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MHS Earth Science
Earth-Sun Relationship Objectives:
1. Describe the effect that sun angle has on the amt. of solar radiation
a place receives.
2. Locate the position of the Earth during the seasons relative to the hemisphere
Vocabulary:
Tropic of Cancer
Axis
Solstice
Tropic of Capricorn
latitude
Equinox
Equator
longitude
zenith
Artic Circle
1. What causes the Earth to have seasons? The tilt of the Earth AND its revolution around the Sun
2. Label the seasons and the position of the Earth.
fall
spring
summer
winter
summer
winter
fall
A
spring
3. What are the dates for each in North America?
Where is the Sun directly overhead (at its zenith) on each date?
Date
Spring Equinox ___March 21___
Summer Solstice _June 21___
Suns direct rays
Date
equator___
__23.5o N_
Winter Solstice __Dec 21___
Do we ever see the Sun directly overhead here in Arizona? no
In the sky it will be is at 23.5o N (Tropic of Cancer)
__equator____
___23.5o S___
Why? We are too far north, the highest
What happens to the angle of the Sun’s rays as you travel farther north?
They will appear closer to the horizon
(lower in the sky)
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direct rays
Autumnal Equinox – Sept 22__
Weather Unit
Chapter 17.1 Characteristics of the Atmosphere
Objectives:
1. Differentiate between weather and climate
2. Describe the greenhouse effect and which gases are considered greenhouse gases.
3. Describe the role of aerosols and ozone in the atmosphere
Vocabulary:
Ozone
troposphere
stratosphere
climate
aerosols
greenhouse effect
weather
1. What is the difference between weather and climate? Weather is what is happening locally in the
atmosphere, very short term and over a small area.
Climate is the weather over 100’s of years and
covering a very large area (the desert southwest)
Composition of the Atmosphere
1. What are the 4 layers of the atmosphere?
a) troposphere
b) Stratosphere
c) mesosphere
d) thermosphere
c) What are the 2 major components of air?
Nitrogen and oxygen
d) Which two gasses are important meteorologically?
CO2 and H2O (carbon dioxide and water vapor)
e) What is the greenhouse effect?
When certain gases in the atmosphere trap heat against the Earth’s surface, increasing the
air temperature
List 2 greenhouse gases - carbon dioxide and water vapor
f) What is O3, and what is its importance to us?
Ozone, it filter out most of the Ultra Violet rays coming from the Sun
g) Where is ozone concentrated?
In the stratosphere
h) Our “weather” occurs in which layer of the atmosphere?
The “bottom” layer, the troposphere
i) What are aerosols? (condensation nuclei) Why are aerosols important?
Tiny (microscopic) particles in the air, pollen, dust, pollution
They are necessary for condensation to occur
j) Combustion of fossil fuels add vast quantities of which greenhouse gas to the atmosphere?
CO2 (carbon dioxide)
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Heat Transfer
17.2 Heat and Energy Transfer
Objectives:
1. Differentiate between heat and temperature.
2. Describe the 3 methods of heat transfer.
3. Give examples of high and low albedo
Vocabulary:
Temperature
Heat
Conduction
Albedo
electromagnetic spectrum
convection
radiation
1. List the forms of energy on the electromagnetic spectrum from low to high energy
Radio-Radar-Microwave-Infrared-Visible-Ultra Violet-X-ray-Gamma
2. List and describe the three mechanisms of heat transfer. Give an example of each.
Conduction - requires CONTACT between two objects Example- touching a hot stove!
Convection - requires fluids to transfer, (fluids such as liquid or air) Example – boiling water, the water at the
Bottom of the pool is cooler than at the top, the air at ceiling is warmer than the air close
To the floor
Radiation - energy moving through “empty” space does not require any medium to travel Example – roasting a marshmallow
The energy from the Sun
3. The Sun is the original source of heat for most everything on Earth but our atmosphere is actually heated
by the heat energy radiated from where? The heat from the surface of the Earth.
4. What is the difference between the heat transfer in large masses of land vs. heat transfer in a large body of
water? Land heats up fast, cools down fast, Water heats up slow, cools down slow
Using the diagram:
Which line on the graph represents a city by the water? City A
Cool summers, mild winters, water keeps it temperate
Which city has a greater range in temperature throughout
the year? City B hot summers, cold winters It is surrounded
by a vast expanse of land, no nearby large bodies of water
4. What is albedo? The energy that is reflected off a surface
List two surfaces with high albedo – water, fresh fallen snow
List two surfaces with low albedo – concrete, black asphalt pavement
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Chapter 18 Moisture, Clouds & Precipitation
18.1 Water in the Atmosphere
Objectives:
1. During phase changes when is energy absorbed and when is energy released?
a. Draw and label a diagram of phase changes including when energy is released and absorbed
2. Compare relative humidity and dew point.
a. How do warm and cold air compare in their ability to hold water vapor?
b. What can change the relative humidity of air?
Vocabulary:
Melting
Evaporation
Freezing
condensation
latent heat
saturation
Humidity
relative humidity
dew point
1. Label the phase changes and whether heat energy is being absorbed or released
Energy stored in the atmosphere
ENERGY ABSORBED
Melting
Energy
absorbed
Evaporation
Energy
absorbed
Condensation
Energy
released
Freezing
Energy
released
2. Define:
humidity: amount of water vapor in the
air
ENERGY RELEASED
relative humidity: the amount of water vapor in the air based on the temperature of the air
warm air can “hold” more water vapor than cool air
dew point: the temperature at which condensation occurs , the air is saturated
3. What does it mean if the wet bulb and the dry bulb readings on a psychrometer are nearly the same?
It means the air is very humid
4. What does it mean if the wet bulb and dry bulb readings are very far apart?
It means the air is very dry
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5. Calculate relative humidity using the chart in your text on page 747 . Dry bulb is 24o and Wet bulb is 14o.
RH = _______________ %
6. What time of day would you normally get the highest relative humidity reading?
In the early morning, (because it’s coolest in the early morning, just before sunrise)
7. What time of day would you normally get the lowest relative humidity reading?
Mid afternoon, during the warmest part of the day
8. As air becomes warmer, the amount of water vapor which the air can hold ____is more_________.
9. As air becomes cooler, the amount of water vapor which the air can hold _____is greater________
18.2 Clouds and Precipitation
Objectives:
1. What 3 things are necessary for clouds to form?
2. How are clouds classified?
Vocabulary:
Condensation nuclei
Nimbostratus
Cirrus
Cumulonimbus
stratus
cumulus
1. Describe what is necessary for a cloud to form.
1. Warm air rising
2. Air cools (because there is less pressure)
3. Aerosols (condensation nucli) are present and water vapor condenses around the aerosol to form
Tiny droplets of liquid water
2. Clouds are categorized by what two factors?
Their shape
Their height
3. Describe the weather associated with these types of clouds.
Cirrus – fair weather (high thin “wispy” clouds, little moisture)
Cumulus – humid weather(if enough clouds build up it could form a cumulonimbus cloud)
“fluffy” clouds
Cumulonimbus – storms, thunderstorms, possible hail or even tornados (towering clouds, dark on the
bottom because they are full of rain)
nimbostratus – overcast day, little to no sunshine, rain, from downpour to drizzle. (whole sky covered
with clouds)
Which cloud type blankets the sky and generates rain? nimbostratus
Tornadoes, thunder and lightning and hail are associated with what type of cloud? cumulonimbus
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Chapter 19 Air Pressure and Wind
Objectives:
1. Describe the direction of air movement in high pressure and in low pressure?
2. What is the ultimate energy source for wind?
3. What causes wind?
4. What direction does general weather patterns move across the U.S.?
Vocabulary:
High Pressure System
Low Pressure System
isobar
Coriolis effect
1. What causes different pressure cells in Earth atmosphere? Unequal heating of the earths surface
(remember warm air moves up= L, cool air moves down= H)
2. What causes wind? High pressure moves to a Low pressure area= wind
3. What direction is air moving when there is a low pressure center? UP
What type of weather can be the result of this pressure center? Clouds could form, weather changes
Possible rain/storms
4. What direction is air moving when there is a high pressure center? DOWN
What type of weather might you expect with a high pressure center? Fair weather, or no change in the
weather
5. What is an isobar? Lines on a map showing equal areas of air
pressure
6. Close spacing of the isobars means __high wind_______.
Wide spacing of isobars means ___gentle wind_______.
Mark an “X” on the map to the right where there would be
High winds.
Chapter 20- Air Masses, Fronts, and Severe Weather
Objectives:
1. Classify the different types of air masses.
2. Most severe weather happens along what type of front?
3. Describe the atmospheric conditions that produce severe weather.
a. Describe the characteristics of: thunderstorms, tornados and
hurricanes
b. How do we measure the severity of tornados and hurricanes?
c. What does climate change indicate about severe weather?
d. How is an El Nino or La Nina event triggered?
Vocabulary:
Air mass
front
thunderstorm
tornado
Fujita scale
Saffir-Simpson scale
tornado watch
El Nino/La Nina
Air Masses/Fronts
1. Describe the four types of air masses, their moisture and temperature.
Continental Polar (cP) ___dry and cold________
Continental Tropical (cT) ___dry and warm___________
Maritime Tropical (mT) ___wet/humid and warm__________
Maritime Polar (mP) ______wet/humid and cold___________
Which type(s) of air masses affect Arizona? cT and mT
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hurricane
tornado warning
2. What is a “front?” the boundary between two air masses
3. Which type of front is associated with severe weather? Cold front
What occurs when this front moves into an area that can create severe weather?
Cold front pushes warm air upward, clouds form, and thunderstorms, hail or even tornados can follow
Severe Weather
1. What conditions are necessary for the formation of a large thunderstorm or a tornado?
(3 things) 1. Low pressure
2. Cold front
3. Cumulonimbus clouds
2. What factors contribute to the formation of a hurricane?
Very Low pressure, lots of evaporation from warm water, light winds aloft begin to rotate
3. What scale is used to measure the intensity of hurricanes?
Saffir-Simpson Scale 1-5
4. What scale is used to measure the intensity of tornados?
Fujuita Scale 1-5
5. What is the difference between a tornado watch and a tornado warning?
Watch – current atmospheric conditions are such that a tornado COULD form
Warning – a funnel cloud has already been sighted, take shelter immediately
6. A violent storm of short duration is ranked highest among nature’s most destructive due to its
unpredictability, and erratic behaviors _____tornado_______.
7. Which type of severe weather is considered the largest and causes the most destruction?
hurricane
8. What happens when hurricanes move onto land?
Winds diminish encountering friction with land surface and no warm water to “feed” the storm
9. An unusually warm and strong countercurrent that occurs in the Pacific Ocean is referred to as __El Nino
____. What affect does this have on our weather? Dramatically changes weather patterns resulting in
Flooding in some areas while drought in others, mild winters while other areas
experience unusually cold and/or wet winters
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