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Unit 1 Weather and Atmosphere

Total questions: 40

Worksheet time: 39mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What is the correct order of the layers of the atmosphere from the Earth going up towards space?

a)

Troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, exosphere

b)

Exosphere, thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere

c)

Mesosphere, troposphere, exosphere, thermosphere, stratosphere

d)

Mesosphere, troposphere, thermosphere, stratosphere, exosphere

2.

What is the relationship between air pressure and the altitude?

a)

As air pressure increases, altitude increases

b)

As air pressure increases, altitude decreases

c)

As air pressure decreases, altitude decreases

d)

Air pressure sometimes decreases while altitude increases and sometimes they both increase.

3.

What type of weather is associated with low-pressure systems?

a)

Storms, tornadoes and hurricanes

b)

Dry and clear conditions

c)

Sunny skies

d)

All of the above

4.

The ozone layer is important because it:

a)

Is the only gas in the atmosphere

b)

Slows energy from leaving Earth

c)

Absorbs harmful ultraviolet radiation

d)

Produces harmful infrared radiation

5.

In what layer of our atmosphere does weather occur?

a)

Troposphere

b)

Stratosphere

c)

Mesosphere

d)

Thermosphere

6.

The energy needed to power and influence the speed of the water cycle comes from the _________.

a)

Ocean

b)

Wind

c)

River

d)

Sun

7.

The pie chart shows the percentage of gases in our atmosphere. Which gas(es) compose 22% of our atmosphere as shown by the grey and black shaded areas?

a)

Oxygen and argon

b)

Nitrogen, water, oxygen

c)

Oxygen, carbon dioxide and argon

d)

Nitrogen, argon and carbon dioxide

8.

When it rains over land what happens to that rain?

a)

The rain ends up in the ocean due to run-off from rivers and streams

b)

The rain seeps into the ground and becomes groundwater

c)

The rain evaporates again from the ground or from transpiration by plant leaves

d)

All of the above are possible

9.

The process of water vapor condensing forming a cloud as shown by step 2 is known as:

a)

Condensation

b)

Evaporation

c)

Precipitation

d)

Run-off

10.

The process occurring at step 3 is known as:

a)

Condensation

b)

Evaporation

c)

Precipitation

d)

Run-off

11.

The process shown at step 4 is known as:

a)

Condensation

b)

Evaporation

c)

Precipitation

d)

Run-off

12.

What process releases water from plant leaves into the atmosphere is known as

a)

Condensation

b)

Evaporation

c)

Transpiraation

d)

Run-off

13.

How does the water cycle affect weather patterns on earth?

a)

The water cycle prevents water from moving back into the atmosphere

b)

The water cycle brings water back into the atmosphere, which then condenses into clouds and generates

weather

c)

The water cycle pulls water out of the atmosphere and slows down weather

d)

The water cycle does not affect the weather

14.

From where does the majority of water on earth evaporate?

a)

lakes

b)

rivers

c)

oceans

d)

streams

15.

What type of front forms when a warm air mass pushes a cold air mass?

a)

Warm front

b)

Cold Front

c)

Polar Front

d)

Stationary Front

16.

Which of these effects generally occurs as the result of a warm air mass and cooler air mass converging at Earth’s surface

a)

The sky becomes clear

b)

Wind dies down.

c)

Cloud formation decreases.

d)

Stormy weather patterns develops

17.

Hurricanes form most frequently:

a)

Over land masses

b)

Over the cold, polar ocean

c)

Over the warm, tropical oceans

d)

Over the sky

18.

Weather like flooding can come from which of the following types of weather?

a)

Droughts and thunderstorms

b)

Hurricanes and thunderstorms

c)

Winter storms and hurricanes

d)

Thunderstorms and winter storms

19.

Which of the following fronts can create winter storms?

a)

High pressure

b)

Cold front

c)

Stationary front

d)

Warm front

20.

What direction do weather systems normally move in the USA?

a)

North to South

b)

South to North

c)

East to West

d)

West to East

21.

Which best describes cumulus clouds?

a)

Grey, low level flat clouds

b)

Big, puffy white clouds

c)

Thin and wispy high level clouds

d)

Big, puffy dark storm clouds

22.

What does a line with alternating semicircles and triangles that face the same direction indicate on a weather map?

a)

Warmer air is pushing into the area, bringing light rain

b)

Colder air is moving under warmer air, bringing thunderstorms

c)

Faster moving cold air is overtaking the warm air and bringing heavy rain

d)

Very slow-moving warm air cannot push the existing cold air, resulting in clouds

23.

Which of the following clouds forms at a high altitude:

a)

Cirrus

b)

Stratus

c)

Cumulus

d)

Cumulonimbus

24.

What type of air mass is associated with the hurricane shown in the picture to the right?

a)

Maritime polar

b)

Maritime tropical

c)

Continental Polar

d)

Continental Tropical

25.

What is the difference between a maritime and a continental air mass?

a)

Maritime air masses are dry and continental air masses are moist

b)

Maritime air masses are high pressure and continental air masses are landed

c)

Maritime air masses are moist and continental air masses dry

d)

Maritime air masses are warm and continental air masses are cold

26.

How do tropical and polar air masses differ?

a)

Tropical air masses are cooler and polar air masses are warmer

b)

Tropical air masses are warm, but polar air masses are cold

c)

Polar air masses form over the surface while continental air masses form in the air

d)

One forms over water and the other forms over land

27.

According to the weather map shown, which of the following cities is experiencing low pressure?

a)

Rapid City

b)

Dallas

c)

Phoenix

d)

Detroit

28.

According to the weather map shown, how many warm fronts is the USA experiencing?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

29.

All winds result from ___________.

a)

uneven heating of the atmosphere

b)

objects moving through an area

c)

Air masses colliding

d)

Storms and other weather phenomena

30.

The force that causes wind to move is the _______.

a)

Radiation

b)

Pressure gradient force

c)

Air Masses

d)

Convection

31.

What determines how strong and fast the wind will blow?

a)

Pressure gradient force

b)

Location of an object such as a house

c)

Air pressure at a given altitude

d)

Air volume per mile

32.

Which statement describes how the speed of wind depends on the pressure gradient?

a)

The lower the pressure, the steeper the pressure gradient and the stronger the wind

b)

The higher the pressure, the steeper the pressure gradient and the stronger the wind

c)

The lower the pressure, the steeper the pressure gradient and the wind is weaker

d)

The higher the pressure, the steeper the pressure gradient and the wind is weaker

33.

Which arrow best represents the direction of the jet stream that influences weather across the continental United States?

a)

1

b)

2

c)

3

d)

4

34.

Which best describes a characteristic of the jet stream?

a)

It causes high pressure air masses to rotate clockwise.

b)

It creates the high winds around the eye of a hurricane.

c)

It forces the hot air along the equator to rise to areas in North

America.

d)

It is a fairly narrow zone of extremely fast and strong winds.

35.

Where are jet streams located in our atmosphere?

a)

In the stratosphere

b)

In the upper troposphere

c)

In the lower troposphere

d)

In the ozone layer

36.

The reason that sea and land breezes form is

a)

the land heats and cools more slowly than water.

b)

the land heats and cools more quickly than the water.

c)

air moves more easily over water than over land

d)

air moves more easily over land than over water.

37.

Which best explains how the Coriolis effect influences weather conditions?

a)

It causes winds to rotate, forming tornadoes on Earth.

b)

It causes winds to move to the right in the southern hemisphere.

c)

It causes winds to turn to the right in the northern hemisphere.

d)

It causes winds to follow a straight–line path around Earth

38.

Which of the following is a greenhouse gas that is released by human activities and speeds up global warming?

a)

petroleum

b)

natural gas

c)

carbon dioxide

d)

nuclear power

39.

Rising water temperatures is a result of global warming and may eventually increase ocean/sea levels due to the melting of what?

a)

mountains

b)

wetlands

c)

river beds

d)

glaciers

40.

The maps to the left show information about the air quality for one day in June, as reported from different air quality stations.

Which of the following regions of the United States had the worst air quality on this day?

a)

Gulf Coast

b)

Chicago area

c)

Eastern Coast

d)

Los Angeles area