Atmosphere and Weather Study Guide Answer Key 2016
Name__________________
1. The two main gases, and what %of the air is each? Nitrogen at 778%, Oxygen at 21%
2. Complete the graph below for temperature and add horizontal lines of division for each
layer of the atmosphere- where temp is on the x axis and altitude is on the y axis:
(a) list the first four layers of the atmosphere
Altitude (km)
T H E R M o
80
M E S O S P H E R e
60
S T
R A T
O S P H
E R e
40
20
0 km
T
s
R o P O
p h e r e
-100
-80
-60
-40
Temperature, oC.
-20
0
20
(b) describe what happens to pressure the higher you go in the atmosphere: Pressure
decreases
3(a) Vitoria is on the coast of Brazil in South America. Aracatuba is at similar latitude,
receiving the same amount of sunlight, but is several hundred kilometers inland. . Predict
which will have cooler summers? Vitoria, on the coast cooler winters? Aracatube, inland.
Why?
Oceans moderate climate since water is a huge heat storage material, so places on the ocean
have cooler summers and warmer winters.
(b)How is climate different from weather? Climate is long-term weather, such as average
precipitation for a year, while weather is the state of the atmosphere for a short period, such
as it rained 1” yesterday.
(c)What is humidity? The amount of water vapor in the air.
(d) the jet stream: What is it, where is it found, and why is it important for weather? The jet
stream is a rapidly moving current of air, usually in the low part of the stratosphere, and it
both moves weather systems and helps to start or end some of them. This year, El Nino in the
Pacific meant warmer oceans, which changed the jet stream to bring a warm December to
the East.
4. What weather system is shown to the right?
A cold front In what direction (N, S, NW, etc.) is it going? _East South East (ESE), but will
accept East or Southeast too.
5. Complete the following as to the actions AND locations in our atmosphere of Ozone,
Carbon Dioxide, and Water Vapor:
Ozone
Carbon Dioxide
Water Vapor
Actions:
Absorbs Ultra Violet
Absorbs Infrared Absorbs Infrared
Locations:
Radiation
Stratosphere, mostly
radiation
Troposphere
8. Complete the characteristics and drawings for four kinds of clouds:
Name
Characteristics and location in atmosphere
Cirrus
Drawing
way high, icey, wispy, thin
Cumulus
mid level puffy, like clouds
Stratus
Fog like, layered, often low
Cumulonimbus
radiation
Troposphere
Really tall, dark, thunderstorm cloud
9. Describe how a vacuum cleaner cleans up dust and lint on the floor. (use the reverse side of
weather map answer.) A motor PUSHES air out from a central chamber of the cleaner,
which reduces the atmospheric pressure inside the chamber, big time. Then regular
atmospheric pressure PUSHES air near the floor into the opening of the vacuum cleaner,
along with any lint and dust around it
10. List four small instruments, one satellite, and two kinds of radar used to measure weather
conditions, the condition each measures, and likely readings for today:
Small instruments
1 Barometer
Conditions measured
Pressure
Likely readings today
1014mb 9average, adjust for the day of
the test
2
Wind speed
5mph (adjust for actual conditions)
Temperature
5oC
Humidity
50%
Hurricanes, and large storms
None
Temperature of cloud tops, and their height
Low clouds today
Instensity of storms and precipitation
None
Anemometer
3
Thermometer
4
Hygrometer
Satellite
1Visible
Radar
1Infrared
2Doppler
Name_____________________________ Block _________________
Actions for Weather Map:
1. Prepare a Isobar map, showing lines of equal pressure.
2. Based on the map, show where any high and low pressure systems are located.
3. Based on the map, using either proper wind flags and barbs OR simple arrows, show wind
direction in locations north, east, south, and west of the pressure systems.
4. Based on the map, predict which states will have clear weather ___________________
_________________________________________________________________________
Guidance: connect areas of equal pressure with a smoothly drawn line, being
sure never to cross over another pressure line, or isobar. Place a “H” where
you see the high pressure and a “L” where there is a center of low pressure.
Remember that winds rotate clockwise around a high, and counterclockwise
around the Low in the Northern Hemisphere. And that Highs usually have
clear skies, while Lows have storms associated with them.