Int Science SEM 1 FINAL REVIEW

​SEMESTER 1 FINAL EXAM REVIEW

By Penny Turner

• Air Masses

• Fronts

• High and Low Pressure Systems

• Global Winds

• Coriolis Effect

• Clouds

4th Block Final Exam is scheduled for:
Monday 1-12-26 during 4th block class time!

Air Masses

►An air mass is a defined as a large body of air with very similar characteristics. 

►Air masses are generally defined by temperature and dewpoints (moisture parameters.)

►Air masses are named based on the source region of the air mass itself

4 letters you need to know

​maritime (m):
It's wet with moisture because it is/was over water

continental (c):
​It's dry because it is/was over a land mass

Polar (P)​:
It's formed over the poles and is COLD

​Tropical (T): It's formed in tropics and is WARM/HOT

​Classified by temperature and moisture.

4 TERMS that describe Air Masses

• Tropical – warm or hot air masses that form over the tropics (lower latitudes)

• Polar – cold air masses that form over the poles (higher latitudes)

• Maritime – air masses that form over the ocean (very humid)

• Continental – form over land – (are dry)

• continental Arctic (cA) - very bitterly cold

• ​maritime Polar (mP)

• maritime Tropical (mT)

• continentalPolar (cP)

• continental Tropical (cT)

5 Types of Air Masses

Multiple Choice

What is an air mass?

• A large body of air with uniform temperature and humidity

• A type of cloud

• A weather instrument

• A type of precipitation

Multiple Choice

A cold, dry air mass would be called - 

• continental tropic
• continental polar
• maritime polar
• continental maritime

Multiple Choice

What type of weather would a continental tropical air mass bring?

• dry and cold weather
• wet and cold weather
• dry and warm weather
• wet and warm weather

Multiple Choice

An air mass that formed over the ocean near the equator would probably be - 

• maritime polar
• maritime tropical
• continental polar
• continental tropical

Multiple Choice

A wet, cold air mass would be - 

• maritime tropical 
• maritime polar
• continental tropical 
• continental polar

Multiple Choice

Where would you find a tropical maritime air mass?

• over the ocean, near the equator
• over the ocean, near the poles
• over a continent, near the equator
• over a continent, near the poles

Match

Match the following

• Forms over Continent

• Forms over ocean

• Forms over cold polar region

• Forms over hot tropical region

c

m

P

T

• c

• m

• P

• T

Draw

Label the air masses below with the correct symbol cP , mP, cT , or mT

Drag and Drop

Sort the information to the correct type of air mass

Continental Tropical (cT)​ ​

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Continental Polar (cP) ​ ​

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Maritime Tropical (mT) ​

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Maritime Polar (mP) ​

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Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

dry and warm

dry and cold

wet and warm

wet and cold

Next.... 4 Frontal Boundaries

• ​COLD front

• WARM front

• STATIONARY front

• OCCLUDED front

Cold Front

• ​Forms when cold air moves under warm air.

• Since the warm air is less dense the cold air pushes the warm air up and out of the way easily!

• Usually do produce thunderstorms.

• They are usually followed by colder and drier air.

​Cold Fronts
How it works!

1. ​Cold air Bullies and pushes underneath warm air.

2. Encourages Clouds to form.

3. Produces heavy thunderstorms and precipitation.

Warm Front

• When warm air moves over colder denser air

• DOES NOT happen easily because cold air is more dense and warm air tends to rise up and over the cold air

• so... gradually warm air replaces the colder air.

• Warm Fronts generally bring rain and are followed by clear and warm weather.

​WARM Fronts
How it works!

1. ​Warm air advances into an area previously occupied by colder air.

2. The LESS DENSE warm air rises over a wedge of cold air producing clouds and precipitation.

3. GRadually, warm air slowly moves cold air out of the way!

4. Produces persistent rain, usually moderate with some light periods and some heavier bursts.

Stationary Front

• occurs when a cold air mass and a warm air mass meets but neither have the force to push the warm air mass up over the cold air mass.

• The two air masses remain separate creating a Stationary Front.

• creates several days of rainy weather and leads to flooding!

​STATIONARY
front
How it works!

1. ​​occurs when a cold front or warm front stops moving

2. resulting in a relatively stationary boundary between cold and warm air masses.

3. This boundary can lead to prolonged periods of cloudy or wet weather.

Occluded Fronts

• ^{The cold air mass moves under the warm air mass and pushes it up.}

• ^{The coldest air mass moves forward until it meets a cold air mass that is warmer and less dense.}

• ^{Sometimes the two cold air masses meet together and mix.}

• ^{This Front bring lots of rain and snow.}

• ​^{Forms when a warm air mass is caught between two colder air masses.}

OCCLUDED
Fronts
How it works!

1. ​Warm air mass gets "sandwiched" between two cold air masses.

2. The warm air mass rises as the cool air masses push and meet in the middle.

3. The temperature drops as the warm air mass is occluded, or “cut off,” from the ground and pushed upward.

4. Can bring strong winds and heavy precipitation.

Multiple Choice

When two different air masses collide...

• A front forms
• They casually become one
• A new planet evolves
• Dinosaurs become extinct

Multiple Choice

Which type of front is formed when a warm air mass moves over a cold air mass?

• Cold front

• Warm front

• Stationary front

• Occluded front

Multiple Choice

What type of weather is most commonly associated with a cold front?

• Clear skies and calm winds

• Steady, light rain

• Thunderstorms and sudden temperature drops

• Hot and dry conditions

Multiple Choice

How does a cold front interact with the air mass it meets?

• The cold air slides under the warm air, forcing it upward

• The cold air rises above the warm air

• The two air masses mix evenly

• The warm air pushes the cold air downward

Multiple Choice

Explain why warm fronts usually bring steady, long-lasting precipitation instead of short, intense storms.

• Because warm air rises quickly, causing rapid condensation

• Because warm air moves gently over cold air, causing gradual cloud formation

• Because cold air pushes warm air down, preventing cloud formation

• Because warm fronts are always associated with high pressure

Multiple Choice

When a fast moving cold air mass moves into a slower moving warm air mass, we may experience severe storms and we will have cooler weather. What type of front is this?

• warm front
• cold front
• occluded front
• stationary front

Multiple Choice

What type of storm front is this?

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

What type of front is this? 

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

Which type of front is displayed?

• Cold
• Warm
• Stationary
• Occluded

Multiple Choice

Which type of front is displayed? Neither air mass seems to be able to move the other one.

• Cold
• Warm
• Stationary
• Occluded

Multiple Choice

What type of weather would you expect to see after a warm front has passed through an area?

• cool and clear skies
• warm and humid
• thunderstorms
• foggy

Multiple Choice

What type of front occurs when a warm air mass and a cold air mass do not have enough energy to move the other one out of the way?

• Warm front

• Cold front

• Stationary front

• Occluded front

Multiple Choice

7. Which of the following would be an area that would most likely lead to a warm or hot air mass to develop?

• The North pole
• The South pole
• The Equator

Multiple Choice

8. Which of the following would be an area where a cold air mass would most likely develop?

• Over Mexico
• Over Canada
• Over the Equator area

High and Low Pressure Systems Circulation

Pay attention to HOW each moves

Move through the slides and answer the questions along the way.

High Pressure System Circulation

Air moves OUTWARD and DOWN and circulates CLOCKWISE.

High Pressure moves air and CLEANS OUT any cloud cover leading to= CLEAR SKIES and FAIR WEATHER

Remember: The "clock" is "HIGH" on the wall

Low Pressure System Circulation

Air moves INTO a low and circulates UP and COUNTERCLOCKWISE.

LOW Pressure moves air UP and PRODUCES cloud cover leading to= CLOUDS and PRECIPITATION

​KENTUCKY WEATHER??

COLORADO WEATHER??

​KENTUCKY = Rainy, Stormy

COLORADO = Fair, Nice

Multiple Choice

clear, sunny skies

• high pressure

• low pressure

Multiple Choice

Air in a low pressure system moves

• clockwise

• counterclockwise

Multiple Choice

stormy weather (clouds and precipitation)

• high pressure

• low pressure

Multiple Choice

Air in a high pressure system moves...

• clockwise

• counterclockwise

Multiple Choice

Air in a high pressure system moves...

• outward

• inward

Multiple Choice

If the air pressure reading is falling

• a storm is approaching

• the weather is improving

Multiple Choice

clockwise and outward

• high pressure

• low pressure

Multiple Choice

heavier, sinking air

• high pressure

• low pressure

What are the names and directions of the major global winds?

​Global Winds

Global Winds

- Winds move from areas of high pressure to

low pressure.

- You might expect them to move straight from

the poles (high pressure) to the
equator (low pressure) but…

Multiple Choice

Which statement correctly defines wind?

• Wind is the movement of air from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure

• Wind is the movement of air from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

• Wind is the movement of air to a colder area in the atmosphere.

• Wind is the movement of air pushed around and bouncing off Earth's surface.

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Global Winds

-The paths of global winds
curve because earth is
spinning on an axis.

- This is called the
Coriolis effect. see video on next page

POLAR EASTERLIES are winds that blow from east to west between 60 degrees and 90 degrees latitude.

​<-- Polar Easterlies







<-- Polar Easterlies

PREVAILING WESTERLIES are winds that blow West to East between 30 ^o and 60 ^o latitude.

​<--PREVAILING WESTERLIES






<--PREVAILING WESTERLIES

TRADE WINDS are winds that blow East to West Between 0 ^o and 30 ^o latitude.

​

<-- TRADE WINDS

<-- TRADE WINDS

-The DOLDRUMS are the area directly at the equator where there is no wind at all.

​


<-- DOLDRUMS

-The Prevailing Westerlies primarily affect the weather in the United States.

-This is why air masses move from West to East in the US.

Multiple Choice

Which global winds have the greatest impact on the weather in the US?

• trade winds
• prevailing westerlies
• doldrums
• polar easterlies

Multiple Choice

The tropical winds running from 0 to 30 degrees latitude are called:

• subtropical westerlies
• polar westerlies
• trade winds
• polar winds

Multiple Choice

If you wanted to visit an area with very little wind, where might you go? 

• The doldrums around the equator
• The jet stream in the northern hemisphere
• The North or South Pole
• The area around the Mediterranean Sea

Multiple Choice

Winds that occur near the equator and flow from either the north or south TOWARDS THE EQUATOR are called

• westerlies

• trade winds

• polar easterlies

• coriolis effect

Multiple Choice

The apparent curving of a path of wind from its straight path due to Earth's rotation.

• Jet streams
• Global winds
• Air pressure
• Coriolis Effect

Multiple Choice

Winds that blow away from the poles and curve east to west are

• polar easterlies

• trade winds

• prevailing westerlies

• coriolis effect

Multiple Choice

What are Doldrums?

• An area in the sea with high wind activity

• A place where many earthquakes occur

• An area in the sea with little to no wind activity

• Book by Nicholas Gannon

Multiple Choice

What are the characteristics of Cirrus clouds?

• Thin, wispy, and feathery

• Thick and dark

• Low and fluffy

• Dense and layered

Multiple Choice

Which cloud type is described as 'sheetlike' or 'layered'?

• Cumulus

• Cirrus

• Stratus

• Nimbus

​Reviewing Cloud shapes

​Whispy and very high up

Fluffy and flat on the bottom.

Long low sheets of cloud cover

Multiple Choice

Which of the following clouds are part of the high altitude group?

• Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus

• Stratus, Nimbostratus, Altostratus

• Cumulus, Stratocumulus, Altocumulus

• Cumulonimbus, Altostratus, Cirrus

Multiple Choice

Which of the following clouds are part of the MID-LEVEL altitude group?

• Cirrus, Cirrostratus, Cirrocumulus

• Altostratus, Altocumulus, Cumulonimbus

• Cumulus, Stratocumulus, Altocumulus

• Cumulonimbus, Altostratus, Cirrus

Multiple Choice

Stratocumulus clouds are ______

• Big white clouds

• Lumpy, gray clouds

• Thin, layered clouds

Multiple Choice

What color is a Nimbostratus cloud?

• White

• Beige

• Dark gray

• Light blue

Multiple Choice

Cirrus clouds look like horse tails and are made of __________.

• ice crystals
• water droplets

• snow

• layers or sheets

Multiple Choice

Cumulus clouds look like cotton balls, but you can also think of them as:

• layered clouds

• horse tails

• bunny tails

• The clouds from Toy Story

Multiple Choice

This type of cloud is thin and flat, and the edges are not clearly defined

• cirrus cloud
• cumulus cloud
• stratus cloud
• cumulonimbus cloud

Multiple Choice

This type of cloud is thick and puffy on top, and generally flat on the bottom. It has well-defined edges and can change shape rapidly.

• cumulus cloud
• stratus cloud
• cirrus cloud
• cloud 9

Multiple Choice

Nimbostratus and cumulonimbus clouds can signal what type of upcoming weather?

• fair skies
• hot, sunny weather
• windy weather
• rainy weather

Multiple Choice

Cumulus and cirrus clouds can signal what type of upcoming weather?

• fair skies
• hot, sunny weather
• windy weather
• rainy weather

Multiple Choice

These clouds are the closest to the ground. Their name means layer- or sheet like. They bring rain or snow and cover most of the sky. 

• Cirrus
• Stratus
• Cumulonimbus
• Cumulus

Multiple Choice

what type of cloud is shown?

• cumulus
• cirrus
• stratus

Multiple Choice

Which cloud is this?

• cumulus
• cumulonimbus
• cirrus
• stratus

Multiple Choice

What are the mid-level clouds called?

• alto
• cirrus
• stratus
• cumulus

Multiple Choice

What are low level clouds that appear to cover the sky in layers?

• cirrus
• alto
• stratus
• cumulus

Multiple Choice

name this front

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

name this front

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

name this front

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

name this front

• warm front
• cold front
• stationary front
• occluded front

Multiple Choice

Which condition usually means cloudy, stormy weather?

• high pressure
• low pressure

Multiple Choice

Which shows a stratus cloud?

Multiple Choice

What type of cloud is this wispy, white cloud?

• cumulus

• nimbostratus

• stratus

• cirrus