Atmosphere & Weather

Front

Wispy, high clouds made of ice crystals

Back

Cirrus clouds are thin, wispy clouds that form at high altitudes and are composed of ice crystals.

Front

What type of severe weather is an extended period of well-below-average rainfall?

Back

Drought is a prolonged dry period characterized by a significant decrease in precipitation.

Front

This layer of the atmosphere is where auroras occur.

Back

The thermosphere is the layer of the atmosphere where auroras, or northern and southern lights, occur due to interactions with solar winds.

Front

What is the long-term change in the atmosphere for a particular area?

Back

Climate refers to the long-term average of weather patterns in a specific area over an extended period.

Front

The troposphere contains this much of the Earth's atmosphere?

Back

The troposphere contains approximately 90% of the Earth's atmosphere, where most weather events occur.

Front

What is the lowest layer of the atmosphere?

Back

The troposphere is the lowest layer of the atmosphere, extending from the Earth's surface up to about 8-15 kilometers.

Front

What type of cloud is typically associated with thunderstorms?

Back

Cumulonimbus clouds are large, towering clouds associated with thunderstorms and severe weather.

Front

What is the process by which water vapor turns into liquid water?

Back

Condensation is the process where water vapor cools and changes into liquid water, forming clouds.

Front

What is the term for the movement of air from high pressure to low pressure?

Back

Wind is the movement of air caused by differences in air pressure.

Front

What is the term for a violent windstorm characterized by a rotating column of air?

Back

A tornado is a rapidly rotating column of air that extends from a thunderstorm to the ground.