Science Final - Weather and Atmosphere

Question 1

What is the atmosphere?

Answer 1

the envelope of gases that surround the earth

Question 2

what are the two most abundant gases in the atmosphere?

Answer 2

nitrogen and oxygen

Question 3

why is the earths atmosphere important to all living things on earth?

Answer 3

it provides the gases that all living organisms need to survive

Question 4

what happens to air pressure as you go up in the atmosphere?

Answer 4

it decreases

Question 5

layers of the atmosphere are classified according to changes in what?

Answer 5

temperature

Question 6

list the layers in order form earth to space

Answer 6

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere,

Question 7

what is the lowest and shallowest layer of the atmosphere?

Answer 7

troposphere

Question 8

in which layer does our weather occur?

Answer 8

troposphere

Question 9

in which layer is the ozone layer found?

Answer 9

stratosphere

Question 10

the ozone protects all living things on earth from what?

Answer 10

the suns ultraviolet rays

Question 11

what is the layer between the stratosphere and the thermosphere?

Answer 11

mesosphere

Question 12

which layer protects earth from being hit by meteoroids?

Answer 12

mesosphere

Question 13

what is the first layer of the atmosphere that an astronaut travels through during reentry from space?

Answer 13

exosphere

Question 14

winds are caused by differences in what?

Answer 14

air pressure

Question 15

what large clouds often produce thunderstorms?

Answer 15

cumulonimbus

Question 16

what are very high, feathery clouds called?

Answer 16

cirrus

Question 17

layered clouds that often cover much of the sky and are a dull gray color are called what?

Answer 17

stratus

Question 18

what is precipitation?

Answer 18

any form of water that falls to the earth from clouds

Question 19

cold, dry air that effects the northern United States in winter often come for what type of air masses?

Answer 19

continental polar

Question 20

when a rapidly moving cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass what kind of front occurs?

Answer 20

cold front

Question 21

when a warm air mass and a cold air mass meet and either can move, the result is what kind of front?

Answer 21

stationery front

Question 22

a funnel shaped cloud that touches earth surface is called what?

Answer 22

tornado

Question 23

what are isobars and what do they correct?

Answer 23

lines on a weather map that connect areas of equal pressure

Question 24

on a weather map what do lines with half circles indicate?

Answer 24

warm front

Question 25

what kind of weather would a continental tropical air mass that formed over northern mexico bring to to the southwestern US?

Answer 25

Hot and Dry

Question 26

when a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass, it forms what kind of front?

Answer 26

warm front

Question 27

thunderstorms form within what types of clouds?

Answer 27

cumulonimbus

Question 28

places shown on a weather map that have the same temperature are connected by what?

Answer 28

isotherm lines

Question 29

what is humidity?

Answer 29

a measure of humidity in the air

Question 30

what are sky conditions? how are they measured?

Answer 30

the state of the sky, in other words sky conditions describe the amount of cloud cover, the luminosity of the sun, and the visibility or clearness of the atmosphere. we use terms like clouds, partly cloudy, clear, and foggy to describe sky conditions

Question 31

what is weather?

Answer 31

the condition of earths atmosphere at a specific time and place

Question 32

what is climate?

Answer 32

the pattern of temperature and precipitation of an area over a long period of time

Question 33

what is barometric pressure?

Answer 33

the weight of the atmosphere over the earth

Question 34

how does the sun cause precipitation

Answer 34

it causes evaporation of the water on earths surface which enters the water cycle eventually returns to earth as precipitation

Question 35

how does the sun cause temperature

Answer 35

the suns rays heat earths surface

Question 36

how does the sun cause wind

Answer 36

the uneven heating of earths surface causes differences in pressure which lead to wind

Question 37

what is a high pressure system

Answer 37

a high pressure system is associated with cool and dry air, fair weather, sunny skies and light winds

Question 38

what is a low pressure system

Answer 38

a low pressure system is associated with warm and humid air, cloudy skies and strong winds

Question 39

what is the symbol for high pressure system?

Answer 39

Blue "H"

Question 40

what is the symbol for low pressure system?

Answer 40

Red "L"

Question 41

what type of weather is along cold front?

Answer 41

cool weather with rain/snow and the possibility of storm

Question 42

what type of weather is along a warm front?

Answer 42

warm, cloudy weather maybe a few light showers

Question 43

describe cirrus clouds and the type of weather they bring

Answer 43

thin, wispy clouds that form in front of a warm front and predict a change in weather

Question 44

describe stratus clouds and the type of weather they bring

Answer 44

uniform, grayish clouds, cover the entire sky, can release light mist/drizzle

Question 45

describe nimbostratus clouds and the type of weather they bring

Answer 45

dark gray clouds associated with continuous falling rain or snow

Question 46

describe cumulus clouds and the type of weather they bring

Answer 46

fluffy white clouds associated with fair weather

Question 47

describe cumulonimbus clouds and the type of weather they bring

Answer 47

thunderstorm clouds, associated with rain, snow, lightning and tornadoes

Question 48

what is an isotherm map?

Answer 48

a map of lines that connect areas of equal temperature