Unit 3: Weather and Climate
Geo 12
Ms. Thind
Name:
Section 1: Intro to Weather and Climate
1. What is the difference between weather and climate? _________________________________
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2. List some factors that affect temperature: __________________________________________
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3. Attached is a reading about climate controls: variables that influence the climate of a place.
This includes insolation, elevation, proximity of water bodies and ocean currents. Below
briefly explain how each variable affects climate.
Insolation: ____________________________________________________________________
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Elevation: ____________________________________________________________________
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Proximity of water bodies: ______________________________________________________
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Ocean Currents: _______________________________________________________________
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Section 2: Atmospheric characteristics and processes: pressure, temperature,
heating, composition
1. What are the five layers of the atmosphere? ________________________________________
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2. What are the boundaries between each sphere called? ________________________________
2b. What occurs here? ___________________________________________________________
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3. In which sphere does weather occur? _____________________________________________
4. In which sphere do we find the ozone layer? ________________________________________
5. As you move up into the atmosphere air is ________ dense.
6. What is the atmosphere made up of? ______________________________________________
7. How is the earth warmed? ______________________________________________________
8. Solar radiation is subject to: __________________________, _________________________,
and _____________________________. This is known as the ___________________________
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9. Explain how albedo is related to the heating of the earth’s surface:
______________________________________________________________________________
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10. Describe the greenhouse effect: _________________________________________________
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10b. Illustrate what the greenhouse effect looks like:
Section 3: The Hydrologic Cycle
1. Define evaporation: ___________________________________________________________
2. Define transpiration: __________________________________________________________
3. Define condensation: __________________________________________________________
4. Label the diagram below:
Section 4: Clouds and Cloud Types
1. Explain how clouds are formed: _________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
2. This type of cloud is high: ______________________________________________________
2b. This type of cloud is a middle cloud: _____________________________________________
2c. This type of cloud is layered: ___________________________________________________
2d. This type of cloud is heaping: __________________________________________________
2e. This type of cloud is where rain is falling from: ____________________________________
Refer to the diagram on the next page to answer the following questions:
3. What type of cloud is associated with thunderstorms? ________________________________
3b. What type of cloud is associated with steady precipitation? ___________________________
3c. What type of cloud is associated with fair weather? _________________________________
3d. What type of cloud has feather like wisps? ________________________________________
3e. What type of cloud has a halo like appearance? ____________________________________
Section 5: Types of Rainfall
1. Rainfall is categorized into three main types: _________________, ___________________,
and _____________________.
2. Air moves towards mountain range  as it moves up the air cools  air becomes saturated
and clouds form (dew point is reached)  forms ____________ cloud. Any precipitation
produced is called ________________________.
3. Define rain shadow region: _____________________________________________________
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5. Land is heated  hot air begins to rise  air cools as it rises and clouds form  within the
cloud hot air is rising, cool air descending creating convection currents. This is called a
__________________ rainfall.
4. Convectional rainfall is most common during the ______________________ season. The type
of cloud produced is a ______________________________.
Frontal Rainfall:
Section 6: Characteristics of North American Air Masses
1. What are the five air masses that affect weather in North America? ______________________
______________________________________________________________________________
2. Identify the air mass that is generally associated with hot, humid weather: ________________
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Identify the air mass that is generally associated with extremely hot and dry weather:
______________________________________________________________________________
3. Identify the air mass that is generally associated with bitterly cold weather: _______________
______________________________________________________________________________
4. Identify the air mass that is generally associated with heavy precipitation and wet weather all
year round: ____________________________________________________________________
Section 7: Global Winds and Pressure Systems
1. Identify the winds at D: _____________________
2. Identify the winds at L: _____________________
3. Identify the winds at H: _____________________
4. Identify what would be located near K and C:
__________________________________________
5. Illustrate and explain the principle of sea breeze:
6. Illustrate and explain the principle of land breeze:
7. Define high pressure system: ____________________________________________________
8. Define low pressure system: ____________________________________________________
9. What type of weather is associated with high pressure? _______________________________
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10. What type of weather is associated with low pressure? _______________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
11. What instrument is used to measure air pressure? ___________________________________
12. Air pressure is measured in: _______________________ or __________________________
Section 8: Fronts
1. Define fronts: ________________________________________________________________
2. What type of front is associated with bringing in warm weather? _______________________
3. What type of front is associated with bringing in cold weather? _________________________
Section 9: Fog
1. Explain how fog is formed: _____________________________________________________
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2. What are the two types of fog? ______________________ and ________________________
3. What type of fog is common in Vancouver? ________________________________________
Section 10: Station Models
Using the station model below answer the following questions:
Hint: For air pressure 9 or 10 is missing in front of the number given Eg: 965  996.5 mb or
012  1001.2 mb
1. At weather station X the wind direction is: _________________________________________
2. The air pressure at weather station Y is: ___________________________________________
3. Which station was the windiest? _________________________________________________
4. Identify two reasons that would indicate a warm front has passed: ______________________
and ___________________________.
5. What is the dew point at station Z? ___________
6. What would indicate in station Z that it will rain? ___________________________________