Atmosphere Basics
What do we call the mixture of gases that surrounds the Earth and helps protect living things?
The atmosphere?
Which instrument measures air temperature?
Thermometer
What is atmospheric pressure?
the weight of the column of air above a place
What is a cloud made of?
Name one of the five reasons we have weather.
Examples: unequal heating of Earth's surface, sun's energy, rotation of Earth, differences in air pressure, moisture in the air
What is the lowest layer of the atmosphere where most weather occurs.
The troposphere
What instrument measures wind speed?
Anemometer
Why does a sealed bag of chips inflate when a car carrying it goes up a mountain. (short explanation)
As elevation increases, air pressure decrease, so the bag expands (less external pressure).
What are the four main types of precipitation students should know? (list them)
Rain, snow, sleet and hail.
What is the process called when heat moves from one place to another as waves (energy from the Sun travels this way).
Radiation (heat transferred by waves.
How does the temperature generally change as you go higher int he troposphere?
Temperature decreases as altitude increases in troposphere.
Which tool collects and measures how much rain has fallen?
Rain gauge
What is a land breeze and when does it happen?
What type of cloud is large, tall and often makes thunderstorms?
Cumulonimbus
What is a weather front?
A boundary between two different air masses.
Why is the air near the ground usually warmer than air higher in the atmosphere?
The ground absorbs sunlight and warms the air above it; warm air rises, so near-ground air is warmer.
What instrument measures the amount of moisture in the air (humidity)?
Hygrometer
How are high pressure and low pressure systems usually shown on a weather map? (hint: symbols or letters)
High pressure marked with a capitol blue H and low pressure marked with a capitol red L. Or isobars on a map.
How are hailstones formed inside a cumulonimbus cloud? Brief description.
Hail forms when a strong updrafts carry raindrops upward into very cold parts of the cloud where layers of ice form, repeated up and down motion makes layers until the hail is heavy enough to fall.
Describe the typical weather a cold front brings compared to a warm front.
Cold front-often sudden storms and cooler air following
Warm front-gradual clouds and steady precipitation, then warmer air
Define humidity in simple terms?
The amount of water vapor (moisture) in the air.
What is relative humidity? (Give student friendly definition)
The percent of water vapor in the air compared to the maximum the air could hold at that temperature.
Why is nice (clear) weather often associated with high pressure systems, while storms are often linked to low pressure?
High pressure causes sinking, stable air and clearer skies. Low pressure causes rising air, clouds, and storms.
Before-strong updrafts and dark clouds form
During-hailstones fall, loud thunder, possible lightening
After-hail stops, skies may clear or a new system may move in, and there may be damage or melting
Four air masses; continental polar (cold, dry), maritime polar (cold, moist), continental tropical (warm, dry) and maritime tropical (warm, moist)