Weather & Natural Phenomena

Name:

Date:

Instructions: Test your knowledge of weather patterns, famous storms, rainbows, earthquakes, volcanoes, and the science behind natural events!

1.
What is the name of the scale used to measure wind speed, ranging from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force)?
A
Fujita Scale
B
Richter Scale
C
Saffir-Simpson Scale
D
Beaufort Scale
2.
How many colors are in a rainbow?
A
7
B
8
C
5
D
6
3.
What weather instrument is used to measure atmospheric pressure?
A
Anemometer
B
Hygrometer
C
Barometer
D
Thermometer
4.
What type of cloud is flat, gray, and often covers the entire sky like a blanket?
A
Cumulus
B
Cumulonimbus
C
Cirrus
D
Stratus
5.
What causes thunder?
A
The rapid expansion of air heated by lightning
B
Clouds colliding with each other
C
Strong winds in the upper atmosphere
D
Rain hitting the ground at high speed
6.
The Fujita Scale (now Enhanced Fujita Scale) is used to rate the intensity of which type of storm?
A
Thunderstorms
B
Blizzards
C
Hurricanes
D
Tornadoes
7.
What is the 'Ring of Fire'?
A
A zone of frequent earthquakes and volcanoes around the Pacific Ocean
B
A type of solar flare
C
A volcanic crater in Iceland
D
The outer edge of a hurricane
8.
What is the eye of a hurricane?
A
A calm, clear area at the center of the storm
B
The area where the hurricane first forms
C
The outer rain bands of the storm
D
The strongest part of the storm with the highest winds
9.
What causes the aurora borealis (Northern Lights)?
A
Charged particles from the Sun interacting with Earth's atmosphere
B
Moonlight reflecting off polar ice
C
Volcanic gases in the upper atmosphere
D
Light refracting through ice crystals in clouds
10.
The Richter Scale measures the magnitude of what natural event?
A
Tornadoes
B
Tsunamis
C
Volcanic eruptions
D
Earthquakes
11.
Which U.S. city was devastated by Hurricane Katrina in 2005?
A
Miami, Florida
B
Galveston, Texas
C
New Orleans, Louisiana
D
Houston, Texas
12.
What is the term for a massive ocean wave caused by an underwater earthquake or volcanic eruption?
A
Tidal wave
B
Storm surge
C
Tsunami
D
Rogue wave
13.
Which U.S. state is known as 'Tornado Alley' and experiences the most tornadoes annually?
A
Texas
B
Kansas
C
Nebraska
D
Oklahoma
14.
The 1883 eruption of which volcano was one of the loudest sounds ever recorded in human history, heard nearly 3,000 miles away?
A
Mount Vesuvius
B
Krakatoa
C
Mount St. Helens
D
Mount Pinatubo
15.
What type of high-altitude, wispy cloud is made entirely of ice crystals and often indicates fair weather?
A
Cumulus
B
Stratus
C
Cirrus
D
Nimbostratus

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