WeatherChapters 13-16

Weather: set of environmental conditions encountered from day to day.Ex: conditions now or very recently

Climate: set of environmental conditions averaged over many years.

Ex: conditions expected based on many years of data

Sun’s energy strikes Earth’s land, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, setting them into motion.

Hydrosphere: all of Earth’s water, in all its forms.

Heat sink: any object or material that absorbs energy

and becomes warmer. Oceans are major heat sinks.

What causes weather?

Enough energy is reflected back to space to keep the average temperature on Earth at 15 degrees Celsius.

Amount of energy reflected depends on the albedo of the material. (snow has a high albedo, dark soil has a low albedo)

All of these types of energy transfer contribute to Earth’s weather:

a) radiation: waves of energy from the Sun b) conduction: the collision of particles such as rocks, sand, metals etc.

c) convection: vertical movement of particles in a fluid such as water, or atmosphere d) advection: horizontal movement of particles in

a fluid such as water or atmosphere.

Heat energy transfer:

a) Troposphere: closest to Earth’s surface; responsible for our weather systems (where

weather happens)

b) Stratosphere: dry atmospheric layer that contains

the highest amounts of ozone

c) Mesosphere: middle layer of the atmosphere 

Layers of the atmosphere:

d) Thermosphere: a.k.a. the ionosphere, because charged ions produce Northern and Southern

lights.

e) Exosphere: Where space begins because there are

very few atmospheric particles

Layers of the atmosphere:

Space Tourism?

Instrument: What it measures:

Thermometer Temperature

Wind vane Wind direction

Barometer Air Pressure

Hygrometer Humidity

Rain gauge Precipitation (rainfall)

Anemometer Wind speed

Home-made weather instruments:

Material: Period 1: Period 2:

Food coloring Jenn. A. Sam

Bottles/Cans Cody T. Brittany, Rebecca

Balloons Mack P. Kayla

Tape Cam W. Destiny, Chris

Glue Chris

Cardboard Mr. J, Mr. J., Brittany

Scissors, rulers, dimes, pins, markers

Mr. J. Mr. J.

Sand Shana Lynn Destiny

Styrofoam Mike T. Chris

Straws Briar L. Sam

Clay Kat. W. Cam

Hair Jenn A. Nicole, Chris

Nails Crystal Cam, Chris

Cups Kendra Kayla

Page 507: 1, 3, 8, 10

Chapter 13 Questions:

1. There is no atmosphere (fluid) in space for those processes to happen.

3. Warm water rises because it is less dense than cold water.

8. a) The temperature would drop very quickly B) The temperature would rise slowly

10. Albedo would drop; more energy would be absorbed and global climate would increase.

a) Convective clouds: air near the ground absorbs energy from heated surfaces.

b) Frontal clouds: two large air masses of different temperatures meet.

c) Orographic clouds: air moves up a mountainside.

Fog is a cloud that forms near the ground. 

How clouds form:

a) Cumulous clouds: tall and rounded in shape; are a

sign of unstable weather

b) Stratus clouds: flattened and layered in shape; are a sign of stable weather conditions

A “Nimbus” cloud is a “rain-holding” cloud (darker)

Two main categories of clouds:

a) Meteorology: study of atmosphere and weather.

b) Humidity: measure of amount of water vapor in the atmosphere.

c) Heat Wave: more than 3 days at or above 32 C.

d) Wind Chill Factor: measure of the cooling effect

of the wind on a body. (What temp feels like with the wind)

e) El Nino: a shift in the ocean currents, temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific Ocean. (Water becomes warmer)

f) Greenhouse Gases: atmospheric gases that trap solar energy in our atmosphere. (ex: CO2 and methane etc)

g) Ozone: gas that absorbs UV radiation, makes up

the ozone layer, consists of 3 oxygen atoms.

h) UV index: a scale that tells us how much time in

the Sun would cause sunburn on a specific day.

i) Smog: a combination of smoke and fog.

j) Cloud Seeding: the process of adding tiny particles of silver iodide or dry ice to clouds in

order to control the formation of rain droplets and ice crystals.

k) Precipitation: water that reaches the ground in either liquid or solid form.

l) Atmospheric pressure: pressure that air exerts as

gravity pulls it towards the center of the Earth. Atmospheric pressure at sea level is 1 atmosphere.

Albedo Climate Heat sink Troposphere Stratosphere Mesosphere Exosphere Hydrosphere Frontal clouds Orographic

clouds

Cumulous clouds

Stratus clouds Meteorology Humidity Heat Wave Wind Chill

Factor Greenhouse

gases Ozone

Smog Cloud Seeding Radiation Conduction Convection Advection Atmospheric

pressure Precipitation El Nino UV index

Weather Bingo terms:

Albedo Heat sink Troposphere Exosphere Frontal clouds Orographic

clouds Cumulous

clouds Stratus clouds Heat Wave

Wind Chill Factor

Greenhouse gases

Smog Cloud Seeding Precipitation UV index Meteorologist Weather

satellite

Weather balloon Tornado Flood Blizzard Tundra Thermometer Wind vane Rain gauge Anemometer

Weather Pictionary terms:

Storm Chasers Part 1 Storm Chasers Part 2 Storm Chasers Part 3 Part 4 Part 5

Weather instruments groups:Group #: Members:

1 Conner, Cam, Ryan, Jordan

2 Sarina, Kendra, Keven, Jonhatan

3 Drew, Kat B., Kat. T., Brandon

4 Jennifer, Zack, Doug

5 Mack, Mathew, Cody, Emily

6 Shana-Lynn, Mike, Briar, Charlotte

7 Daniel,

Weather instruments groups:Group #: Members:

1 Nicole, Brei

2 Samantha,

3 Brandon, Chris, Nadia, Katelyn

4 Braelyn, Brittany M., Felicity, Alicia

5 Micaela, Madison, Rebecca

6 Destiny, Kendra

7 Kayla, Cameron, Brittany G., Adina