Quiz 1: Weather Factors of the Sky
At sea level, what is the atmospheric pressure?
14.7 PSI
Why is the equator warmer than the poles?
Because the Sun's energy is spread over a smaller area
How are wind and ocean currents similar?
Both are caused by temperature and pressure differences
Precipitation occurs when
Could droplets get too heavy and fall
What causes seasons?
Earth's tilt
What type of weather do cirrus clouds represent?
Fair weather
What precipitation would be like small rocks hitting you?
Hail
In order to increase the rate of evaporation, what has to be done to the temperature?
Increase the temperature
What is true about cold air?
It sinks, it holds less water vapor than warm air, and it is more dense that warm air.
Why does it rain a lot in Hawaii or on tropical islands?
Its cloudy, warm and humid/its lush and full of plants/its near the equator
What is condensation?
The change of state from a gas to a liquid and creates clouds
Why does air have weight?
The pressure of air molecules colliding gives them weight
Why do desert climates have hot days and cold nights?
The sky is clear and there are no clouds
What layer of the atmosphere are high pressure systems found?
Troposphere
Clouds have effects such as
Warming Earth's surface at night, cooling Earth's surface during the day and reflecting the Sun's rays
What is the difference between weather and climate?
Weather changes daily and climate changes over time
Increasing altitude decreases what?
air pressure
What tool is used to measure air pressure?
barometer
High air pressure means that the air is _____________________
colder and heavier
What is an air mass that forms over land?
continental air mass
Air that comes in from the ocean during the day is usually...
cooler than the air on land
What type of clouds usually look like different shapes?
cumulus
The amount of water that evaporates from Earth is_____________
equal to the amount that falls as precipitation
When driving early in the morning, what low level cloud reduces visibility
fog
Weather patterns in the Northern Hemisphere move
from West of East over the US
With an occluded front, ...
grab a sweater because it's going to be cool
If you see dark, thick, nimbostratus clouds, what will you forecast?
heavy precipitation
The air pressure on the top of Mount Everest is ________ than the air pressure at the bottom of the Grand Canyon
less than
Which Sun rays are part of the electromagnetic spectrum?
radio waves, microwaves, x-rays, visible rays, gamma rays
Liquid droplets that fall from the sky are
rain
Air tends to flow faster over what type of formation?
taller formations
How is water added to the atmosphere?
transpiration, evaporation, and sublimation
A front forms when...
two different types of air masses meet
Why does low pressure usually mean bad weather?
warm air rises and condenses, usually forming clouds and precipitation
What types of fronts produce light precipitation
warm and stationary fronts