1. List the 3 most abundant gases in the atmosphere from most abundant to least abundant.
Nitrogen, Oxygen, Argon
2. State the relationship between altitude and air pressure (and air density and air temp.).
As altitude increases (higher up you go); pressure, density, and temp. decrease.
3. State the importance of each layer of the atmosphere (including sub-layers)
Troposphere- Weather & layer we live in
Stratosphere- contains the ozone layer that blocks out UV rays
Mesosphere- burns up meteorites
Ionosphere- radio waves bounce back to Earth; Exosphere- where satellites orbit
4. The type of radiation that heats up the Earth is called infrared radiation.
5. State the greenhouse effect.
Gases trap radiated heat from Earth’s surface.
6. What does Earth’s surface do with most of the energy it receives from the sun?
Radiates or conducts heat to the air above Earth’s surface
7. What is conduction?
Heat transfer by direct contact or touch
8. Describe convection and its role in contributing to the majority of heating that takes place in
the troposphere.
Cool air sinks, gets heated by Earth’s surface, becomes warm, and rises. This cycle
repeats.
9. What is the reason for winds? Hint- Deals with pressure.
Colder air with higher pressure moves under warm air rising (lower pressure).
10. Storms in the U.S. move from West to East.
11. Why do global winds curve? What is the name of this effect?
B/c of Earth’s rotation; Coriolis Effect
12. Why will a mud puddle shrink on a warm summer day?
The heat causes evaporation
13. Why won’t your sweat evaporate as quickly when it is close to 100% humidity outside?
The air already has the maximum amount of water vapor it can hold.
14. Describe the following clouds in terms of their appearance and the weather they bring:
Stratus, Cumulus, Cumulonimbus.
Stratus- low-lying, grey, light precipitation
Cumulus- fluffy, fair weather
Cumulonimbus- tall and dark, thunderstorms
15. A maritime air mass is humid, while a continental air mass is dry. Also, a polar air mass is
cold, while a tropical air mass is warm.
16. Describe the difference between a cold and a warm front in terms of how they form and how
they are symbolized on a weather map. Draw the symbol for a warm front to show that it is
heading North.
Cold front (blue triangles)- cold air overtakes warm air
Warm front (red half-circles facing upward/North)- warm air overtakes cold air but still
moves above it
17. Describe the difference between a stationary front and an occluded front in terms of how they
form and how they are symbolized on a weather map.
Stationary Front (triangles and half-circles facing opposite directions)- Warm and cold air
meet but are unable to move each other.
Occluded (triangles and half-circles facing the same direction)- Warm air is cut off from
the ground by 2 cooler air masses.
18. Contrast a cyclone and anticyclone in terms their air pressure and the weather they bring.
Cyclone (low pressure, air moving upward)- Clouds and precipitation
Anticyclone (high pressure, air moving downward)- Dry and clear
19. Explain why low pressure indicates a certain type of weather. Be sure to use the following
terms: warm air, water vapor, condensing, clouds and precipitation.
Warm air rising cools down when it gets high enough. Then the water vapor in it
condenses to form clouds ands precipitation.
20. Where is a state where a tornado is likely to form?
Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, Iowa, South Dakota
21. Where do hurricanes typically form? Over warm ocean water.
22. Explain how lake-effect snow forms.
Cold, dry air blows over the Great Lakes picking up moisture. Then when this air mass
reaches land it cools and snow forms.
23. Why has weather forecasting improved in recent years?
More data and computers
24. Doppler radar is used to… track thunderstorms
25. Why is a barometer important for predicting the weather?
A barometer measures air pressure, which can be used to predict the weather (see # 18).
26. Why do most clouds form high in altitude?
It is cooler up there so water vapor can condense onto solid particles in the air.
27. Describe the location of U.S. cities that do not have a large temperature change year round.
West Coast- Moist air blows inland (West to East due to the prevailing westerlies and jet
streams).