Critical Thinking

27. Inferring How might Earth be different if there were no ozone layer?

28. Applying Concepts Imagine that you measured air pressure with a mercury barometer at the bottom of a mountain and at the top of that mountain. At which location would the column of mercury be shorter? Explain your answer.

29. Inferring Scientists sometimes refer to one of the layers of the atmosphere as the “weather sphere.” Which layer do you think this is, and why?

30. Designing an Experiment Design an Use the graph below to answer Questions 39 and 40. experiment that could be used to determine how air pressure changes with altitude.

31. Predicting How might Earth's weather be different if Earth were not tilted on its axis?

32. Applying Concepts Sometimes, when you rise in the morning, you'll see fog over a large area. The fog is often gone by noon. Explain why the fog forms and why it disappears.

33. Classifying In just a few minutes, the weather in your neighborhood changes from sunny and warm to cool and windy, and rain begins to fall. What type of front has probably moved in?

34. Comparing and Contrasting Air masses collide and fronts develop in a cyclone, while air masses don't collide in an anticyclone. What causes this difference?

35. Inferring How would you expect the reading on a barometer to change as a storm moves into your area?

36. Applying Concepts Describe what happens to a hurricane when it passes over land, and why.

37. Inferring Would you expect a land area where the prevailing winds blow from the land to the ocean to receive very much or very little precipitation? Explain your answer.

38. Formulating Hypotheses Portland, Oregon, which is located near the Pacific coast, has milder winters than St. Louis, Missouri, which is located deep in the interior of North America. Yet Portland is farther north than St. Louis. How can you explain this difference in climate?

Analyzing Data

Use the graph below to answer Questions 39 and 40.

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39. Using Graphs What is the maximum number of grams of water vapor that can exist in a kilogram of air at −20°C, 0°C, 20°C, and 40°C?

40. Making Generalizations Use the graph to make a general statement about temperature and water vapor in the atmosphere.

Concepts in Action

41. Inferring Why don't hurricanes form over the Arctic Ocean?

42. Applying Concepts What factors discussed in this chapter affect the climate where you live?

43. Writing in Science Write a descriptive paragraph about a storm that you have experienced. What kind of storm was it?

Performance-Based Assessment

Predicting Use weather maps to interpret weather data for a city of your choice for three consecutive days. Record these data in a table, and predict what the weather will be for the city on the fourth day.

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