Weather Patterns

The air temperature of Ostley is higher than the air temperature of Eastbrook. What is the main cause for the different air temperatures?

• More energy from the sun is transferred to the ground in Ostley than in Eastbrook, and that energy is transferred to the air above it.

• More energy from the sun is transferred to the air in Ostley than in Eastbrook, and that energy is transferred from the air to the ground below it.

• The heat from the center of Earth transferred more energy to the ground in Ostley than in Eastbrook, and that energy transferred to the air above it.

• There was less wind in Ostley and more wind in Eastbrook. Wind moved more energy out of the air in Eastbrook than in Ostley.

Day 1 and Day 2 in San Angelo started with the same amount of water vapor in the air parcels in the area. It rained at the end of Day 1 but it did not rain at the end of Day 2.

What could have happened with the air parcel to cause rainfall on Day 1?

• The air parcel was warmer than the surrounding air, so it lost energy.

• The air parcel was warmer than the surrounding air, so it gained energy.

• The air parcel was at the same low temperature as the surrounding air, so it had low energy.

• The air parcel was cooler than the surrounding air, so it gained energy.

There were two rainstorms in Sinan last month. Before Storm 1, the air temperature at the surface was 21°C. Before Storm 2, the air temperature at the surface was 29°C. The temperature of areas surrounding Sinan was the same before both storms.

Which storm is likely to have had more rainfall?

• Storm 1. The air parcel at the surface was cooler and had less energy, so with low energy it remained near the surface.

• Storm 1. The air parcel at the surface was cooler and had less energy, so when it moved higher, it gained more energy.

• Storm 2. The air parcel at the surface was warmer and had more energy, so when it moved higher, it lost more energy.

• Storm 2. The air parcel at the surface was warmer and had more energy, so when cooler air from above came down, it lost more energy.

Kumba had two rainstorms in October. Storm 2 had more rainfall than Storm 1. The temperature of the surrounding areas was the same before both storms.

What could have caused Storm 2 to have more rainfall than Storm 1?

Before Storm 2, Kumba could have been:

• cooler than before Storm 1 and windy. Wind pushed the cooler air parcel even higher and the air parcel gained more energy.

• cooler than before Storm 1 and windy. Wind caused the cooler air from above the air parcel to move down, causing the cooler air parcel at the surface to lose more energy.

• warmer than before Storm 1 and windy. Wind pushed the warmer air parcel even higher and the air parcel lost more energy.

• warmer than before Storm 1 and windy. Wind pushed more water vapor out of the warmer air parcel.

Ian left a cup of hot chocolate in a cool room. His mother tells him that his hot chocolate will get cold if he forgets to drink it. How cold could it get?

• Colder than the temperature of the room. It will keep cooling down for as long as he leaves it in the room.

• Only a little colder. It started out much hotter, so it will stop cooling down before it reaches the same temperature of the room.

• Only a little colder. It will stop cooling down when its temperature is about halfway between its starting temperature and the temperature of the room.

• Only as cold as the temperature of the room. It will stop cooling down when it is exactly the same temperature as the room.

Jake put a bottle of water on the desk and left the room. When he came back, he found water drops on the outside of the bottle. Where did the water on the outside of the bottle come from?

• The air in the room. Oxygen in the air turned into liquid water.

• The air in the room. Water vapor in the air turned into liquid water.

• Water inside the bottle. The water leaked through the bottle.

• Water inside the bottle. The water moved along the surface of the bottle.

Air parcel 1 is at the same temperature as the surrounding air. Air parcel 2 is warmer than the surrounding air. Air parcel 1 and Air parcel 2 started with the same amount of water vapor in them.

Which air parcel will have more rainfall and why?

• Air Parcel 1 is colder than Air Parcel 2, so more water vapor will fall as rain.

• Air Parcel 2 will lose energy to the surrounding air, which will cause more water vapor to fall as rain.

• Air Parcel 2 will gain energy from the surrounding air, which will cause more water vapor to fall as rain.

• Both air parcels will have the same amount of rain. They have the same surrounding air temperature, so the same amount of water vapor will fall as rain.

The town of Greenville had two rainstorms in March. Storm 2 had more rainfall than Storm 1. The temperature of the surrounding area was the same before both storms.

What could explain why Storm 2 had more rainfall than Storm 1?

Before Storm 2, the air parcel at the surface could have been:

• warmer, so when the air parcel moved higher, it lost more energy.

• warmer, so when cooler air from above moved down, it lost more energy.

• cooler, so when the air parcel moved higher, it gained more energy.

• cooler, so the air parcel had low energy and remained near the surface.

There were two rainstorms in Marion last fall. Before Storm 1, Marion’s temperature was 9°C. Before Storm 2, the temperature was 26°C. Before both storms, the temperature of the surrounding areas was the same and wind was blowing toward Marion. There was the same amount of water vapor before Storm 1 and Storm 2.

Which storm likely had more rainfall?

• Storm 1. Wind caused cooler air from above the air parcel to move down, causing the air parcel at the surface to lose more energy.

• Storm 1. The cooler air parcel had less energy at the surface, so when wind pushed it higher, it gained more energy.

• Storm 2. Wind pushed more water vapor out of the warmer air parcel.

• Storm 2. Wind pushed the warmer air parcel even higher and the air parcel lost more energy.