Big Picture

Question 1

What does rising and sinking air do to air pressure?

Answer 1

Rising air at the equator decreases the air pressure, creating an area of low pressure.

This air then travels towards the poles, cooling and sinking, where it forms an area of high pressure

Question 2

Air moves from areas of ____ pressure to areas of ____ pressure.

Answer 2

Air moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

Wind does not flow directly from the high to the low. Due to terrain and the rotation of the earth (coriolis effect), they move around.

This movement is literally wind.

Question 3

When cold air is moving into warm air, we call that at ____ _____

Answer 3

Cold front, marked by blue spikes

Question 4

Interacting areas of warm and cold air are called _____

Answer 4

Fronts

Question 5

Water vapour/moisture can collect vast amounts of _____ and carry it around the atmosphere.

The air can only hold so much water vapour. How much it can hold is dependent on the ___ _________.

Answer 5

• Heat
• Air temperature

Question 6

When the air is holding 100% of the water vapour that it can at the current temp, it is said to be saturated. What happens if the air is then cooled (dew point)?

Answer 6

The vapour will condense out of the air into droplets in the form of clouds and it may rain or snow

Question 7

Quiz question: The primary cause of all changes in Earth’s weather is:

Answer 7

Variation of solar energy at the surface