Sun’s Energy, Weather and Oceans
Test Review
Sun’s Energy
1. Where on Earth does the atmosphere gain thermal energy (heated)?
2. Where on Earth is thermal energy removed from the atmosphere (cooled)?
3. How do you think the Coriolis Effect changes the direction of the wind on Earth?
4. How are the three wind belts affected by the Sun’s energy?
Easterlies – winds that blow from the east to the west.
Westerlies – winds that blow from the west to the east.
Trade winds – tropical winds that blow from the east to the west.
Label the major wind patterns on the diagram of the earth:
5. How do you think wind causes currents in Earth’s oceans?
6. Why does the melting of sea ice cause currents to flow deep in the ocean instead of
on the surface?
7. How are surface winds formed?
8. What are the two different types of ocean currents, and how are they formed?
9. What is the role of the Sun in the formation of convection currents in Earth’s
atmosphere and oceans?
10. What is the role of convection in the formation of wind and ocean currents?
11. How is thermal energy from the Sun distributed on Earth?
Weather Maps
1. What is a high pressure area? How are they represented on a weather map?
2. What type of weather is associated with high pressure areas?
3. What is a low pressure area? How are they represented on a weather map?
4. What type of weather is associated with low pressure areas?
5. Map Set A: How does the high-pressure area in Map Set A affect Texas weather
conditions?
6. Map Set B: How do temperatures of the low pressure area on Map Set B affect
possible precipitation to that area?
7. Map Set C: Use the terms high-pressure system and low-pressure system to
describe current weather conditions using Map Set C in West Texas and on the Gulf
Coast.
8. Define the following four fronts, weather conditions with the map symbol:
a. Warm Front
b. Cold Front
c. Stationary Front
d.
Occluded Front
Oceans and Weather
1. What is the difference between high air pressure and low air pressure?
2. What is the basic way Earth’s oceans influence the formation of weather
systems?
3. What is a hurricane?
4. What conditions does a hurricane need to form?
5. What is the fuel for a hurricane?
6. What type of air pressure is associated with a hurricane?
7. What causes the strong spinning winds of a hurricane?
Match the letter:
a.
b.
c.
d.
e.
Hot, less dense, rising air
Area of low pressure
Wind is created as air rushes in to an area of low pressure
Cooled, more dense, air flowing down the column
Heat is trapped in the column by spinning winds
9. What factors would make this hurricane die?
10. The hurricane releases its energy over landfall in the form of
11. What is the main benefit or function of a hurricane?
.
12. Write a description of the life cycle of an Atlantic basin hurricane from birth to death.
Include the effect of the ocean on the hurricane.
13. What role does convection play in the formation of a hurricane?
14. What causes hurricanes to form and move towards the United States?
15. How do hurricanes and oceans affect global weather?