Student Scientist:___________________Date:______________________ (UPDATED)
Lab: Humidity and Weather
(adapted from: cmsbjoyce.pbworks.com/f/Weather+WebQuest.doc)
Research the following websites and answer questions.
Humidity
Humidity measures the amount of moisture in the air. It can be measured with a
hygrometer or a sling psychrometer.
http://www.wildwildweather.com/humidity.htm
What is relative humidity?
Relative humidity depends on what two factors?
The temperature at which the relative humidity reaches 100% is also known as what?
Temperature
Temperature measures the hot or coldness of the air.
There are 3 scales: Kelvin, Celsius, and Fahrenheit. The units are degrees.
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/weather-temperature.htm
Convert 55oF to Celsius
Convert 25 oC to Fahrenheit
Calculate the Wind Chill Factor if the temperature is 35oF and the wind speed is 10 MPH.
Wind speed and direction
Wind speed and direction are measured with an anemometer and a weather van. It tells the
direction the wind is blowing and the speed. The units are miles per hour.
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/epz/?n=wxcalc_windconvert
Complete the following chart using a wind speed of 22 MPH.
mph (miles per hour)
knots
m/s (meters per second)
ft/s (feet per second)
km/h (kilometers per hour)
mph
knots
m/s
ft/s
km/h
Air Pressure
Air pressure is force exerted on you by the weight of the air. It is measured with a
barometer. Barometers are used to measure the current air pressure at a particular location
in “inches of mercury” or in “millibars” (mb).
http://kids.earth.nasa.gov/archive/air_pressure/index.html
Read the information on the website.
Click on the Hot Air Balloon on the right. Answer the following questions.
1. If you were on a mountain, would the weight of the air above you (air pressure)
be greater than or less than it is now? Explain why?
2. What do you think causes wind?
3. If you lived in Kansas and observed a sudden drop in air pressure (low air
pressure), describe what kind of weather would you expect to see soon?
4. Why do think hot air balloons rise?
5. Air weighs less than water, would you expect the pressure exerted by water to be
greater or less than the pressure exerted by the same amount of air? Explain
why?
Precipitation
Five main forms of precipitation: rain, sleet, snow, freezing rain and hail. The following
website outlines the atmospheric conditions that allow each type of precipitation to form.
Precipitation can be measured with a rain gauge.
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/cld/prcp/home.rxml
Read each section of this website.
What form of precipitation do you think would have the most significant impact in our
area. Why?
Tornados
Tornados are funnels of high speed, spinning air. A tornado watch means that one is
possible; a tornado warning means that one has been spotted nearby. Tornadoes can be
classified with the Fujita scale.
http://tornado-facts.com/
Read all information on the website and choose the two most interesting facts about
twisters.
Hurricanes
Hurricanes are severe tropical storm that forms over water. Hurricanes rotate in a
counterclockwise direction around an “eye.” A hurricane is classified when winds reach
74 mph. The Saffir-Simpson scale can be used to classify hurricanes.
http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/
This is a live website. Do we have an active hurricane?
Describe the live weather map shown, including date and time.
Read the information concerning classifying hurricanes.
http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/laescae.html
In your own words, describe the different categories of hurricanes.
Drought
A drought is a deficiency of precipitation over an extended period of time, usually one
season or more. A drought is a prolonged, abnormally dry period when there is not
enough water for users’ normal needs.
This is a US drought monitor. Click “Visit NDMC Photo Gallery,” search for North
Carolina, and look at 2007 and 2008 Drought Photos.
http://www.drought.unl.edu/dm/monitor.html
Compare the 2007 photos to the photos taken in 2008. How are they alike or different?
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Floods
Floods are caused by stationary or slow-moving thunderstorms that produce heavy rain
over a small area. Flash floods can strike any time and any place with little or no warning.
Natural processes, such as hurricanes, weather systems, and snowmelt, can cause floods.
Failure of levees or dams and inadequate drainage can also result in flooding.
http://www.fema.gov/areyouready/flood.shtm
How would you or your family use this information?
Tsunami
A tsunami is a series of waves generated by an undersea disturbance such as an
earthquake. From the area of the disturbance, the waves will travel outward in all
directions, almost like the ripples caused by throwing a rock into a pond. The tsunami is
proportional to the intensity of the earthquake.
Watch “How Tsunamis Work” Video
http://science.howstuffworks.com/tsunami.htm
List 2 facts about a tsunami.
Weather Folklore
Watch the video and answer each question.
http://weather.weatherbug.com/weathereducation/lp/connections/1108_Connections_Folklore.wmv
List a weather folklore that you have heard from your parents, grandparents, etc.
Describe what this folklore means.
Weather Games:
Wild Weather Adventure
http://spaceplace.nasa.gov/en/kids/goes/wwa/#
Catch Snow
http://www.weatherwizkids.com/snowflakes.swf