Name _____________________________________________ Date _________________ Period _______
Climate C.H.A.N.G.E. Quiz #1
Data Analysis & Earth’s Atmosphere
1.) Describe the main difference between weather and climate.
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2.) What are the 5 layers of the atmosphere (as described by a difference in temperature)? List in
order of lowest elevation to highest elevation.
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3.) What is the coldest part of the atmosphere called? _________________
4.) Explain why the temperature in the troposphere decreases as the altitude increases.
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5.) Explain why the temperature in the stratosphere increases as the altitude increases.
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6.) Explain why airplanes fly in the stratosphere as opposed to the troposphere.
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7.) Why is the exosphere comprised mainly of hydrogen and helium compared to the troposphere
which has many different constituents?
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8.) Where in the atmosphere does most weather take place? _____________________________
9.)
Why is this so?
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10.) Enter the Blue Hills Observatory data for the 120-year period from 1891-2010 below into Excel.
Data can be accessed at the website below.
http://www.bluehill.org/climate/meanandextreme_1891-2010.html
Graph the Average Temperature and Average Precipitation vs. Month. There should be two
different y-axes and one common x-axis.
On your graph, make sure that:





It has a title
Each axis is bold
Major and minor tick marks are made inside the axis
o Note, not all axes may need minor tick marks
All axes are labeled with the correct units
The graph is easy to read (the data is not compacted into a small area)
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Average Temperature (˚F)
(MA)
24.87
27.21
35.51
45.43
56.16
64.95
70.37
68.63
60.54
49.69
40.71
30.24
Normal Monthly Precipitation
(inches) (Boston, MA)
3.92
3.3
3.85
3.6
3.24
3.22
3.06
3.37
3.47
3.79
3.98
3.73
11.) What is the independent variable? _________________________
12.) What are the dependent variables? ____________________ & ____________________
Look at the graph from NOAA below and answer the questions that follow. Include units in your
answers.
13.) Based on this graph, what is the concentration of CO2 in 1975? ________________
14.) Based on this graph, what is the global temperature of Earth in 1945? ______________
15.) What is the difference between the most recent measurement of CO2 concentration and the
concentration of CO2 in 1880? ________________________
16.) What is the main point that the creator of this graph is trying to get across to the public?
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ANSWER KEY
1.) Weather is atmospheric conditions specific to a place and time whereas climate is the long term
average of atmospheric conditions.
2.) Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, and exosphere
3.) Mesopause
4.) Earth is heated by the electromagnetic radiation from the sun. The heat leaves the surface of
Earth and as it rises, it expands and cools.
5.) In the stratosphere lies the ozone layer. Ozone absorbs and scatters much of the UV radiation
emitted by the sun causing an increase in the temperature as altitude increases.
6.) Airplanes fly in the stratosphere because there is very little mixing of the air in the stratosphere
whereas the hot air in the lower troposphere mixes with the cool air of the upper troposphere,
causing turbulence.
7.) As altitude increases, atoms get sorted by atomic weight. The air is well mixed in the lower
atmosphere so both heavy and light molecules are found there. Only the lightest molecules
exist in the upper atmosphere.
8.) Troposphere.
9.) The troposphere is where almost all of the water vapor exists.
10.)
80
5
60
4
3
40
2
20
1
0
0
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Month
11.) Month
12.) Average Temperature, Monthly Precipitation
13.) 330 ppm
14.) Approx. 58˚F
15.) 385-290 = 95 ppm
9 10 11 12
Precipitation
Precipitation (inches)
Temperature (˚F)
Average Mean Temperature (˚F) for MA
from 1971-2000 and Normal Monthly
Precipitation (inches) for Boston, MA
Temperature
vs. Month
16.) The creator of this graph is trying to establish a connection between global temperature and
CO2 concentration.