Chapter 7 Study Guide

In addition to Chapter 7 vocabulary, these questions should help guide your

preparation for the assessment.

Lesson 1 The Atmosphere and Weather

1. Where does sunlight strike Earth most directly?
2. Why is it colder closer to the poles?
3. Why do scientists describe the atmosphere as made up of layers?
4. Why do meteorologists report on the troposphere on news programs?
5. How is your body able to withstand all the air pressure weighing on it?
6. Draw and label the layers of the atmosphere.
7. What happens to air pressure as the volume of a container increases?
8. What happens to air pressure as the temperature increases?
9. How does air pressure change as altitude decreases?
10.What happens to air pressure as the humidity increases?
11.Why would sailing ships going from Europe to America want to sail with the
trade winds?
12.Why do global winds occur?
13.How does the Coriolis Effect change global winds?
14.What usually causes local winds?
15.What instruments measure wind direction?
16.What instruments measure wind speed?
17.What instruments measure air pressure?

Lesson 2 Clouds and Precipitation

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7.

How does a cloud form?

Draw and label the three main types of clouds.
What are the three types of solid precipitation?
What is the purpose of a rain gauge?
What is the first step in each type of precipitation?
What are the three main types of fronts?
Why can you predict todays weather by looking at the weather west of your
location on the previous day?
8. What type of weather is usually associated with a low pressure system?
9. What type of weather is usually associated with a high pressure system?
10.What type of scientist studies weather?
11.Which weather variables do you want to know about before you go outside
and why?

Lesson 3 Severe Storms

1. What are some of the conditions that can occur during thunderstorms?
2. Why do you often hear thunder when you see lightening?
3. What happens as a thunderstorm forms?
4. What two fronts coming together often form a winter storm?
5. Why is a blizzard whiteout dangerous?
6. How do ice storms occur?
7. What are two types of winter storms?
8. What should you do if you are trapped in a car during a blizzard?
9. How do tornadoes begin?
10.When does a funnel-shaped cloud become a tornado?
11.How are hurricanes and tornadoes alike?
12.Where are a hurricanes fastest winds and heaviest rains found?
13.How do hurricanes pull in smaller thunderstorms?
14.What does a weather vane measure?
15.What does a barometer measure?

Lesson 4 Climate
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What factors are used to describe climate?

How much rainfall would you expect on coastal areas near the Gulf Stream?
What is El Nino?
What causes El Nino?
What is La Nina?
What is the difference between weather and climate?