WorksheetsWater Cycle and Weather Test
Total questions: 33
Worksheet time: 17mins
The atmosphere is 78 percent_________.
oxygen
water vapor
nitrogen
argon
Which property of water vapor allows it to function as a greenhouse gas?
Water vapor expands when exposed to sunlight.
Water vapor absorbs and re-emits heat radiated from Earth.
Water vapor changes ultraviolet radiation into carbon dioxide.
Water vapor transmits heat as solar radiation.
Which gas, when condensed into its liquid state in the atmosphere, forms clouds?
methane
nitrogen
water vapor
carbon dioxide
When a plane flies, it travels through air that contains gases, liquids, and solids. This area is BEST described as the
atmosphere.
lithosphere.
biosphere.
hydrosphere.
Which element makes up MOST of the air we breathe.
carbon
nitrogen
oxygen
argon
Which factor determines whether precipitation will be in the form of rain or snow?
wind
humidity
air pressure
temperature
What is the main source of energy that causes water to evaporate from the surface of Earth?
lightning
the Sun
gravity
wind
A student uses a terrarium to model the water cycle. Before putting the lid on the jar, the student waters the plants and puts the terrarium in a sunny window.
What part of the water cycle occurs inside the terrarium only after the plants have been added?
precipitation
evaporation
condensation
transpiration
Which of these could cause water vapor to condense into rain droplets?
sunlight warming the surface of oceans
air rising into colder regions of the atmosphere
lightning heating the air in the atmosphere
winds blowing along the surface of the ground
The atmosphere of Earth blocks many of the Sun’s rays. If weather patterns change and more of the Sun’s rays penetrate the atmosphere of Earth, which is MOST likely to increase?
the number of daylight hours
the evaporation of oceans
the length of each season
the pull of gravity
Juan noticed that sunny skies suddenly became stormy. Which MOST likely happened when the weather changed in this way?
Winds weakened.
Humidity decreased.
Air pressure dropped.
Temperatures increased.
The symbol represents a front on a weather map. Which type of front does the symbol represent?
cold front
warm front
stationary front
occluded front
In which location, on the map, are thunderstorms MOST likely to occur within the next 24 hours (tomorrow)?
1
2
3
4
According to this map, a cold front is moving through which state?
New Mexico
Illinois
Oregon
Nevada
Clay is watching the weather to prepare for a trip to the beach tomorrow. The forecast predicts that a low-pressure system will move in overnight. Which type of weather can Clay MOST likely expect in the morning?
foggy
sunny
clear and colder
cloudy and rainy
An air mass travels north over the Pacific Ocean, from the tropics, and then eastward across the United States. Which weather pattern can be expected?
cool and dry
warm and dry
cool and wet
warm and wet
How do the conditions for a tornado differ from the conditions for a hurricane?
Tornadoes never form when there is rain, while hurricanes always form with rain.
Tornadoes form under low pressure, while hurricanes form under high pressure.
Tornadoes form in a stable atmosphere, while hurricanes form in an unstable atmosphere.
Tornadoes generally form over land, while hurricanes form over bodies of water.
What are the characteristics of maritime polar air masses?
cool and dry
warm and dry
cool and humid
warm and humid
Hurricanes form over equatorial areas. This is because
solar heating is greatest near the equator.
the Moon’s plane of orbit is close to the equator.
Earth’s volcanic activity is clustered around the equator.
the rate of rotation of Earth’s surface is less at the equator.
What type of weather would MOST likely appear at the location marked X?
cold and dry
cold and wet
warm and dry
warm and wet
The blue water from the jar rises to the top of the bowl. This model is MOST likely showing which event?
the way heat is transferred from a gas grill to food
the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide in lungs
the convection currents that form thunderstorms
the direction in which a hurricane moves
Which of these actions causes wind?
rotation of Earth on its axis
movement of air from water to land
uneven heating of Earth’s surface
air passing Earth as it revolves around the Sun
What part of this process is being demonstrated in this diagram?
Heat causes gases to expand.
Heat causes gases to contract.
As air cools, currents flow clockwise.
As air cools, currents flow counterclockwise.
What is the main source of energy that drives all weather patterns?
the Sun
oceans
the Moon
mountains
Which of the following are narrow belts of strong winds found in the upper troposphere?
doldrums
westerlies
trade winds
jet streams
Land heats up faster during the day than water does. As the beach gets warm during the day, it heats the air above it. The warm air rises and cool air from the ocean is pulled in to replace it. So, air flows from the ocean to the land. At night, the land cools faster than the ocean. What MOST likely happens to the air at the beach at night?
The air is still.
The air moves along the coast.
The air flows from the ocean to the land.
The air flows from the land to the ocean.
Which process does the figure show?
water cycle
smog formation
ozone depletion
greenhouse effect
Which is a factor that MOST likely would affect the climate in a particular area?
amount of lightning
distance from an ocean
number of earthquakes
shape of the shoreline
How does the ocean affect weather on Earth?
Waves in the ocean push on the air above, which causes storms to form.
Salt in the ocean dries the air above, causing the air to heat up and rise.
Water evaporates from the ocean, causing clouds to form and send rain back to Earth.
Water in the ocean is cooler than the air above, which causes the air temperature to remain low.
Residents in a seaside town experience onshore breezes from the ocean during hot sunny days and offshore breezes from the land during cool nights. How does the ocean affect this pattern?
Warm air sinks over the ocean and moves onto land.
Cold air rises over the land and moves over the ocean.
The land heats and cools faster than the ocean heats and cools.
The ocean heats and cools faster than the land heats and cools.
Which condition MOST likely causes a sea breeze to occur in the afternoon?
a thunderstorm forming over the land
a rise in pressure over the land and water
a cold front moving from the land toward the ocean
a temperature difference between the land and the water
Two cities are located only 50 kilometers apart and yet the cities have different climates. Which of these factors is the MOST likely cause of this difference in climate?
elevation
population
latitude
longitude
Scientists are developing new satellite technology to help predict the weather. How will developing this technology MOST likely benefit people?
It will show people that storms can be prevented.
It will show people that science is interesting.
It will help warn people about dangerous storms.
It will help people drive in the rain.
