The Making of Weather

Why does the Earth have weather?

• gravity

• Sun's energy

• centrifugal force

• speed of Earth's rotation

The equator is warmer than the poles on Earth. Why?

• The equator is closer to the sun.

• Sun's energy is not evenly distributed due to all the wind on Earth.

• The poles don't absorb as much sunlight due to its topography.

• Sun's energy is not evenly distributed due to the Earth being spherical.

Earth's atmosphere is made up mostly of what 2 gases?

• nitrogen and oxygen

• oxygen and carbon dioxide

• nitrogen and hydrogen

• oxygen and hydrogen

Trace amounts of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere allow Earth to retain enough heat for us to live. Which is NOT a greenhouse gas?

• water vapor

• carbon dioxide

• oxygen

• methane

Weather events are measured from microscale to global events. Which weather events below are listed in order from smallest to largest?

• jet stream - single cloud formation - line of thunderstorms

• single cloud formation - line of thunderstorms - jet stream

• single cloud formation - jet stream - line of thunderstorms

• line of thunderstorms - single cloud formation - jet stream

US has the most diverse weather. What area of the US do hurricanes typically hit and when?

• late summer/fall - West Coast (ex. San Diego, Seattle)

• spring - Gulf of Mexico coast (ex. Louisiana, Florida)

• late summer/fall - Gulf of Mexico coast (ex. Louisiana, Florida)

• late fall/early winter- Great Plains (ex. Kansas, Nebraska)

Dry weather and intense heat causes the ground to harden and cause flash flooding when it rains in the late summer. Where in the US does this happen?

• Northeast

• Northwest

• Southeast

• Southwest

What can be thought of as a speedometer for air molecules (how fast or slow they move)?

• temperature

• air pressure

• gravity

• humidity

Earth's temperature ranges from 134^oF to -129^oF (a range of 263^oF). All of the following account for this large range of temperatures.

• highly variable surface type (mountains, valleys, ice packs)

• distance away from the sun

• tilt of the Earth causing different locations to have varying amounts of direct sunlight

• Earth's spherical shape affecting amounts of direct sunlight

Equinox means all locations on Earth receive 12 hrs day/12 hrs night (except the Poles). This occurs when?.

• Spring (March) & Summer (June)

• Summer (June) & Winter (December)

• Fall (September) & Winter (December)

• Spring (March) & Fall (September)