Module 7

Question 1

1a. define: aphelion

Answer 1

the point at which the earth is farthest from the sun

Question 2

1b. define: perihelion

Answer 2

the point at which the earth is closest to the sun

Question 3

1c. define: lines of longitude

Answer 3

imaginary lines that run north and south across the earth

Question 4

1d. define: lines of latitude

Answer 4

imaginary lines that run east and west across the earth

Question 5

1e. define: Coriolis effect

Answer 5

the way in which the rotation of the earth bends the path of winds, sea currents and objects that fly through different latitudes

Question 6

1f. define: air mass

Answer 6

a large body of air with relatively uniform pressure, temperature and humidity

Question 7

1g. define: weather front

Answer 7

a boundary between two masses

Question 8

2. What is the difference between weather and climate?

Answer 8

the weather changes from day to day, while climate does not

Question 9

3. What are the three main factors that affect earth’s weather?

Answer 9

thermal energy, uneven distribution of thermal energy, and water vapor in the atmosphere

Question 10

4. Be sure you can identify each of the cloud types in figure 7.1.

Answer 10

Be sure that given a picture or drawing of a cloud, you can determine which of the four major cloud types of a cloud it is.

Question 11

5. If stratus clouds are dark, what are they called?

Answer 11

nimbostratus

Question 12

6. If you find lenticular clouds higher than normal, what are they called?

Answer 12

altolenticular cloud

Question 13

7. What does “insolation” stand for?

Answer 13

incoming solar radiation

Question 14

8. In the northern Hemisphere, is the length of the days greater than or less than 12 hours between June 21 and September 22? Are the day lengths increasing or decreasing during that time?

Answer 14

the days are greater than 12 hours long but are decreasing in length

Question 15

9. In the southern hemisphere, between what dates are the day lengths less than 12 hours but increasing?

Answer 15

from June 21 to Sept. 22.

Question 16

10. Is the northern hemispheres summer during aphelion or perihelion?

Answer 16

aphelion

Question 17

11. What causes wind?

Answer 17

temperature differences cause winds

Question 18

12. Why isn’t there a constant stream of wind blowing from the poles to the equator?

Answer 18

the temperature of air changes as it changes latitude

Question 19

13. What causes the wind patterns to bend in different regions of the globe?

Answer 19

the coriolis effect bends the wind patterns

Question 20

14. Suppose you are in Alaska and would like to fire a missile to hit a target at the equator, due south of your location. Ignoring the effects of wind and air resistance, in which direction should you aim the missile?

Answer 20

southeast

Question 21

15. At nighttime, high elevations usually cool faster than low elevations. thus, at night, the land on a mountain is usually cooler than the land in the valley next to the mountain. Will the local wind produced by this effect blow from the mountain into the valley or from the valley up to the mountain?

Answer 21

the wind will blow from the mountain to the valley

Question 22

16. Is the humidity high or low in a continental polar air mass? Is the air mass warm or cold?

Answer 22

humidity is low, air mass is cold

Question 23

17. Is the humidity high or low in a maritime tropical air mass? Is this air mass warm or cold?

Answer 23

humidity is high, air mass is warm

Question 24

18. Over a period of a couple of days, the clouds slowly build and then a gentle, long rain ensues that lasts about 20 hours. What kind of front causes this weather?

Answer 24

warm font

Question 25

19. Over a period of a few days, you notice cirrus clouds forming, followed by stratus and nimbostratus clouds. In a few hours, however, dark cumulonimbus clouds form, heralding a thunderstorm. What kind of front caused this?

Answer 25

occluded font

Question 26

20. In less than a day, dark cumulonimbus clouds form and unleash a thunderstorm that lasts only a few hours. After the thunderstorm is over and the sky clears, do you expect cooler or warmer temperatures as compared to the temperature before the clouds began forming?

Answer 26

you should expect cooler temperatures