Air Masses
Fronts
Wind and Pressure
Global Patterns
General Science
100
The two characteristics of air masses.
What are temperature and moisture?
100
Form when two different large air masses meet and usually bring changes in the weather.
What are fronts?
100

Wind always moves from areas of ___ pressure to ___ pressure. The capital letter H stands for this on a weather map.

What is a high to low?

100

The deflection of wind caused by Earth's rotation.

What is the Coriolis Effect?

100

What is the "engine" that moves air masses and the water cycle?

What is the sun?

200

"Maritime" means the air mass formed over this.

What is the Ocean?

200
A type of front made of cold, dense air. Rain, snow, thurnderstorms and sometimes tornadoes are caused by this front. Usually, the precipitation does not last very long.
What is a cold front?
200

This happens to air when it is heated by the sun.

What is rises?

200

These high-altitude "ribbons" of wind help predict storm paths.

What are Jet Streams?

200

Explain why warm air rises over cold air.

What is density? (Warm air is less dense, weighs less, or is more spread out than cold air.)

300

Maritime Polar air masses are both __________ and _________

What is cold and wet?

300
The front that forms when two air masses meet and neither one takes over. Often causes many cloudy days to occur in a row.
What is a stationary front?
300

A breeze that blows from the valley up the mountain during the day.

What is a valley breeze?
300

These winds blow between 30° and 60° latitude (where we live).

What is are the Westerlies?

300

Why does a "Stationary Front" stay in one place?

What is because neither air mass is strong enough to move the other?

400

The area where an air mass gets is characteristics.

What is a source region?

400
The type of front formed when a large mass of warm air takes over the cooler air mass. Usually produce rain, fog, or snow that lis light but steady.
What is a warm front?
400

The process where the ground heats the air directly above it.

What is conduction?

400

These winds blow from the poles down to 60° latitude.

What are the Polar Easterlies?

400

Why would a desert form at 30° latitude where air is sinking?

What is because sinking air is cool and the rapid rising caused them to precipitate and dry out?

500

Continental Tropical air mass is both _____ and _____

What is hot and dry?

500
The type of front that develops when two cool air masses merge, forcing the warm air to rise and become trapped. Usually brings wind and preciptiation.
What is an occluded front?
500

At night, mountains cool faster, creating this type of breeze.

What are mountain breezes (or Katabatic Winds)?

500

If Earth didn't rotate, winds would move in this shape.

What is a straight line?

500

Why are "Continental" air mass unlikely be humid?

What is because they form over land (where there is no large water source)?

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