Properties
Layers of the Atmosphere
Air masses
Fronts
Predicting Weather
100
The top two most abundant gases in the air.
What are nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%)?
100
The second layer that contains the ozone layer that absorbs much of the harmful ultraviolet (UV) radiation from the sun.
What is the stratosphere?
100

What type of weather would you expect near a maritime tropical air mass?

What are warm & humid/moist conditions?

100
When a cold air mass overtakes a warm air mass. Shown by a blue line with blue triangles pointing in the direction the cold air is moving.
What is a cold front?
100

What is a scientist who studies and predicts weather called?

What is a meteorologist?

200
How air pressure changes going up in the atmosphere.
What is as altitude increases, air pressure decreases?
200
The lowest layer, so it is the most dense air and has the highest air pressure. This is where all weather and most clouds occur.
What is the troposphere?
200

What type of weather would you expect near a maritime polar air mass?

What are cold & humid/moist conditions?

200
When a warm air mass overtakes a cold air mass. Show on a weather map by a red line with red half-circles showing the direction of movement of the warm air.
What is a warm front?
200

If you see a high pressure symbol ("H") on a weather map what does this tell you about the weather in that area?

What is clear skies?

300
How air density changes going up in the atmosphere.
What is as altitude increases, air density decreases?
300
The 3rd layer up, where most meteoroids burn up by friction with the air, and become meteors (also called shooting stars).
What is the mesosphere?
300

What type of weather would you expect near a continental tropical air mass?

What are warm & dry conditions?

300
Cold and warm air masses meet, but neither can move the other, creating a "stalemate." Shown by alternating red half-circles and blue triangles on a weather map. Can stall out and bring much rain over a few days where it happens.
What is a stationary front?
300

If you see a low pressure symbol ("L") on a weather map what does this tell you about the weather in that area?

What is cloudy skies, rainy weather, possible storms?

400
What convection causes that distributes the sun's heat more evenly across the Earth.
What is the wind?
400
The 4th layer up that deflects some of the sun's energy and causes the northern lights, or aurora borealis.
What is the ionosphere (or thermosphere)?
400

What type of weather would you expect near a continental polar air mass?

What are cold and dry conditions?

400
When a cold front overtakes a warm front, trapping warm air in between two cold air masses. Often happens in snow storms in the Northern U.S. Shown in purple on weather maps, with alternating purple triangles and half-circles on the same side of the purple line.
What is an occluded front?
400

What kind of weather would you expect if you see a cold front moving into an area?

What is heavy rain and thunder that move quickly?

500
Near a large body of water, 1) the wind pattern during the day and 2) the wind pattern at night.
What is 1) a sea breeze and 2) a land breeze?
500
The highest layer of the atmosphere that is the boundary with outer space. Communications satellites orbit here.
What is the exosphere?
500

When a large bubble of air remains over a specific area long enough to take on temperature and humidity characteristics of the region, it is a(n) ________________

What is an air mass?

500

What often happens either at or near a weather front?

What are condensation, clouds, precipitation, winds, etc.?

500

What kind of weather would you expect if you see a warm front moving into an area?

What is light rain that might last for a while?

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