Science Praxis: Earth and Space Science - Water and Atmosphere

In the water cycle, energy from the sun heats the water, changing the liquid water into a gas. It loses energy and falls back to Earth. Which step in the water cycle is #2 in the diagram shown? (arrow from clouds to ground) A. precipitation B. condensation C. runoff D. evaporation

A.

Which of the following best describes nimbostratus clouds? A. dark, misty clouds which cover the whole sky and indicate rain or snow B. layered, patchy clouds which indicate fair weather C. large, towering clouds which indicate thunderstorms and severe weather D. clouds with a fluffy, cotton-like appearance which indicate fair weather

A.

An air mass that originates over a large body of water near the equator is most likely to be described as: A. warm and humid. B. cold and dry. C. cold and humid. D. warm and dry.

A. An air mass that generates over a large body of water will most likely be warm and humid. The air will be warm because water near the equator is warm, and the air will be humid because it is forming over water.

The Earth's atmosphere is mainly composed of oxygen and which of the following elements? A. nitrogen B. hydrogen C. helium D. carbon dioxide

A. The atmosphere is about 78% nitrogen.

layered, patchy clouds; indicate fair weather

Altocumulus

gray clouds that cover the whole sky; indicate rain or snow

Altostratus

Symbols on a meteorologist's weather map are best used to show: A. rotation of the Earth. B. wind movement. C. composition of comets. D. location of the asteroid belt

B.

When a meteorologist says: "The humidity is very high in Houston, Texas, today," what is he referring to? A. amount of precipitation expected for the day B. barometric pressure C. amount of moisture in the air D. wind streng

C.

Of the following, which describes a sound? A. a submarine ridge composed of coral or rocks B. a fan-shaped deposit of sediment at the mouth or opening of a canyon or river C. a flat region or plain on the ocean floor D. a large inlet of the ocean

D.

........... are lines connecting two areas of similar pressure on the map. Isobars that are close together indicate a large difference in pressure, so the air will move quickly to correct the imbalance. This results in strong winds. ........ also tell direction of the wind, because air moves in a clockwise direction around areas of high pressure and a counterclockwise direction around areas of low pressure in the Northern Hemisphere.

Isobars

........ refer to the rising and falling sea levels due to gravitational pulls by the sun, moon, and Earth's rotation.

Tides

a flat region or plain on the ocean floor

abyssal plain

The pressure of these layers pushing down on one another due to gravity is known as ...........

air pressure

a fan-shaped deposit of sediments at the mouth or opening of a canyon or river

alluvial fan

the region where a river meets the ocean; composed of brackish water

estuary

The ....... causes most of the tidal movements.

moon

a large submarine area of low elevation

ocean basin

Layer directly above troposphere Layer containing ozone

stratosphere earth troposphere Stratosphere mesosphere Thermosphere

The precipitation falls into bodies of water on Earth's surface or on land where it runs off into the bodies of water (..............). It can also percolate into the ground to become part of the groundwater supply.

surface runoff

an underwater mountain with a flat top

tablemount / guyot

Test questions tend to ask about the first three layers the most.

troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere

When water is a gas and in the air, it's called .............

water vapor

Uneven heating of the Earth drives ..........

weather

In which layer of the atmosphere does weather occur? A. troposphere B. mesosphere C. thermosphere D. stratosphere

A. The layer closest to the Earth, where weather occurs, is called the troposphere.

The uneven heating of the Earth results in which of the following? A. Deserts commonly found near the equator. B. Large ice sheets found between 66.5 degrees north latitude and 66.5 degrees south latitude. C. The melting of polar ice caps. D. Deserts commonly found near the Tropic of Cancer and Tropic of Capricorn.

D.

The water vapor rises into the upper atmosphere where it cools and condenses from a gas to a liquid or freezes into a solid, forming clouds (.........).

condensation

the region where the continental slope meets the abyssal plain

continental rise

the gently sloping part of the continent that is under the ocean's surface

continental shelf

a feature of increased elevation at the boundary between two tectonic plates; formed at a divergent plate boundary

ocean ridge

a large inlet of the ocean

sound

a narrow stretch of water between two landmasses; connects two larger bodies of water

strait

The volcanic eruption of Mt. St. Helens in 1980 deposited a large amount of ash in the local atmosphere. Which of the following changes to the Earth's system was reflected in the aftermath of the explosion? A. increased solar reflection that resulted in lower temperatures in the affected areas B. increased solar reflection that resulted in higher temperatures in the affected areas C. decreased solar reflection that resulted in higher temperatures in the affected areas D. decreased solar reflection that resulted in lower temperatures in the affected areas

A. The ash in the atmosphere increased the probability that light rays would reflect off the ash and back into space instead of the light rays reaching Earth. When less sunlight passes through the atmosphere, Earth's surface and atmosphere remain cooler.

In the water cycle, energy from the sun heats the water, changing the liquid water into a gas. It loses energy and falls back to Earth. Which step in the water cycle is depicted by #4 in the diagram shown? (arrow from ground to sun) A. Precipitation B. evaporation C. condensation D. runoff

B.

Which of the following is the Coriolis Effect most likely to influence? A. the humidity of a European air mass B. the circulation pattern of global winds C. the duration of a tsunami D. the amount of radiation from the sun reaching the surface of the Earth

B.

Mr. Crane, a geologist, studies glacial movement. These slow-moving sheets of ice provide needed resources for many organisms. What could be an immediate environmental impact if the temperatures of the glaciers were increased to 5° Celsius? A. continental drift causing Earthquakes B. flooding of ecosystems C. weathering of the ice D. global warming

B. The melting point of ice is 0° Celsius. If the temperatures of the glaciers increased to 5° Celsius, the ice would melt and the water levels would increase, causing floods. Ecosystems would be greatly impacted.

Climate is different than weather because weather: A. depends on the angle of the sun's rays. B. changes on a daily basis. C. is the measurement of air movement. D. is the average weather conditions for an extended period of time.

B. Weather changes on a daily basis because heat energy, air pressure, wind, and moisture interact differently each and every day. This affects temperature and atmospheric conditions.

What powers the ocean's surface currents? A. the path of watercraft, the migration patterns of marine organisms, and wind currents B. wind currents, the uneven heating of Earth's surface, and the shape of landforms on Earth C. temperature variations in the ocean, plastics pollution, and the movement of the tides D. atmospheric pressure, geothermal vents, and the gravitational pull of the moon

B. Wind currents, the uneven heating of Earth's surface, and the shape of landforms on Earth drive the ocean's surface currents.

Which of the following bodies of water is used for the passage of boats from one large body of water to another? A. strait B. canal C. gulf D. bay

B. canal

Janeth is at the lake with her friends on a beautiful day. By evening, she and her friends are hurrying towards shelter from an oncoming thunderstorm. What is the most likely cause of this sudden thunderstorm? A. The thunderheads were brought north from the equator due to the Coriolis Effect. B. A surface current in the lake has carried cold water to the shore. This water has evaporated and re-condensed into thunderheads. C. A cold air front has met a warm air front and forced the warm air up. The moisture in the air condensed into thunderheads. D. An occluded front has moved into the area and brought rain with it.

C. When cold air fronts meet warm air fronts, the warmer, less dense air is forced upward. When it reaches a low enough temperature, it condenses into thunderheads.

thin, patchy, grainy appearance; indicate fair weather

Cirrocumulus

veil-like, thin clouds that cover the whole sky; seen in winter; cause a halo effect around the sun; indicate incoming rain or snow

Cirrostratus

feathery clouds made mostly of ice crystals; indicate a change in the weather

Cirrus

.............. refers to an area's long-term weather patterns. ......... usually refers to a set of averages, including temperature, precipitation, humidity, wind, and other atmospheric conditions occurring over a long period of time.

Climate

.......... are formed when water vapor in the atmosphere condenses into liquid water droplets or ice crystals. The types of ......... can be distinguished by their height and composition. Almost all clouds occur in the troposphere.

Clouds

,..........., or the boundaries of an advancing mass of cold air, are signified by blue lines with blue triangles in the direction the front is moving. Cold air follows a cold front.

Cold fronts

In the water cycle, energy from the sun heats the water, changing the liquid water into a gas. It loses energy and falls back to Earth. Which step in the water cycle is depicted by #1 in the diagram shown? (arrow is between the sun and pointing to cloud)

Condensation is when the water vapor in the atmosphere cools and changes from a gas to a liquid, forming clouds.

While the air masses are rising and falling, they move in swirls relative to Earth's surface due to their inertia. This is known as the ...........

Coriolis Effect.

impressive, towering appearance; indicate thunderstorms and severe weather

Cumulonimbus

fluffy, cotton-like appearance; indicate fair weather

Cumulus

Ms. Kubis takes her science class on a nature walk. On their walk, they spot cirrus clouds. What does this type of cloud indicate? A. The students can expect a snow day the next day. B. A jet plane has flown by recently. C. A thunderstorm is incoming. D. There is an impending change in the wea

D. Cirrus clouds indicate an incoming change in the weather.

dark, misty clouds that cover the whole sky; indicate rain or snow

Nimbostratus

......................., where warm fronts and cold fronts intersect, are signified by purple lines with purple triangles and purple semicircles next to each other. This trapped air can result in patchy, light rain.

Occluded fronts

.......... is related to the amount of salt dissolved in the water.

Salinity

patchy, gray or white appearance; indicate an incoming storm

Stratocumulus

misty, foggy clouds; indicate fair but gloomy weather

Stratus

A combination of wind currents, the uneven heating of Earth's surface, and the shape of landforms on Earth causes surface currents in the ocean. ......... are river-like movements of water of different temperatures within the ocean. Some currents carry warm water away from the equator, and other currents carry cold water to the equator.

Surface currents

......., where the air is turbulent and unstable, are signified by black or orange lines.

Troughs

.............., or the boundaries of an advancing mass of warm air, are signified by red lines with red semicircles in the direction the front is moving. Warm air follows a warm front.

Warm fronts

......... refers to an area's short-term atmospheric conditions. ....... includes amount of sunshine, precipitation, cloud cover, humidity (amount of water vapor in the air), wind, floods, ice, and temperature. Weather can change in an instant and is often difficult to predict with precision.

Weather

Earth's ........., the gases surrounding the surface of the Earth, contains primarily nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%), as well as small amounts of carbon dioxide, argon, and trace amounts of other gases.

atmosphere

a ring-shaped island or coral reef atop submarine volcanoes

atoll

an area of higher elevation compared to the seafloor around it, such as a submarine hill

bank

islands of deposited sand and sediments which run parallel to the coastline

barrier islands

The moon's gravity causes ........, pulling water from other areas toward the side of the Earth closest to the moon.

bulges

the region where the continental shelf meets the continental rise; this region is sloped to connect the two

continental slope

depositions of sediments at the mouth of a river due to the slowing of the flow of water carrying the sediments

deltas

The sun's rays hit more directly near .......... than at higher latitudes.

equator

The sun's rays strike the Earth and heat it up. The more direct the rays are, and the smaller the surface area where the rays strike, the warmer that part of the Earth will be. Since the Earth is tilted 23.5 degrees, the sun's rays strike the ..............., or middle of the Earth, most directly.

equator

In ......., water on the Earth is heated by the sun and changes from a liquid to water vapor.

evaporation

The .............. provides a boundary between the thermosphere and outer space. It extends from the top of the thermosphere up to 10,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface.

exosphere

When ........ collide, it typically rains. Cold fronts can cause serious .................

fronts thunderstorms

an inlet of the sea or ocean bordered on several sides by land

gulf

The moon's gravity also pulls the Earth toward the moon, leaving deeper water on the far side of the Earth, as well. These areas of higher water levels are said to be experiencing ............ As the moon orbits around the Earth, it causes the bulges to rotate as well.

high tide

The air becomes saturated with water (........), which then falls back to the Earth's surface as a form of ........ - rain, snow, sleet, or hail.

humidity precipitation

The ............ overlaps the mesosphere and thermosphere. It contains ions and free electrons which are able to reflect radio waves.

ionosphere

Sometimes volcanoes cause a ring-shaped island to form around a ............., or still body of water. These ring-shaped islands are called ................

lagoon, atolls

A particular location on Earth experiences high tide about every 12 hours and 25 minutes. The areas outside the bulges experience low water levels known as ............

low tide

The .............. protects the Earth. It gets colder the higher you go, getting to the coldest temperatures found in the atmosphere.

mesosphere

The Earth is protected from ......... due to friction by the atmospheric particles found in this layer.

meteoroids

This happens every two weeks, during full moons and new moons. When the moon and sun pull on the Earth in two different directions, .......... leads to smaller tides.

neap tide

The Earth rotating "below" them causes the air currents to deflect. Air moves counterclockwise in the .......... hemisphere, north of the equator, and clockwise in the ........... hemisphere, south of the equator. It is also responsible for cyclones rotating counterclockwise in the northern hemisphere and clockwise in the southern hemisphere.

northern southern

a long crevasse or fissure in the ocean floor; formed in a subduction zone at a convergent plate boundary

ocean trench

The ............... is found in the stratosphere. Ozone is a form of oxygen which blocks the sun's harmful .............., which can damage living organisms.

ozone layer ultraviolet radiation

The polar zone extends from 66.5 degrees north and south latitude to the north and south poles. It is characterized by a short, cool summer, and a long, extremely cold winter and low amounts of precipitation.

polar

The uneven heating of the Earth has other effects besides temperature. Since warmer air can hold more moisture, areas close to the equator receive more rainfall than areas farther north or south. The warm, moist air rises into the atmosphere, where it cools and the water condenses into precipitation. Due to these effects, .......... are commonly found near the equator.

rainforests

The ...... is related to the amount of salts present in a sample of salt water. Earth's oceans have an average salinity of 3.5%, or 35 grams of salt per kilogram of salt water.

salinity

an underwater mountain

seamount

a sandbar or submarine ridge

shoal

The two forces that power this cycle are .......... and gravity. ......... provides enough heat to cause evaporation and transpiration. Once that water vapor cools in the atmosphere, it loses energy and condenses, and gravity provides the force needed for the precipitation to fall back to Earth.

solar energy

The sun also causes tidal effects, but they are much smaller than the moon's effects. When the sun, moon, and Earth line up, these effects compound and create even larger tides, called ........

spring tides

a narrow waterway between two landforms; similar to a channel

strait

The ............. lies above the troposphere. It gets warmer the higher you go. It contains strong eastward winds called jet streams, which blow horizontally around the Earth

stratosphere

There are many types of charts which meteorologists use to read and predict weather conditions. Current weather conditions are summarized in a .................. A synoptic chart is a map which includes pressure patterns, fronts, wind direction, and speed.

synoptic chart

The ........... zone extends from 23.5 degrees to 66.5 degrees north and south latitude. It is characterized by warm summers, cool winters, and moderate rainfall.

temperate

The ................ contains very thin air with very high temperatures. Aurora and satellites can be found here

thermosphere

In ..........., water within plant leaves exits as water vapor in to the air.

transpiration

The .......... zone extends from the Tropic of Cancer at 23.5 degrees north latitude to the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.5 degrees south latitude. It is characterized by warm temperatures and large amounts of rainfall.

tropical

There are three climate zones: ............,...............,........... Climate zone depends on latitude and affects the average temperature and precipitation.

tropical, temperate, and polar

The ............ is the layer closest to the Earth where weather (including all clouds) occurs. It gets colder the higher you go.

troposphere

-When water is a gas and in the air, it's called water vapor. In evaporation, water on the Earth is heated by the sun and changes from a liquid to water vapor. In transpiration, water within plant leaves exits as water vapor in to the air. -The water vapor rises into the upper atmosphere where it cools and condenses from a gas to a liquid or freezes into a solid, forming clouds (condensation). -The air becomes saturated with water (humidity), which then falls back to the Earth's surface as a form of precipitation - rain, snow, sleet, or hail. -The precipitation falls into bodies of water on Earth's surface or on land where it runs off into the bodies of water (surface runoff). It can also percolate into the ground to become part of the groundwater supply.

water cycle