Instruments of the Trade: The Meteorology Tools Quiz

If we need to measure temperature, then we must use a tool designed to detect thermal energy; since a thermometer measures degrees of heat, it is the correct choice.

If a tool has a pointer that aligns with the movement of air, then it indicates direction; since a wind vane points into the wind, it identifies the wind's source.

If the cups on this tool spin faster when the wind blows harder, then it is measuring the rate of air movement; therefore, it measures wind speed.

If we need to quantify how much rain has fallen, then we need a container with a scale; a rain gauge is specifically designed to catch and measure rain.

If a person's job is to collect data on temperature, wind, and rain to make predictions, then they are studying the weather; this role is defined as a meteorologist.

If air has mass and pushes down on the Earth, then we need a tool to measure that force; a barometer is the specific instrument that tracks air pressure.

If the "H" stands for High Pressure, and high pressure usually pushes clouds away, then the resulting weather is typically clear and sunny.

If precipitation is defined as water falling from the sky in any form, then rain, snow, and hail qualify, while wind and sunlight do not involve falling water.

If we need to know how "sticky" or moist the air feels, then we must measure water vapor; a hygrometer is the scientific tool built for this purpose.

If weather is what happens daily and climate is the long-term average, then collecting data over years allows scientists to see the broader patterns of a region.

If we are describing the physical property measured by a thermometer in degrees, then the scientific term for that property is temperature.

If substances typically expand when they get hotter, then the liquid moving up the tube indicates an increase in heat or temperature.

If weather data must be a measurable observation of the atmosphere, then "2 inches of rain" is a quantitative data point collected by a tool.

If a satellite's purpose is to see large-scale weather patterns from above, then it must be located in space; therefore, it does not stay on the ground.

If a wind vane is designed to point in the direction the wind is blowing "from," then a North-pointing vane indicates a North wind.

If we are looking for the name of the specific branch of science that deals with weather tools and data, then that science is called meteorology.

If a weather station is for measuring atmospheric conditions, then tools for temperature, rain, and wind are required, while a toaster and microscope serve other purposes.

If a hurricane has extremely high wind speeds, and an anemometer spins based on wind speed, then the tool will spin at its maximum rate.

If low pressure systems are associated with rising air and cloud formation, then a falling barometer reading is a common signal that a storm is approaching.

If we are measuring temperature in the U.S. system, then we use degrees Fahrenheit; inches and liters are used for length and volume.