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Weather instruments & clouds

Match weather instruments and cloud types (cirrus, cumulus, stratus) to what they measure or indicate. Review suitability for your learners before teaching.

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Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What are the thin, wispy, feathery high-altitude clouds made of ice crystals in fair weather called: cirrus clouds or cumulonimbus clouds?
What are the thin, wispy, … · Weather instruments & clouds
2. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the low, flat, un… · Weather instruments & clouds
3. Which weather instrument measures atmospheric air pressure (helping meteorologists forecast approaching storms or fair weather): a barometer or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument m… · Weather instruments & clouds
4. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
Why are weather station th… · Weather instruments & clouds
5. What are the fluffy, white, flat-based clouds that look like cotton wool floating in a blue sky on a sunny day: cumulus clouds or stratus clouds?
What are the fluffy, white… · Weather instruments & clouds
6. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Which weather instrument h… · Weather instruments & clouds
7. What scale from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force) is used by sailors and weather observers to estimate wind speed from sea and land conditions: the Beaufort scale or the pH scale?
0 · 12 · Weather instruments & clouds
8. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the tall, towerin… · Weather instruments & clouds
9. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument p… · Weather instruments & clouds
10. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
“weather” · “climate” · Weather instruments & clouds
11. If a wind vane points toward the East, from which direction is the wind blowing: from the East (an easterly wind), or from the West?
If a wind vane points towa… · Weather instruments & clouds
12. Which weather instrument measures the relative humidity (water vapour content) of the air: a hygrometer or an anemometer?
Which weather instrument m… · Weather instruments & clouds

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

View the answer key

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What are the thin, wispy, feathery high-altitude clouds made of ice crystals in fair weather called: cirrus clouds or cumulonimbus clouds?
Cirrus clouds
Cirrus clouds form high in the troposphere and look like delicate white feathers.
2. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Stratus clouds
Stratus clouds form a low horizontal grey layer across the sky.
3. Which weather instrument measures atmospheric air pressure (helping meteorologists forecast approaching storms or fair weather): a barometer or a rain gauge?
Barometer
Rising barometric pressure usually signals fair weather; falling pressure often signals an approaching storm.
4. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
To shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely
A Stevenson screen ensures the thermometer measures true air temperature in the shade.
5. What are the fluffy, white, flat-based clouds that look like cotton wool floating in a blue sky on a sunny day: cumulus clouds or stratus clouds?
Cumulus clouds
Fair-weather cumulus clouds have rounded white tops and flat bases.
6. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Anemometer
An anemometer counts rotations to measure how fast the wind is blowing.
7. What scale from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force) is used by sailors and weather observers to estimate wind speed from sea and land conditions: the Beaufort scale or the pH scale?
Beaufort scale
Admiral Francis Beaufort devised the 0–12 wind force scale based on observable wave and tree motion.
8. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Cumulonimbus clouds
Cumulonimbus clouds are deep convective storm clouds associated with thunderstorms.
9. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Wind vane (weather vane)
A wind vane pivots so its arrow points into the oncoming wind.
10. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years
Weather changes hour by hour; climate describes long-term regional averages.
11. If a wind vane points toward the East, from which direction is the wind blowing: from the East (an easterly wind), or from the West?
From the East (an easterly wind)
Winds are named after the direction they blow FROM, and a wind vane points into the oncoming wind.
12. Which weather instrument measures the relative humidity (water vapour content) of the air: a hygrometer or an anemometer?
Hygrometer
A hygrometer measures how much moisture is held in the air.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioPractice pack · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Take your time. Show your thinking.

1. What are the thin, wispy, feathery high-altitude clouds made of ice crystals in fair weather called: cirrus clouds or cumulonimbus clouds?
What are the thin, wispy, … · Weather instruments & clouds
2. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the low, flat, un… · Weather instruments & clouds
3. Which weather instrument measures atmospheric air pressure (helping meteorologists forecast approaching storms or fair weather): a barometer or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument m… · Weather instruments & clouds
4. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
Why are weather station th… · Weather instruments & clouds
5. What are the fluffy, white, flat-based clouds that look like cotton wool floating in a blue sky on a sunny day: cumulus clouds or stratus clouds?
What are the fluffy, white… · Weather instruments & clouds
6. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Which weather instrument h… · Weather instruments & clouds
7. What scale from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force) is used by sailors and weather observers to estimate wind speed from sea and land conditions: the Beaufort scale or the pH scale?
0 · 12 · Weather instruments & clouds
8. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
What are the tall, towerin… · Weather instruments & clouds
9. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Which weather instrument p… · Weather instruments & clouds
10. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
“weather” · “climate” · Weather instruments & clouds
11. If a wind vane points toward the East, from which direction is the wind blowing: from the East (an easterly wind), or from the West?
If a wind vane points towa… · Weather instruments & clouds
12. Which weather instrument measures the relative humidity (water vapour content) of the air: a hygrometer or an anemometer?
Which weather instrument m… · Weather instruments & clouds

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification

Worksheet StudioAnswer key · Ages 7-9

Weather instruments & clouds

Answers and reasoning. Review before teaching.

1. What are the thin, wispy, feathery high-altitude clouds made of ice crystals in fair weather called: cirrus clouds or cumulonimbus clouds?
Cirrus clouds
Cirrus clouds form high in the troposphere and look like delicate white feathers.
2. What are the low, flat, uniform grey cloud layers that cover the whole sky like a blanket and often bring light drizzle: stratus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Stratus clouds
Stratus clouds form a low horizontal grey layer across the sky.
3. Which weather instrument measures atmospheric air pressure (helping meteorologists forecast approaching storms or fair weather): a barometer or a rain gauge?
Barometer
Rising barometric pressure usually signals fair weather; falling pressure often signals an approaching storm.
4. Why are weather station thermometers housed inside a white, slatted wooden box (a Stevenson screen): to shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely, or to keep rain inside?
To shade the thermometer from direct sunlight while allowing air to circulate freely
A Stevenson screen ensures the thermometer measures true air temperature in the shade.
5. What are the fluffy, white, flat-based clouds that look like cotton wool floating in a blue sky on a sunny day: cumulus clouds or stratus clouds?
Cumulus clouds
Fair-weather cumulus clouds have rounded white tops and flat bases.
6. Which weather instrument has spinning cups that rotate in the breeze to measure wind speed: an anemometer or a thermometer?
Anemometer
An anemometer counts rotations to measure how fast the wind is blowing.
7. What scale from 0 (calm) to 12 (hurricane force) is used by sailors and weather observers to estimate wind speed from sea and land conditions: the Beaufort scale or the pH scale?
Beaufort scale
Admiral Francis Beaufort devised the 0–12 wind force scale based on observable wave and tree motion.
8. What are the tall, towering, anvil-topped storm clouds that produce heavy rain, thunder and lightning: cumulonimbus clouds or cirrus clouds?
Cumulonimbus clouds
Cumulonimbus clouds are deep convective storm clouds associated with thunderstorms.
9. Which weather instrument points into the wind to show the direction (N, S, E, W) from which the wind is blowing: a wind vane (weather vane) or a rain gauge?
Wind vane (weather vane)
A wind vane pivots so its arrow points into the oncoming wind.
10. What is the difference between “weather” and “climate”: weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years, or they are identical?
Weather is the day-to-day state of the atmosphere, whereas climate is the average weather pattern over 30+ years
Weather changes hour by hour; climate describes long-term regional averages.
11. If a wind vane points toward the East, from which direction is the wind blowing: from the East (an easterly wind), or from the West?
From the East (an easterly wind)
Winds are named after the direction they blow FROM, and a wind vane points into the oncoming wind.
12. Which weather instrument measures the relative humidity (water vapour content) of the air: a hygrometer or an anemometer?
Hygrometer
A hygrometer measures how much moisture is held in the air.

12 questions · Seed 104731 · Age guidance, not curriculum certification