1. Biomes
• Aquatic consists of two basic regions
• _______ and __________
• ______ is the common link among the five biomes.
• Makes up the ______ part of the biosphere.
• Covers nearly ____ of the Earth’s surface.
• Desert = Four basic types
• ____ and ____, _________, Coastal, and _____
• Deserts cover about one fifth of the Earth’s surface and occur
where rainfall is less than _____/year
• There are ________________ in deserts because most are
not capable of storing sufficient water.
• Forest = Three major types of forests, classed according to_______:
• Tropical, Temperate, and Boreal forests (taiga)
• Today, forests occupy approximately ____ of Earth’s land area.
• Tropical forests= Greatest _________ of species
• Temperate Forests= Well-defined ________.
• Boreal forests, or taiga= ________ terrestrial biome.
• Grassland = Two main divisions of grasslands:
• Tropical grasslands, called _______, and ________
grasslands
• Grasslands are characterized as lands dominated by ________
rather than large shrubs or trees.
• Savanna is grassland with ____________individual trees.
• Temperate grasslands are characterized as having grasses as
the dominant vegetation. Trees and large shrubs are _______
• Tundra = Two types:
• _______ tundra and _______ tundra
• Extremely ____ climate
• _____ biotic diversity

2. Name___________________________
How does the atmosphere affect weather?
• The atmosphere is a mixture of ______ that surrounds the Earth
• Has ____different layers; each has different _________
• Air __________and ______change with altitude
• Weather occurs in the layer closest to Earth (__________)
Air Masses
• body of air with a certain ________ and _______ level
Fronts
• Places where air masses _____
• 4 Types: _____Cold, Occluded, _________
• Each kind can bring ______kinds of weather

3. Relative Humidity
 Measure of the amount of ______in the air compared to what the air
could hold
 How “full” of water the air is
 Expressed as ___
 100% relative humidity = _________air
Controlled by temperature
1. ____ air holds more moisture than cool air (more space for water
vapor between air molecules)
2. As air warms, relative humidity ________
3. As air cools, relative humidity _______
Dew Point
 =Temperature at which the air is _______ (100% relative humidity)
Several events can occur when the dew point temp. is reached:
1. If dew point temp is above freezing:
a. water vapor condenses
as ______
b. dew will form on surfaces
c. cloud droplets will form in air
2. If dew point temp. is below freezing:
a. water vapor condenses as a _____
b. frost on surfaces
c. snow (or hail) in the air
Rainbows
 Caused by ________ on raindrops
 White light (all colors) is refracted (bent) into colors as it enters and
exits the drop
 To see a rainbow you must have the sun ______ you and raindrops in
the air

4. Name_______________________
Thunderstorms:
Requires a mature __________ cloud
Signs
a. Sudden reversal of wind direction
b. Noticeable _______in wind speed
c. Sudden drop in temperature
Possible weather:
a. heavy ______(flash floods)
b. lightning (forest fires)
c. _________(frightens animals)
d. hail (crop damage)
e. tornadoes
f. strong, gusty winds
Lightning Storm:
• Lightning stroke: flow of ______ thru air (a poor conductor) from the
– to the +
• Lightning can flow from cloud to ground, cloud to_____, and from
ground to cloud
• Bright light is caused by ______ air molecules heated by the current
• Lightning follows the path of least _______(easiest way to positive)
• Lightning rod offers lightning an_____, safe path to the ground (+)
Thunder is the shock wave caused by the explosive expansion of heated
air
• Sound travels @ about _____ ft/sec in air
• 5,280 ft in one mile
• Distance from you to lightning = number of _____between
seeing the flash and hearing the thunder________.
(5,280 ft / 1100 ft/sec = 5 seconds)

5. Tornado:
• Tornadoes that form over water are called “__________”
• Typical tornado will:
1. Occur between ____pm
2. Travel _____
3. Be 300-400 m wide
4. Travel 25-40 mi/hour
5. Have wind speeds up to ____ mi/hr
6. Produce extremely low pressure
7. Be ______due to debris picked up
Tropical Cyclone
• Also Known As:
1. Atlantic: ________
2. SE Asia, Japan: ________
3. Australia: willy-willy
4. Indian Ocean: cyclone
• Rated by wind ________(category 1 to 5)
• Starts and grows over ______ocean water
• Composed of bands of thunderstorms spiraling counterclockwise
around a low pressure center
• Several ________miles wide
• Last many _____(even weeks)
• Winds from ______ mi/hr
• Contains an “eye”
• Small region of low pressure
• Surrounded by highest winds
• Calm, peaceful, sunny weather
• Last for about 1 hour as hurricane passes by