Temperature
True/False: the ocean traps heat better than the land
True
The definition of "precipitation"
Water falling from the sky
As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure...
decreases
Wind is not created by a big fan or a giant blowing. Name one factor that helps create wind
Temp, pressure, etc.
How thick is the atmosphere: 10 km, 100 km, or 1000 km?
~100 km
True/False: when air is heated, the molecules start to move slower
False
True/False: coastal areas with cold ocean currents usually have more precipitation than warm currents
False: warm water evaporates better, bringing moisture into the air
Explain atmospheric pressure. What causes air to exert pressure?
The weight of all the air on top of us pulled down by gravity
Does wind usually move air TOWARD low pressure areas or AWAY?
TOWARD
What is a cloud?
An aggregation of liquid water droplets or solid ice crystals (not gaseous water vapor)
It is less dense
The definition of Rainshadow Effect
Tall mountains physically concentrate precipitation, leaving a region on the other side that is dry
How is air pressure measured?
Barometer - air pressure pushes a column of mercury up or down
True/false: the rotation of the Earth affects wind direction over long distances
True - Coriolis effect
Explain what is happening when you feel your ears pop on an airplane or in the mountains
Equalizing pressure between inside of ears and atmosphere
Define a "front"
two bodies of air with different characteristics (temp, humidity, pressure) colliding
How hail is formed
water and ice droplets thrown around in storm, grows into ball of ice, falls
Give one reason why low pressure areas have more storms
Low pressure means air is rising, which helps draw moisture into the sky, which creates precipitation
True/false: A "westerly" is a wind blowing FROM the West
True - winds are named based on where they are coming from
The most common gas in the atmosphere
Nitrogen
At 100C, water boils from liquid to gas. How does water evaporate (from the ocean, for example), if the ocean is not boiling?
The most energetic molecules have enough energy to evaporate, but the average molecule (temperature is an average) does not
Explain why the Atacama Desert in Chile is so dry, while the nearby Amazon Rainforest is one of the wettest places on Earth
Cold ocean current + Andes mountains rainshadow make Atacama dry / Warm ocean current + forest trapping moisture makes Amazon wet
Is low pressure air generally more or less humid? Why?
Low pressure air is generally MORE humid, because a water molecule is lighter than most of the other gas molecules in the atmosphere
At the beach, usually there is a nice cool breeze from the ocean in the day. At night, the wind usually changes direction, blowing from the land. Why does this happen?
Uneven heating, changes direction of convection current
Bernoulli's Principle - explain the reason airplanes can fly (related to air pressure around the wings)
Curved top of wing forces air above to move faster compared to flat bottom. Faster moving air has lower internal pressure. Higher pressure under wing + lower pressure above wing = lift!