Unit 5 Weather & Climate C "Meets"

Question 1

Describe the composition of Earth’s atmosphere.

Answer 1

78% Nitrogen, 21% Oxygen, 1% All other gases.

Question 2

Describe how air pressure and density change as altitude increases.

Answer 2

Air pressure and density decrease as altitude increases in the atmosphere.

Question 3

What is wind?

Answer 3

Wind is the mostly horizontal movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of lower pressure.

Question 4

Explain what causes land and sea breezes.

Answer 4

During the day, the sun heats the land faster than the water. The air above the land warms, expands and rises, creating an area of low-pressure. The cooler air over the water flows toward the land, creating a sea breeze.

At night, the land cools faster than the water. The cool air over the land creates an area of high-pressure. The cooler air over the land flows toward the water, creating a land breeze.

Question 5

Describe the characteristics of low-and high-pressure systems and the weather associated with them

Answer 5

Warm air rises at the center of a low-pressure system causing surrounding air to spiral toward the center. Because air is converging in the center, air masses collide causing fronts, clouds, precipitation and stormy weather.

Cool, dense air sinks at the center of a high-pressure system causing surrounding air to spiral outward from the center. This causes clear skies, very little precipitation and generally calmer weather.

Question 6

Describe the difference between weather and climate.

Answer 6

Weather is the short-term (minutes to months) condition of the atmosphere at a particular time that changes day-to day.

Climate is the average weather conditions in an area over a long period of time.