Earth Science Weather Variable Review Sheet
Topics: Air Temperature, Air Pressure, Density, Humidity (Absolute and Relative),
Dew Point Temperature, Winds, Planetary Wind and Moisture Belts, Cloud
Formation, Land and Sea Breeze, Calculating Cloud Base (graph), and
Precipitation.
Text: Barron’s Book: Chapter 23; pp. 565-584
Practice: Barron’s Book: Questions 1-30 on pp.599-605.
Air Temperature:
 Know how to use the conversion temperature scale on pg. 13 of the ESRT.
 Instrument used to take temperature.
Air Pressure:
 Know how to use the conversion pressure scale on pg. 13 of the ESRT.
 Instruments used to measure pressure.
 Understand the factors for air pressure: temperature, moisture/humidity, and
altitude.
 What are the differences between high and low pressure systems?
Density
 Understand how convection currents work in the atmosphere.
 How do warm and cold air move in the atmosphere?
Humidity
 Humidity = Water Vapor/Moisture in the atmosphere
 How does water vapor get into the atmosphere?
 Understand the factors that affect humidity: temperature, surface area, water
vapor currently in the air, and wind speed.
 What is relative humidity?
 100% Relative Humidity = Saturated Air
 Know how to use the chart on relative humidity on pg. 12 of the ESRT.
 Instrument used to determine relative humidity.
Dew Point
 What is the dew point temperature?
 What happens when the dew point temperature and air temperature are close to
each other, or the same?
 Know how to use the chart on dew point temperatures on pg. 12 of the ESRT.
 Instrument used to determine dew point.
Winds
 Instruments used to measure winds.
 How do winds move (High- to Low-Pressure or from Low- to High-Pressure)?
 What causes winds on the surface of Earth?
 Understand the convection currents for land and sea breezes between day and
night.
Cloud Formation
 Understand the conditions for the formation of a cloud (air rises and cools,
expands, meets the dew point temperature, and condenses).
 What are condensation nuclei?
 How to use the graph to determine the altitude of a cloud base.
 Understand fog, frost, and dew.
Planetary Wind Belts
 Know how to use the chart on pg. 14 of the ESRT.
 Why do the winds curve?
 What is the name of the planetary wind belt for the United States?
 In what direction do the winds move over the United States?
 Where are the high- and low-pressure latitudes?
 Understand the difference between convergent and divergent winds.
 What occurs when surface winds converge?
 What type of weather condition occurs when upper atmospheric winds converge
and fall to the surface of Earth?
Precipitation
 What are the different types of precipitation?
 Understand the weather conditions for each type of precipitation.
 What instrument is used to measure precipitation?