Unit 7 Guide: Concepts of Earth Science
Water in the Atmosphere and Weather
Key Concepts and Questions to Be Able to Explain and Answer:
1. Explain how water vapor can enter the atmosphere through evaporation, transpiration, and sublimation.
Describe the flow of latent heat during each of these processes.
2. What is the difference between humidity and relative humidity? What is dew point? Be able to
determine the relative humidity given air temperature and water content information.
3. What methods can be used to determine the humidity of air? Think about the lab.
4. What is necessary for clouds to form? Describe the ways clouds can form: adiabatic cooling, mixing,
lifting, advective cooling.
5. Classify and name clouds based on their shape and height. Describe general appearance and weather
conditions associated with various cloud types.
6. Compare the two processes that cause precipitation: coalescence and supercooling. What conditions are
necessary for rain, sleet, snow, or hail to form?
7. How are air masses classified? Use temperature and moisture content data to infer where an air mass
came from.
8. Create a chart to show the difference between cold and warm fronts. Include: behavior of air masses
involved, speed, size, and associated weather conditions.
9. How are occluded and stationary fronts similar? How are they different?
10. Compare and contrast cyclones and anticyclones based on formation, direction of rotation/movement,
pressure, and weather conditions.
11. What conditions are necessary for the formation of thunderstorms, blizzards, tornadoes and hurricanes?
What is the difference between a storm watch and a warning?
12. Be able to decipher weather conditions using a weather station model. Be able to draw isotherms and
isobars given temperature and pressure data.
13. Use a weather map to describe weather conditions and to forecast future weather conditions.
14. Be able to name and describe various tools used in weather forecasting: thermometer, anemometer,
barometer, etc.
Assessments
Quiz
Formal Lab Report
Unit 7 Test
Severe Weather Project
Date:
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Reading Assignments:
Students will be assigned readings from the following pages in the text book.
Chapter 23
pages 574-599
Chapter 24
pages 600-629
Vocabulary
evaporation
dew point
condensation level
transpiration
psychrometer
mixing
sublimation
cloud
lifting
latent heat
condensation nuclei
advective cooling
absolute humidity
adiabatic cooling
stratus clouds
relative humidity
adiabatic lapse rate
cumulus clouds
isobar
barometer
isotherm
wind vane
radiosonde
radar
cirrus clouds
fog
precipitation
coalescence
supercooling
air mass
anemometer