Name __________________________________________ Period ____ Date ____________

WEATHER
TEST REVIEW
1. What is a hurricane?
A LARGE, LOW PRESSURE STORM SYSTEM THAT FORMS IN THE WARM, TROPICAL WATERS.

2. Describe how winds are created on the planet.

THE UNEVEN HEATING OF THE EARTH’S SURFACE BY THE SUN CAUSES CONVECTION CURRENTS IN THE
ATMOSPHERE.

3. Define:
a.) Gulf Stream: THE WARM CURRENT THAT RUNS ALONG THE GULF OF MEXICO AND THE EAST
COAST OF THE UNITED STATES. IT CONTINUES ON TO ENGLAND BRINGING WARM HUMID AIR TO
THE NEARBY COASTAL AREAS.

b.) Convection: HOT LIQUID OR GAS RISING TO BE REPLACED BY COOL LIQUID OR GAS

c.) Radiation: TRANSFER OF HEAT BY ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION

d.) Conduction: THE TRANSFER OF ENERGY BY DIRECT CONTACT…TOUCHING SOMETHING HOT

4. What does ……
a.) a low specific heat value mean? Give a real life example
TAKES LESS ENERGY TO HEAT UP, HEATS FASTER. LAND HEATS AND COOLS FASTER.
b.) a high specific heat value mean? Give a real life example
TAKES MORE ENERGY TO HEAT UP, HEATS SLOWER. WATER HEATS AND COOLS SLOWER.

5. List the three states of matter in order from most to least kinetic (moving) energy?
GASES HAVE THE MOST KINETIC ENERGY, THEN LIQUIDS, AND LEAST SOLIDS.
6. Low pressure areas are associated with which type of weather?
LOW PRESSURE AREAS ARE USUALLY WARMER AND WETTER. WARMER, LESS DENSE AIR RISES, LIKE
A VACUUM, PULLING EVAPORATED WATER WITH IT. LOW PRESSURE OFTEN CAUSES STORMS.

7. High pressure areas are associated with which type of weather?

HIGH PRESSURE AREAS ARE USUALLY COOLER AND DRIER. COOLER, MORE DENSE AIR SINKS, LIKE A
LEAF BLOWER, CLEARING OUT THE AIR BELOW. HIGH PRESSURE IS ASSOCIATED WITH CLEAR SKIES.

8. Which direction does the wind swirl around in a….

a.) low pressure system? COUNTERCLOCKWISE

b.) high pressure system? CLOCKWISE

9. Draw the weather map symbols for:

 a.) Cold Front:

b.) Warm Front:

c.) High Pressure: H

d.) Low Pressure: L

10. What difference does direct vs. indirect sunlight (at an angle) have on the climates of Earth? In
other words why is the tropical zone warmer than the polar zone?

DIRECT SUNLIGHT PROVIDES MUCH GREATER SOLAR ENERGY TO AN AREA, HEATING UP THE
AIR/WATER/LAND. INDIRECT SPREADS OUT THE ENERGY OVER A GREATER AREA AND DOES NOT HEAT
UP THE AIR/WATER/LAND AS MUCH. DIRECT AT THE EQUATOR, INDIRECT AT THE POLES.

11. What effect does the following have on local temperatures?

a.) warm surface current: USUALLY PROVIDES WARM, HUMID WEATHER

b.) cool surface current: USUALLY PROVIDES COOLER, MOIST

12. What is the difference between a maritime (near the water) and a continental (inland) climate?

MARITIME CLIMATES AFFECT COASTAL CLIMATES AND KEEP THE TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION
RELATIVELY STABLE. CONTINENTAL CLIMATES OCCUR FAR INLAND AND WILL HAVE EXTREME
TEMPERATURES AND PRECIPITATION RANGES WITHOUT THE OCEAN TO KEEP EVERYTHING MODERATE

13. Does a city's distance from the equator or distance from an ocean affect its climate more? Why?

DISTANCE FROM THE EQUATOR AND THE AMOUNT OF DIRECT SUNLIGHT AN AREA RECEIVES AFFECTS
THE CLIMATE MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE, BECAUSE IT DETERMINES HOW THE EARTH’S SURFACE IS
HEATED. A WARM CURRENT CAN HELP BRING HEAT, BUT NOT ENOUGH TO MAKE UP FOR THE
REDUCTION IN SUNLIGHT ALL TOGETHER.

14. Hurricanes move from East to West over the equator, but most weather systems in the United
States, especially the ones that affect Texas, come from which direction and why?

OUR WEATHER SYSTEMS COME FROM THE WEST AND MOVE EASTWARD FOLLOWING THE JET STREAM.

15. Draw the correct symbol on the front line indicated on the maps below. Be sure to put the symbols
facing the direction of the front’s movement. Fill in the box with the type of front for each map.

WARM AIR
TRAVELS UP
FROM THE
EQUATOR
AND COOL
AIR COMES
DOWN FROM
THE N. POLE
16. Which locations (letters) have a Maritime Climate? A, E, D, F – ALL THESE AREAS ARE CLOSE
TO THE COASTLINE AND ARE AFFECTED BY OCEAN CURRENTS.

17. Which locations (letters) have a Continental Climate? B, C - ALL THESE AREAS ARE INLAND
AND DO NOT HAVE A NEARBY OCEAN CURRENT TO HELP STABILIZE THEIR CLIMATES.

18. Which location will have the widest ranges in temperature and precipitation throughout the year and
why? LOCATION C IS THE MOST INLAND AND WILL THEREFORE HAVE THE WIDEST RANGES
IN TEMPERATURE AND PRECIPITATION. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE BENEFIT OF BEING NEAR
AN OCEAN CURRENT TO KEEP THE CLIMATE STEADY.

19. Location E has lower average temperatures than those of locations at the same latitude, but further
inland. What is causing these cooler temperatures?

THE COOL CALIFORNIA CURRENT FROM THE NORTH POLE COOLS THE AIR ABOVE AND IT
ALSO COOLS THE SURROUNDING AREAS.