Convection and Weather

The front that is moving across the United States is most likely heading toward the southeast because …

• All wind patterns in the United States move in a southeastern direction

• The southeastern portion of the United States is dominated by high pressure air systems

• The prevailing jet stream moves cold air from polar areas in an eastern direction across the United States

• A hurricane is likely forming in the Gulf of Mexico

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The illustration below shows the Gulf Stream carrying warm water up the east coast of America on its way to Western Europe. These warm equatorial surface currents are responsible for the moderate winter climates of certain countries such as France and Spain. Which of the following is most responsible for this occurrence?

• The sun heats earth’s oceans causing convection currents to travel from the equator to the poles

• Differences in the ocean’s salinity cause deep water convection currents

• Convection within earth’s mantle caused by a hot iron core

• Global wind patterns that determine the direction of surface currents

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Based on the weather map shown, the current conditions in Colorado are likely -

• cold and wet

• cold and dry

• warm and wet

• warm and dry

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

A radiator heating air in a closed room is shown below. Heat energy from the sun and heat energy from a radiator are similar in that …

• Energy from both causes air molecules to increase in density, contract, and sink

• Energy from both causes air molecules to increase in density, expand, and rise

• Energy from both causes air molecules to decrease in density, contract, and sink

• Energy from both causes air molecules to decrease in density, expand, and rise

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Why does cold water or land cause a hurricane to weaken?

• because the high pressure of the hurricane can't handle the cold water from a low pressure system

• because the land always cools faster than the ocean

• because the land breeze shreds the hurricane

• because they cut off the energy supply to the hurricane

Why do hurricanes have to have low pressure?

• because low pressure causes air to rise

• because low pressure causes air to sink

• because low pressure makes sea breezes used by the hurricane

• because high pressure causes air to rise

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Warm air rises because: 

• It is more dense than cold air. 

• It is less dense than cold air. 

• It has the same density as cold air. 

• Warm air does not rise. 

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

During the climatic phenomenon, El Niño, surface seawater temperatures off the west coast of South America are higher than normal. This tends to increase rainfall in the western parts of North and South America because warm water —

• precipitates more easily than cool water

• evaporates at a higher rate than cool water

• absorbs more heat energy than cool water

• condenses at lower altitudes than cool water

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

The weather map shows the weather conditions for one day across the United States. Based on the weather map, which city will most likely experience increasing temperatures during the next 24 hours?

• Denver, because it is raining there

• Minneapolis, because a cold front is approaching

• Atlanta, because a warm front is approaching

• Houston, because it is in a highpressure area

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

A severe storm that involves strong winds and forms over warm water is:

• tornado

• thunderstorm

• hurricane

• blizzard

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5