Wind
What is the definition of wind?
The movement of air caused by differences in air pressure.
A warm air mass is less dense than a cool air mass
True or False?
True
Define Fronts
When two air masses meet, density differences usually keep them from mixing because a cool air mass is denser than a warm air mass.
Define weather.
The condition of Earth’s atmosphere at a certain time and place.
Name all of the topics we have covered so far in Unit 3.
Wind, air masses, fronts, and weather.
What are the three major Global Wind Systems?
Polar Easterlies, Westerlies, & Trade Winds
A dry and cold air mass would be...
contenital polar
Name the four fronts we have discussed in class.
Cold front, warm front, occluded front, & stationary front.
Define air pressure
The force of air molecules pushing on an area.
How does the Coriolis Effect affect wind?
It causes the wind to move in a curved path.
Define the Coriolis Effect.
The curving of the path of a moving object from an otherwise straight path due to Earth's rotation.
Air masses get their temperature and humidity from
The land or water over which it forms
What do Stationary Fronts cause?
Stationary fronts cause many days of unchanging, usually clear, weather.
What are the five factors we discussed in our notes about weather?
Temperature
Air Pressure
Wind
Humidity
Precipitation
Visibility
As the sun heats up a beach during the day, which direction will the breeze most likely blow?
The breeze will blow towards the land.
What causes differences in air pressure around the Earth?
Warm air rises at the equator and cold air sinks at the poles.
How do we characterize an air mass that forms over land?
Dry
What are the directional differences between a cold front and a warm front? (how they move)
In a cold front, cold air moves under warm air but in a warm front, warm air moves over cold air.
What is the weather in New York?
Sunny skies
What is the weather in Denver?
Sunny skies.
The Coriolis Effect is the curving of the path of a moving object in Earth's atmosphere that is caused by Earth's rotation. How does the Coriolis Effect affect winds globally?
It causes the wind to move in a curved path.
A wet, cold air mass would be -
Maritime Polar
What type of front is symbolized in the picture?
Occluded Front
A plane trip from New York to L.A. will take about six hours going from East to West but only five hours if you are traveling in the other direction. This is because of a strong, westerly wind caused by the spinning of the earth called the:
Jet Streams
Cold, dry air affecting the northern United States in winter often comes from
Continental polar air masses