Weather and Climate Set 1

Question 1

Atmosphere

Answer 1

The mixture of gases surrounding the earth

Question 2

Mesophere

Answer 2

The layer of atmosphere above the stratosphere to an altitude of about 80km above the surface of the earth

Question 3

Stratosphere

Answer 3

The layer of atmosphere above the troposphere in which temperature does not decrease with increasing altitude

Question 4

Thermosphere

Answer 4

The outermost layer of the earth’s atmosphere where the temperature falls with increasing altitude

Question 5

Tropopause

Answer 5

The boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere

Question 6

Troposphere

Answer 6

The layer of atmosphere extending approximately 8-17km upwards from the earths surface in which temperature decreases with increasing height

Question 7

Altitude

Answer 7

Height of land above sea level

Question 8

General Atmospheric Circulation

Answer 8

The pattern of wind and pressure belts within the atmosphere. The circulation is complex but certain movements occur regularly enough for us to recognise patterns of air pressure, distribution and winds

Question 9

Jet stream

Answer 9

A narrow belt of fast moving air near the top of the troposphere

Question 10

Latitude

Answer 10

The angular distance a place lies, either north or south from the equator

Question 11

Lapse rate

Answer 11

The rate at which temperature changes with altitude

Question 12

Rossby Waves

Answer 12

A series of large waves that occur in the westerlies in the mid latitudes in both hemispheres

Question 13

Anticyclone

Answer 13

A high pressure weather system with diverging air near the ground. Winds in the northern hemisphere flow clockwise in the system and the weather is dry

Question 14

Climate

Answer 14

The average weather over an area usually taken from records of the last 30 years. It describes seasonal pattern of temperature and precipitation

Question 15

Cool Temperate Western Maritime (CTWM) system

Answer 15

The seasonal pattern of weather experienced in the mid latitudes on the western side of continental land masses

Question 16

Depression

Answer 16

A low intensity cyclone or low pressure system frequently experienced in the CTWM climate. This is associated rising air, wind and precipitation . In the northern hemisphere winds blow in an anticlockwise direction towards the centre of low pressure

Question 17

Weather

Answer 17

Day-to-day state of atmosphere

Question 18

Climatic Hazard

Answer 18

A natural event brought about by weather or climate that threatens life and property

Question 19

Convection

Answer 19

When the lower air in the atmosphere is heated by the ground it expands and rises. This leads to instability withi the atmosphere and the formation of cumulonimbus clouds

Question 20

Monsoon

Answer 20

The seasonal reversal of pressure and wind direction, commonly associated with heavy precipitation, experienced when winds blow in from the ocean in southeast Asia during May-October

Question 21

Tropical Revolving Storm

Answer 21

It covers hurricanes, tropical cyclones and typhoons. These intense low-pressure systems are associated with rainfall and wind speeds

Question 22

Albedo

Answer 22

The reflectivity of a surface. It is the ratio between incoming insolation and the amount of energy reflected back into the atmosphere. Light surfaces= high albedo

Question 23

Microclimate

Answer 23

The small scale variations in temperature, humidity, precipitation, wind speed and evaporation that occur in an environment

Question 24

Photochemical Smog

Answer 24

A form of air pollution that mainly occurs in citie and can be dangerous to health. Exhaust fumes are trapped by temperature inversions, and in the presence of sunlight, ozone forms. It is associated with high pressure systems

Question 25

Temperature Inversion

Answer 25

Atmospheric condition in which temperature increases with height. Inversions are extremely stable conditions and do not allow convection, trapping pollution in the lower layer of the atmosphere

Question 26

Urban Heat Island

Answer 26

The zone around and above an urban area which has higher temperatures than the surrounding rural areas

Question 27

Climatic Change

Answer 27

Evidence shows that change has always been a part of Earth’s climate.

Question 28

Global Warming

Answer 28

The recent gradual warming of the Earth’s atmosphere largely as a result of human activity