8th Grade Integrated Science
Unit 8 Test – Weather
Version: A
Directions: Answer these questions to the best of your ability. DO NOT write on
this test. Record all of your answers using your Clicker.
1. The diagram shows the formation of a front.
What type of weather characterizes this type of front?
A. Mild temperatures and dry conditions
B. Violent storms and heavy winds
C. Colder weather with clouds and precipitation
D. Warmer weather with clouds and precipitation
The diagram shows the major air masses affecting weather in the United States. Use this to answer
questions 2 and 3.
2. Which air masses bring dry air to the United States?
A. 1 and 6
B. 3 and 4
C. 2 and 5
D. 4 and 5
3. Based on the diagram, what can be concluded about the air found
in the location marked “Z” on the map?
A. It is warm and dry.
B. It is cool and humid.
C. It is cool and dry.
D. It is warm and humid.
4. Anne is studying weather factors in science class. She built several
tools to measure different weather factors. Which factor is Anne
measuring and what is the name of the instrument in the diagram?
A. Barometer; used to measure air pressure.
B. Barometer; used to measure wind speed.
C. Anemometer; used to measure wind speed.
D. Anemometer; used to measure air pressure.
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5. The diagram shows the movement of air at the beach on a hot day. Which statement explains the direction
of air movement?
A. Warm air over the land rises, causing
cooler air over the water to rush in and
fill the space.
B. Cool air over the land rises, causing
warmer air over the water to rush in and
fill the space.
C. Heat from the sun causes a convection
current toward the land due to gravity.
D. Warm air follows the tides and blows
toward the land, forcing cooler air to rise
above land.
6. Early in the afternoon, a weather station outside
the school shows that the barometric pressure and temperature are both dropping rapidly. What type of
weather do these readings indicate?
A. Several days of clear, sunny weather
B. Cool, cloudy weather with little chance of rain
C. Thunderstorms later in the afternoon or evening
D. Clearing weather today with rain likely tomorrow
7. What statement is true about the major jet stream winds of Earth?
A. They blow from the east.
B. The blow from the west.
C. They blow from the north.
D. They blow from the south.
8. The maps at the right show a front as it moves east across the United States. Which of these describes the
weather change that can be expected for Amarillo, Texas?
A. The cold front will bring cooler temperatures and snow.
B. The cold front will bring cooler temperatures with thunderstorms and rain.
C. The warm front will bring warmer temperatures with hot air for several days.
D. The warm front will bring warmer temperatures with light rain for a few days.
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9. The following map
shows the location of a warm front on Wednesday
during the summer. The air around the warm front is
moist and is moving toward the New England area.
What type of weather should the New England area
expect on Thursday and Friday?
A. Several days of light rain followed by warm,
humid weather
B. Several days of strong thunderstorms followed
by hot, dry weather
C. Fast-moving, strong thunderstorms followed
by warm, humid weather
D. No precipitation but a sudden change from
cool weather to warm weather
10. A meteorologist is monitoring the weather around Capital City. She collects the following data from her
weather instruments:
• Air pressure dropping quickly
• Warm air rising rapidly
• Water droplets being pushed upward to the topmost part of a cumulonimbus cloud
• Doppler radar map shows pockets of air with the wind blowing in opposite directions
Based on the weather data, what should the meteorologist include in the weather forecast for the Capital
City area?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Increasing humidity with light rain
Drop in air temperature with light snow
Tornado watch with heavy rain and hail
Approaching hurricane with heavy rain and strong winds
11. Meteorologists use relative humidity to express the water-vapor content of the air. The table shows the
maximum amount of water vapor that can exist in the air at different temperatures. Which statement about
the saturation of air is true?
A. Air that is saturated will not change temperature easily.
B. When saturated, warm air contains more water vapor than cold air.
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C. When saturated, cool air contains more water vapor than warm air.
D. The temperature of air does not influence the amount of water it can contain.
Temperature
°C
°F
-10
0
5
10
15
20
25
Water Vapor Content at
Saturation (g/kg)
14
32
41
50
59
68
77
2
3.5
5
7
10
14
20
12. Which of these
describes how Earth’s
orbit around the sun determines the seasons of Earth?
A. Earth’s distance from the sun changes as it orbits the sun.
B. Earth’s axis tilts in a different direction as Earth orbits the sun.
C. Earth’s axis tilts different parts of Earth toward or away from the sun at different points in Earth’s
orbit.
D. Earth’s orbit around the sun brings different parts of Earth around to face warmer or cooler parts of
the sun.
13. The following diagram shows the relative positions of Earth and the sun at a particular time of year. Which
of these describes the length of day and night in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres at this time of
year?
A. Both hemispheres: Days are longer than nights.
B. Both hemispheres: Days are shorter than nights.
C. Northern Hemisphere: Days are shorter than nights.
Southern Hemisphere: Days are longer than nights.
D. Northern Hemisphere: Days are longer than nights.
Southern Hemisphere: Days are shorter than nights.
14. During which season does sunlight strike the Northern
Hemisphere as shown?
A. Spring
B. Summer
C. Fall
D. Winter
15. Tasha is studying polar and tropical climates on Earth. She
learned the following:
• Tropical climates: Summer and winter temperatures are similar.
• Polar climates: Summer temperature is much higher than winter temperature.
Tasha wonders why the tropical climate has the same temperature year round, but the polar climate
temperature differs greatly. Which of these explains the reason for this difference?
A. More clouds block direct sunlight from reaching the polar surface during the winter months.
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B. Most regions with subtropical climates are located near large bodies of water that make the climate
more even.
C. The subtropical regions have longer days and shorter nights than polar regions, so they receive more
solar energy.
D. The axis of Earth causes the polar regions to be tilted either toward or away from direct sunlight,
depending on the time of year.
16. At a certain time of year, the Southern Hemisphere is tilted toward the sun. Which of these describes how
this tilt affects the Southern Hemisphere during this time of year?
A. The days will be longer in the Southern Hemisphere during this time of year.
B. The nights will be longer in the Southern Hemisphere during this time of year.
C. The seasons will be longer in the Southern Hemisphere during this time of year.
D. The sun will rise lower in the sky in the Southern Hemisphere during this time of year.
17. The following diagram shows the relative positions of Earth and the sun during December’s winter solstice.
On this day, how does the angle of Earth’s axis affect the
number of daylight hours?
A. All places on Earth experience the minimum
number of daylight hours.
B. Only places near the poles experience the
minimum number of daylight hours.
C. Only places in the Northern Hemisphere
experience the fewest number of daylight hours.
D. All places in the Northern Hemisphere experience
the maximum number of daylight hours.
18. The following diagrams show the axis of Earth at its present 23°
angle and at a perpendicular axis of 0°. How would seasons be
affected if Earth’s axis were at a 0° angle?
A. Earth would have no seasons.
B. Seasonal variation would decrease at the poles.
C. Seasonal variation would increase at the equator.
D. Earth would have two seasons instead of four seasons.
19. Twice a year on Earth, the number of hours of darkness is equal to the number of hours of sunlight. These
events, where both day and night are 12 hours, are the spring and autumn equinoxes. Which of these
describes the orientation of the sun and Earth on these two days?
A. Earth is located at its most distant point away from the sun.
B. The tilt of Earth’s axis is neither toward nor away from the sun.
C. The axes of the sun and Earth are pointed in the same direction.
D. Earth is located at its closest point to the sun, and its axis is pointed away from the sun.
20. What would happen if the Earth’s rate of revolution were to decrease?
A. The day would get longer.
B. The year would get longer.
C. The day would get shorter.
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D. The year would get shorter.
Directions: Use the information below to answer questions 21 through 23.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) can find hurricanes using satellite imagery.
Researchers dropped sensors in the wall of a hurricane each day to determine the wind speed within the
hurricane. The following shows the hurricane data and a weather map of Mississippi on September 28.
Date
Sept. 25
Sept. 26
Sept. 27
Sept. 28
Position
Longitude (°W) Latitude (°N)
79.2
22.8
82.4
24.6
86.6
27.2
88.9
30.3
21. The Saffir-Simpson
Hurricane Scale describes
the type of damage caused
by the wind speed of a
hurricane. Which of these
describes the building
damage that some areas of
Mississippi will experience
from this hurricane based on
the hurricane data?
Category
Wind
Speed
(MPH)
1
74 – 95
2
96 – 110
3
111 – 130
4
131 – 155
Air Pressure
Wind Speed
(millibars) (miles per hour)
951
111
939
131
969
95
984
80
Damage Description
No real damage to buildings. Damage to
unanchored mobile homes. Some damage
to poorly constructed signs.
Some damage to building roofs, doors, and
windows. Considerable damage to mobile
homes.
Some structural damage to small homes
and buildings. Large trees blow down.
Mobile homes and signs destroyed.
Some structural damage to the roofs on
small residences.
Storm
Surge (ft)
4–5
6–8
9 – 12
13 – 18
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Complete roof failure on many residences
A. No real damage to
and industrial buildings. Some complete
buildings.
building failures with small utility
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156 and up
B. Some damage to
buildings blown over away. Flooding
causes major damage to lower floors of all
building roofs, doors,
structures near the shore.
and windows.
C. Some structural damage to the roofs on small residences.
D. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings.
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22. Based on the hurricane data, which of these is a cause-and-effect relationship of hurricane factors?
A. An increase in air pressure causes the hurricane’s wind speed to decrease.
B. A decrease in wind speed causes a decrease in the hurricane’s longitude.
C. An increase in air pressure causes an increase in the hurricane’s wind speed.
D. A decrease in the hurricane’s latitude causes the hurricane’s longitude to decrease.
23. Dee reviewed the data for this hurricane. She replicated the pressure
system of the hurricane and its effect on wind speed. The following
diagram shows her setup.
Each time Dee pushed downward on the lever, the wind speed within the
cylinder decreased. Dee concluded that the greater the air pressure
within a hurricane, the lower the hurricane’s wind speed. Which of these
is a logical defense for Dee’s conclusion?
A. Her investigation proves that both high and low pressure systems
create hurricanes.
B. Her investigation supports the relationship between air pressure and wind speed found in the
hurricane data.
C. Her investigation proves that reducing wind speed within a hurricane will increase the air pressure of
the hurricane.
D. Her investigation supports the relationship between hurricane position and air pressure found in the
hurricane data.
24. Like all winds in the Northern Hemisphere, as hurricane winds more northward, they curve to the east. This
causes hurricanes to rotate in a counterclockwise fashion. Which of these explains why hurricane winds
curve?
A. Convection currents
B. Coriolis effect
C. Polar easterlies
D. Trade winds
25. Satellite observations of a hurricane in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean show that the hurricane is moving
toward a large area of cool water. What does this observation indicate about the likelihood that the
hurricane will strike land along the coast of the United States?
A. The likelihood of a land strike is decreased because hurricanes that move over cool water lose
intensity.
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B. The chance that the hurricane will strike land is increased because cool waters are located near the
coast.
C. The chance that the hurricane will strike land is decreased because the hurricane is located far from
the coast.
D. The likelihood of a land strike is increased because cold water tends to strengthen hurricanes and
make them last longer.
26. Which of these describes the orientation of the Earth?
A. It rotates on a vertical axis.
B. It rotates on a horizontal axis.
C. It rotates on an axis tilted 23.5°.
D. It rotates on an axis tilted 47.0°.
27. If an air mass is forming over the Sahara Desert in North Africa, what characteristics will it have?
A. Hot and wet
B. Hot and dry
C. Cool and wet
D. Cool and dry
28. Two air masses are meeting. They have different temperatures and thus different densities. What is the area
called where they meet?
A. Jet stream
B. Westerly
C. Front
D. Line
29. As a front passes over head, the temperature increases and precipitation falls. What type of front is this?
A. Cold
B. Warm
C. Occluded
D. Stationary
30. Quickly moving cold air is meeting with warmer air. Which of these describes this?
A. Cold Front; the temperature will increase, clouds will form but rain will be light.
B. Cold Front; the temperature will decrease, clouds will form with heavy rain.
C. Warm Front; the temperature will increase, clouds will form but rain will be light.
D. Warm Front; the temperature will decrease, clouds will form with heavy rain.
31. When Earth moves to the location shown with the star, what season will Mississippi experience?
A. Spring
B. Fall
C. Summer
D. Winter
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32. When it is day in the western hemisphere, it is night in the eastern hemisphere. What causes this
phenomenon?
A. Earth’s revolution around the Sun.
B. Earth’s revolution on its axis.
C. Earth’s rotation around the Sun.
D. Earth’s rotation on its axis.
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