Name:_________________________________________________________Date:_________________
Weather Instruments and the Variables They Measure
Define the following terms:
Anemometer:______________________________________________________________________
Psychrometer:______________________________________________________________________
Thermometer:______________________________________________________________________
Barometer:________________________________________________________________________
Wind Vane:_______________________________________________________________________
Precipitation Gauge:________________________________________________________________
Answer the following questions:
1. Students wish to study the effect of elevation above sea level on air temperature and air pressure.
They plan to hike in the Adirondack Mountains from Heart Lake, elevation 2,179 feet, to the peak
of Mt. Marcy, elevation 5,344 feet. Which instruments should they use to collect their data?
A)
B)
C)
D)
anemometer and psychrometer
anemometer and barometer
thermometer and psychrometer
thermometer and barometer
2. Which list correctly matches each instrument with
the weather variable it measures?
A) wind vane—wind speed
thermometer—temperature
precipitation gauge—relative humidity
B) wind vane—wind direction
thermometer—dewpoint
psychrometer—air pressure
C) barometer—relative humidity
anemometer—cloud cover
precipitation gauge—probability of precipitation
D) barometer—air pressure
anemometer—wind speed
psychrometer—relative humidity
3. Which weather instrument is used to measure wind
speed?
A) anemometer
C) psychrometer
B) wind vane
D) thermometer
4. Which weather instrument is most useful in
measuring relative humidity?
A) barometer
C) psychrometer
B) anemometer
D) wind vane
5. Which weather variable is measured by a barometer?
A) dewpoint
C) air pressure
B) wind speed
D) visibility
6. Which weather variable can be determined by using a
psychrometer?
A)
B)
C)
D)
A)
B)
C)
D)
barometric pressure
cloud cover
relative humidity
wind speed
7. A psychrometer is used to determine which weather
variables?
A)
B)
C)
D)
9. Which weather change is most likely indicated by
rapidly falling air pressure?
Humidity is decreasing.
Temperature is decreasing.
Skies are clearing.
A storm is approaching.
10. The diagram below shows a weather instrument
found at most weather stations.
wind speed and wind direction
percentage of cloud cover and cloud height
air pressure and air temperature
relative humidity and dewpoint
8. Which weather instrument has most improved the
accuracy of weather forecasts over the past 40 years?
A) thermometer
C) weather satellite
B) sling psychrometer
D) weather balloon
The main function of this instrument is to measure
which weather variable?
A) wind speed
C) air pressure
B) wind direction
D) relative humidity
11. Base your answer to the following question on the map below, which shows sea-level air pressure, in
millibars, for a portion of the eastern coast of North America. Points A, B, C, and D are sea-level
locations on Earth's surface.
Which weather instrument was used to measure the air pressures?
A) thermometer
B) wind vane
C) sling psychrometer
D) barometer
12. The diagrams represent electromagnetic waves being
transmitted ( ) by a Doppler radar weather
instrument and waves being reflected ( ) by rain
showers. This instrument produces computer images
that show the movement of rainstorms.
13. A weather instrument is shown below.
Which weather variable is measured by this
instrument?
A) wind speed
C) cloud cover
Which weather instrument was used to measure the
amount of rainfall from this storm?
A)
B)
C)
D)
B) precipitation
D) air pressure
14. An instrument used to measure a weather variable is
shown below.
barometer
anemometer
precipitation gauge
wind vane
Which weather variable is measured by this
instrument?
A) wind direction
C) wind speed
B) air pressure
D) amount of rainfall
15. The diagram below shows weather instruments A and B.
Which table correctly indicates the name of the weather instrument and the weather variable that it
measures?
A)
B)
C)
D)