Question

section 1: seasons and weather

1. what is the main difference between weather and climate?
2. what causes the seasons on earth?
3. what are the two types of days that mark the beginning of seasons, and what is the difference between them?
4. name at least three things that cause daily weather.
5. what is a rain shadow, and how is it created?
6. how are hurricanes and tornadoes different from each other?

Explanation:

1. Weather is short - term atmospheric conditions (hours to days), while climate is long - term (30 years or more) average weather patterns.
2. The seasons on Earth are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis (about 23.5 degrees) as it orbits the Sun, leading to varying amounts of sunlight in different regions at different times.
3. The two types of days marking the beginning of seasons are equinoxes and solstices. Equinoxes occur when day and night are of approximately equal length (around March 20 - 21 and September 22 - 23), while solstices are the longest (summer solstice) and shortest (winter solstice) days of the year in terms of daylight hours (around June 20 - 21 and December 21 - 22).
4. Three things that cause daily weather are air pressure systems (high and low pressure), temperature differences, and humidity levels.
5. A rain shadow is a dry area on the leeward side of a mountain range. It is created when moist air rises over a mountain, cools and condenses to form precipitation on the windward side. By the time the air reaches the leeward side, it is dry and warm.
6. Hurricanes form over warm ocean waters, are large - scale (hundreds of miles across) and have a well - defined eye. Tornadoes are much smaller (usually a few hundred yards across), form over land from severe thunderstorms, and are characterized by a violently rotating column of air.

Answer:

1. Weather is short - term, climate is long - term.
2. Tilt of Earth's axis during orbit.
3. Equinoxes (equal day/night) and solstices (longest/shortest days), differences in daylight hours.
4. Air pressure systems, temperature differences, humidity levels.
5. Dry area on leeward side of mountain range; formed by air losing moisture over mountain.
6. Hurricanes form over ocean, are large with eye; tornadoes form over land from thunderstorms, are smaller.