weather test

What are the primary sources of moisture in the US?

gulf of California, Gulf of Mexico (GoM), land, and the Pacific Ocean

Up to how much of our atmosphere is water vapor?

about 4%

Epipelagic Zone

Only a small amount of light penetrates beyond this depth

Mesopelagic Zone

just beyond the reach of sunlight

Bathypelagic Zone

single largest habitat on the planet,

Abyssopelagic Zone

the animals that live here often use bioluminescence to communicate.

Describe how a gyre works.

• a large system of rotating ocean currents.

What is upwelling?

a process in which deep, cold water rises toward the surface. 

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather refers to short term atmospheric conditions while climate is the weather of a specific region averaged over a long period of time.

What are the ways that pressure can be increased or decreased and why?

Sinking air increases pressure at surface, and ascent decreases pressure at surface

Explain how surface currents work and how they are driven.

driven by global wind systems that are fueled by energy from the Sun.

Describe how convection works in the atmosphere.

• a vertical transport of heat and moisture in the atmosphere, especially by updrafts and downdrafts in an unstable atmosphere.

What are the 4 main components of the atmosphere?

• nitrogen,oxygen,argon,carbon dioxide

How do we measure pressure?

•  typically measured in units of force per unit of surface area. 

thermometer

• an instrument for measuring and indicating temperature, 

Rain gauge

• a device for collecting and measuring the amount of rain which falls.

Barometer

• an instrument measuring atmospheric pressure, used especially in forecasting the weather and determining altitude.

Wind vane

an instrument that measures the direction from which the wind is blowing.

What are the four major types of precipitation?

rain, snow, sleet, and hail.