Pressure Systems
What direction does air move in a high pressure system? Include both the direction of spin in the northern hemisphere and whether or not the air is rising or falling
clockwise, falling
What is the primary function of a hygrometer?
to measure humidity
What is the name of a warm, humid air mass? Where does this air mass form?
Maritime tropical. It forms over warm ocean waters and moves from the south to the north into North America
What is the primary cause of wind?
differences in air pressure
The atmosphere is primarily composed of which 2 gases?
Nitrogen (N2) and Oxygen(O2)
What type of weather is created by a high pressure system?
Clear skies, more extreme temperatures, depending on the season
Which weather front is associated with light, steady precipitation over a broad area, followed by warmer temperatures?
warm front
Characterized by dry and hot conditions, what type of air mass typically forms over the desert Southwest of the United States?
continental tropical
How does the coriolis affect winds in the northern hemisphere?
The winds deflect to the right
Why does Earth Have seasons? Be specific!
NO! Seasons are caused by the tilt of Earth's axis as it revolves around the sun
Which weather is characteristic of a low-pressure system?
Air rising and cooling, often leading to cloud formation
When a cold air mass and a warm air mass meet but neither is strong enough to move the other, what type of front forms?
Stationary Front
An air mass that forms over Canada and moves south is called what type of air mass?
continental Polar
Winds move from areas of ___________ pressure to areas of ___________ pressure
high to low
When the northern hemisphere is experiencing spring, what season is it in the southern hemisphere?
What type of pressure typically forms along a cold front?
Low pressure
What occurs when a fast-moving cold air mass overtakes a warm front, lifting the warm air completely off the ground?
Occluded Front
Which air mass typically brings warm, humid weather to the eastern United States in summer?
maritime Tropical
What is the Coriolis effect?
The tendency for winds on Earth to follow a curving path due the the uneven heating of earth and Earth's rotation.
What layer of the atmosphere contains the weather on earth?
troposphere
What type of pressure is typically found behind a cold front?
High pressure
What kind of weather is typically associated with a cold front moving through an area?
Short bursts of heavy rain or thunderstorms, followed by cooler, drier air.
What two air masses can create tornadoes in the central United States?
Continental polar and maritime tropical
Why does a hurricane have such high wind speeds?
Why is ozone good in they sky, but bad nearby?
Ozone in the stratosphere absorbs UV Rays from the sun, but ozone in the troposphere is an eye and lung irritant