Air Masses and Fronts
What is an air mass?
Air that moves across Earth's surface in huge volumes.
What is air pressure?
Air pressure is the weight of air above us pressing down on the Earth's surface.
What do weather maps show?
Weather maps show the current weather conditions over a specific area.
What is a convection current?
flow of air in a circular pattern
What type of front brings continuous rain?
A warm front.
What tool do we use to measure air pressure?
A barometer.
What does a blue line with triangles represent on a weather map?
A cold front.
What causes convection currents?
The ground heats up and absorbs sunlight, warming the air near Earth's surface. As the air heats up the air becomes denser than the cold air. This causes the warm air to rise and the cool air fills in that space.
What happens at a cold front?
Cold air pushes under warm air, causing storms and cooler temperatures.
What happens with when there is low pressure?
What information can you typically find on a weather map?
Temperature, precipitation, pressure systems, and fronts.
Explain the Coriolis effect.
The Coriolis effect is the deflection of moving objects, like wind, due to the rotation of the Earth.
What is a stationary front?
A stationary front occurs when to air masses meet but doesn't change the weather.
What is the difference between high and low pressure systems?
High pressure systems are associated with clear skies and calm weather, while low pressure systems are associated with clouds and precipitation.
How do meteorologists use weather maps?
Meteorologists analyze weather maps to make forecasts and understand weather patterns.
Describe how an air mass can change as it moves.
As an air mass moves, it can pick up moisture or heat from the surface, changing its characteristics and the weather it brings.
Describe how changes in air pressure can influence weather.
Rapid changes in air pressure can lead to stormy weather, while stable air pressure often leads to fair weather.