The Restless Atmosphere - Weather

Question 1

Explain condensation

Answer 1

Water vapour rises and cools. It condenses to form clouds into water droplets

Question 2

Explain precipitation

Answer 2

Water released from clouds and comes back to Earth in the form of rain/snow/sleet

Question 3

Explain run off

Answer 3

Water moves downhill across land return to the sea

Question 4

Explain underground water

Answer 4

Water seeps into ground and is stored in rocks and soil

Question 5

Explain how clouds are made

Answer 5

Clouds are made when water vapour condenses into tiny droplets

Question 6

Give characteristics of cirrus clouds

Answer 6

They occur at a high altitude
Made of ice crystals
Bring fair weather

Question 7

Give characteristics of cumulus clouds

Answer 7

Fluffy
Occurs at medium altitude
Bring fair weather
Bring rain if dark in colour

Question 8

Give characteristics of stratus clouds

Answer 8

Occur at low altitude
Form thin layers that can block out sky
At ground level they are fog
Bring continual light rain

Question 9

Explain precipitation

Answer 9

Means hail, sleet, snow, rain.

Question 10

Explain how rain occurs and name three types

Answer 10

Rain occurs when warm air is forced to rise and it cools while rising. Condensation occurs and clouds form and rain occurs.

1. Relief rainfall
2. Frontal (cyclonic) rainfall
3. Conventional rainfall

Question 11

Explain relief rainfall

Answer 11

Warm air moves in from the sea
Hits mountain range and is forced to rise
Cools as it rises
Condensation occurs, clouds form and it starts to rain

Question 12

Explain frontal rainfall

Answer 12

Warm and cold air masses meet at a front
Warm air rises over cold air mass
Warm air cools and condenses
Stratus clouds form and rain occurs

Question 13

Explain convectional rainfall

Answer 13

Sun heats up the air
Heated air rises quickly
It cools and condenses
Cumulus clouds form and heavy rain ensues.

Question 14

Give the seven things we can measure about the weather

Answer 14

Temperature
Precipitation
Sunshine
Wind speed
Wind direction
Atmospheric pressure
Humidity

Question 15

Give what temperature is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map

Answer 15

Thermometer
Degrees Celsius
Isotherms

Question 16

Give what precipitation is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map

Answer 16

Rain gauge
Millimetres
Isohyets

Question 17

Give what sunshine is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map

Answer 17

Campbell stokes sunshine recorder
Hours per day
Isohels

Question 18

Give what atmospheric pressure is:
Measured with
Measured in
And how it is shown on a weather map

Answer 18

Barometer
Millibars
Isobars

Question 19

Give what humidity is:
Measured with
Measured in

Answer 19

Measured with a hygrometer (wet and dry bulb thermometer )

Expressed as a %

Question 20

What can you measure about the wind and how

Answer 20

You can measure wind speed,direction and strength

Speed- measured with anemometer in kilometres per hour
Direction- measured with wind vane
Strength- measured in the Beaufort scale

Question 21

Explain evaporation

Answer 21

Energy from the sun change water from liquid to gas ( water vapour) in the atmosphere

Question 22

What is a Stevenson screen

Answer 22

White box that houses a maximum and minimum thermometer and a hygrometer to measure temperature and humidity