Which city is more humid, Tampa or Orlando?
Tampa (it’s coastal)
What powers tropical storms?
Warm ocean water
What is the scientific word for gas turning into a liquid?
Condensation
When air temperature decreases, what happens to condensation?
Condensation increases because cooler air holds less moisture.
How does elevation affect temperature?
Higher elevation = cooler temperatures.
What does latitude measure?
How far a place is from the equator
Why do tropical storms form near the equator?
Because the water is warmest there
Why can you sometimes see your breath on a cold day?
Because water vapor condenses when it meets cool air.
What kind of precipitation forms when droplets freeze, fall, and rise repeatedly?
Hail
Why does one side of a mountain get more rain than the other?
Because rising air cools and drops moisture on one side.
What climate zone is closest to the equator?
Tropical
What’s the first step in a storm gaining energy?
Evaporation of warm ocean water
Describe the full process of cloud formation in order.
Water evaporates → rises → cools → condenses on dust particles → forms clouds.
How does the ocean’s temperature affect weather?
Warmer oceans cause more evaporation, clouds, and rainfall
What type of data could scientists collect to study mountain weather patterns?
Temperature and precipitation data from different elevations.
What’s the best way to study how latitude affects climate?
Compare temperature and rainfall data from different latitudes over time.
Explain the chain reaction that forms a tropical storm.
Warm water → evaporation → rising water vapor → condensation releases energy → storm strengthens.