2nd Quarter EQT Study Guide

Winds and Weather Tornadoes can be produced by thunderstorms. When we see a tornado, we are not seeing the swirling air. We are seeing the dirt and debris lifted by the air. Hurricanes are a type of storm called tropical cyclone, which form over tropical waters. When storms winds reach 74 mph it is called a hurricane. Severe Weather Warning indicates that severe weather is about to happen or is happening in your area. Example that a tornado has been spotted and you need to get to a safe place now. Severe Weather Watch indicates that conditions are favorable to develop severe weather systems like a tornado, so be on the look-out. What is climate? Climate describes the average weather of a particular part of the world at different times of the year. What is weather? Weather describes the state of the atmosphere at any particular time. Weather can be described in terms of temperature, precipitation (snow, rain & hail), wind speed and direction, visibility and cloud amounts. Meteorologist is a scientists who studies weather. Thermometer is an instrument for measuring and indicating temperature. Doppler radar is a radar tracking system using the Doppler effect to determine the location and velocity of a storm, clouds, and precipitation. Psychrometer is a hygrometer consisting of a wet-bulb and a dry-bulb thermometer, used to determine atmospheric humidity. Anemometer is an instrument used for measuring the speeds of wind.

Air Masses and Fronts Air masses take on the characteristics of the area where they form. Air mass temperature and moisture are consistent throughout. Warm air forms over tropical regions near the equator. T- Tropical Cold air forms over polar regions. P- Polar Wet air masses form over water m- maritime Dry air masses from over land. c- continental

Fronts Cold front Warm front Occluded front Stationary front A front is a boundary between air masses. Four types of fronts and map symbols Cold front Warm front Occluded front Stationary front

COLD FRONT Cold air mass meets a warm air mass and pushes the warm air mass out of its way. Bring thunderstorms, rain or snow. Most tornadoes develop from thunderstorms on the edge of a cold front. Cold front followed by cooler drier air.

WARM FRONT Warm air mass meets a cold air mass and pushes the cold air mass out of the way. Brings drizzly precipitation. Followed by clear warm weather.

Stationary Front Cold air meets warm air. Not enough force to move either front. Many days of cloudy, wet weather.

Occluded Front Warm air caught between two cold air masses. Brings cool temperatures with large amounts of rain or snow

Seasons Rotation is the spin of an object around its axis. Solstice is when Earth’s rotation axis is tilted directly toward or away from the sun. Orbit is the path an object follow as it moves around another object. Equinox is when Earth’s rotation axis is tilted neither toward the nor away from the sun. Revolution is the orbit of one object around another object. Rotation Axis is the line on which an object rotates. Summer Solstice is on June 20 or 21, the north end of Earth’s rotation axis is toward the sun, days are longer and nights are shorter, summer begins. Winter Solstice is on December 21 or 22, the north end of Earth’s rotation axis is away from the sun, days are shorter and the nights are longer, winter begins Autumnal/Fall Equinox is September 22 or 23, the north end of Earth’s rotation axis leans along Earth’s orbit, there are about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, fall/autumn begins. Vernal/ Spring Equinox is March 20 or 21, the north end of Earth’s rotation axis leans along Earth’s orbit, there are about 12 hours of daylight and 12 hours of darkness, spring begins.

Seasons What holds the Earth in its orbit? It is the Law of Universal Gravitation, it is the pull of gravity between two objects depends on the masses of the objects and the distance between them. What causes the seasons to change on Earth? It is the tilt of Earth’s rotation axis, combined with Earth’s motion around the sun. The Sun’s rays strike the Northern Hemisphere and Southern Hemisphere more directly during what seasons? Summer and Winter One rotation of the Earth on its axis takes how long? One complete rotation of Earth takes about one day. One revolution of the Earth around the sun takes how long? One complete revolution around the Sun is 365.24 days. When it is winter in the northern hemisphere, what season is it in the Southern Hemisphere? Summer How many solstices occur each year? Two, the Winter Solstices and the Summer Solstices The Earth’s rotation makes the sun rise in the _____west_________ and sets in the _______east________?

Carbon Cycles Carbon is cycled between the earth and the atmosphere Nitrates are a nitrogen-based compound often used in fertilizers. Non-renewable Resources is a natural resource that is being used up faster than it can be replaced by natural processes. Example Fossil Fuels, Nonpoint-source pollution is pollution from several widespread sources that cannot be traced back to a single location. Point-source pollution is pollution from a single source that can be identified. Decomposition is the breaking down of dead organisms and organic waste Greenhouse Gasses a gas in the atmosphere that absorbs Earth’s outgoing infrared radiation. Greenhouse effect is the natural process that occurs when certain gases in the atmosphere absorb and reradiate thermal energy from the sun. Three things necessary for Photosynthesis: water, carbon dioxide, and sunlight. Global Warming is caused by deforestation (destroying forests), burning fossil fuels (pollution), and carbon dioxide.

Carbon Cycle Plants pull carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and use it to make food The carbon becomes part of the plant (stored food) When organisms consume plants, they take in the carbon and some of it becomes part of their own bodies.

Carbon Cycle Diagram Carbon is also stored in the ocean. Carbon is found in the form of calcium carbonate in the shell of aquatic species. When animals die, carbon substances are deposited at the bottom of oceans. Oceans contain earth’s largest reservoir of carbon.

Water Cycle Evaporation is the process of a liquid changing to a gas at the surface of the liquid Condensation is the process by which a gas changes to a liquid Precipitation is water, in liquid or solid form, that falls from the atmosphere. Runoff is water that flows over Earth’s surface. Transpiration is the process by which plants release water vapor through their leaves Water can be a solid, liquid and gas

Water Cycle The earth has a limited amount of water.  That water keeps going around and around and around and around and (well, you get the idea) in what we call the "Water Cycle". This cycle is made up of a few main parts: Evaporation or (Transpiration) Condensation Precipitation Accumulation or (Collection) Ground Water Saturation Infiltration