Weather and Climate Test Questions and Answers

Weather and Climate Test Questions and Answers What is the difference between weather and climate? - Answer-Weather refers to present state whereas climate refers to the average state in a period of time. What is a front? - Answer-A barrier between two different air temperatures which causes lifting and lowering of air masses. Why is climate important? - Answer-It governs how we live, and how society functions (ex. farming) What is a cold snap? - Answer-A sudden brief spell of cold weather What is a polar vortex? - Answer-A shift in the jet stream brings a mass of cold, low pressure air (farther south than usual) causing temperatures to plummet. Where is a polar vortex located? How does it migrate? - Answer-Usually it is located in the North Pole, and a high pressure system from the west pushes the vortex south. How does understanding climate benefit us? List some examples. - Answer-Building houses that are able to float in flood -prone areas, predict where to place airports, when to plant crops, what to wear Why is the ozone layer so important? What is it's current state? - Answer-It acts as a barrier to harmful rays (gamma, x-ray, ultraviolet) from space which can lead to mutations. It has started to thin causing an ozone hole above NA and Antarctica. Distinguish between atmosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere/geosphere, and biosphere. - Answer-Atmosphere is a complex system of interacting elements (blanket of gas particles, solids, liquids and precipitation). Hydrosphere consist of solid and liquid water on Earth. Lithosphere is the geological materials. Biosphere is life on Earth consisting of culture, economy, technology, communication, and any human activities.