Weather

Question 1

What is the atmosphere

Answer 1

A thin layer of gases that surrounds the Earth

Question 2

What percent of the atmosphereis nitrogen

Answer 2

78%

Question 3

What percent of the atmosphere is oxygen

Answer 3

21%

Question 4

What percent is made up of other gasas (CO2 and Argon)

Answer 4

Less that one percent

Question 5

What is the function of the atmosphere

Answer 5

To insulate the Earth from extreme temperatures. It traps heat and also protects the Earth from dangerous rays from the sun

Question 6

How thick is the atmosphere

Answer 6

480km but most of its within 16km

Question 7

The troposphere

Answer 7

-reaches from ground level to about 17km
-Weather and clouds occur here
-the temperature decreases as the altitude increases

Question 8

The Stratosphere

Answer 8

-extends from 17km to 50km
-the ozone layer is here
- some of the highest clouds can be found in the lower stratosphere

Question 9

What is the Earth’s main source of heat

Answer 9

Solar energy from the sun

Question 10

What is solar radiation

Answer 10

Energy that travels throughout space from the sun . It is transmitted in the form of light and heat

Question 11

What are lines of latitudes

Answer 11

The lines around the earth that measure the distance from the equator and extend to thee poles

Question 12

Why are areas closer to the equator warmer than areas closer to the poles

Answer 12

Because of the earths round shape, the equator is closer to the sun
-the suns rays have a shorter distance to travel to the equator so the heat here is more intense
-the rays at higher altitudes are slanted and cover larger areas and are less intense

Question 13

What is wind

Answer 13

The movement of air over the surface of the Earth

Question 14

What causes wind

Answer 14

The unequal heating of the atmosphere and the Earths surface leads to movements of air

Question 15

How is low pressure at the equator created

Answer 15

When air is heated, it expands making it lighter and so it rises, creating low pressure at the equator

Question 16

How is there higher pressure towards the poles

Answer 16

Between 30 degrees and the equator, most of the cooling, sinking air moves back towards the equator. The rest of the air flows towards the poles

Question 17

Global winds : Trade winds

Answer 17

-movements towards the equator
-warm steady breezes that blow almost continuously
-curve towards the west due to coriolis affect(rotation of the earth on its axis)

Question 18

Global winds : The Doldrums

Answer 18

-area of calm weather
-the trade winds coming from the north and the south meet near the equator
-because they’re heated, they converge and blow upwards
-little wind near the surface of the earth in this area

Question 19

Global winds : The Aesterlies

Answer 19

-between 30 and 60 degrees latitude
-move towards the poles and curve to the east
-come from the east
-main wind type in Ireland

Question 20

Global winds : Horse latitudes

Answer 20

30 degrees north and south of the equator
-form a belt that blows between the trade winds and westerlies.
-weak and clear bright weather

Question 21

Global winds : polar easterlies

Answer 21

-60degrees latitude
-the westerlies meet the polar easterlies.
-form when the atmosphere over the poles cools
-cool air then sinks and spreads over the surface
-come from the east, go to the west

Question 22

What are currents

Answer 22

The movement of water

Question 23

What causes currents

Answer 23

-difference in temperature
-earth rotating on its axis
-wind

Question 24

Warm currents

Answer 24

-from the equator
-Gulf stream(gulf of mexico) turns north-eastwards into the Atlantic Ocean, where it splits to form the wartm North Atlantic Drift and cold Canary current

Question 25

Cold currents

Answer 25

-flow from high latitudes towards the Equator
-the Labrador Current flows south along the coast of north-east America
- reduces the temperature of the ocean and many ports freeze over as a result

Question 26

What are Air masses

Answer 26

Large moving pockets of air

Question 27

What characteristics do air mases have

Answer 27

-lagre, ofter more than 1.5km across, extending several km into the atmosphere
-temperature, pressure and moisture are similar at any point within the air mass
-travel as a single unit

Question 28

Air masses : Polar maritime

Answer 28

From the north-west Atlantic, bring cold, wet air and showery conditions

Question 29

Air masses : Artic

Answer 29

From the north pole, brings cold weather

Question 30

Air masses : Polar continental

Answer 30

From north-east Europe, brings dry, cold and frosty nights and heavy snowfall in winter

Question 31

Air masses : Tropical continental

Answer 31

From the Sahara, brings dry sunny weather

Question 32

Air masses : Tropical Maritime

Answer 32

From the south-west, brings rain all year round

Question 33

What are Isobars

Answer 33

Lines on a weather map which join together places of equal atmospheric pressure

Question 34

Facts about Isobars

Answer 34

-show areas of equal atmospheric pressure
-atmosphere pressure is measured in milibars
-isobars are usually draw at intervals of four or eight
-closer together they are, stronger the wind

Question 35

What are fonts

Answer 35

Where 2diff air masses meet