Air Masses and Fronts

Differential heating of the surface of the earth/Heating of the lower atmosphere by energy transfer from the surface.

• Why there is weather
• Why there is seasons
• Why there is snow
• Why the earth rotates on it's axis

_____ is an extremely large body of air whose properties of temperature and moisture content (humidity), at any given altitude, are fairly similar in any horizontal direction.

• Density
• Gravity
• Air Mass
• I don't know

Uniform surface composition - flatlight surface winds are examples of...?

• Gravity
• How the moon rotates around the Earth
• Sources of light
• Source Region

Where is the polar latitude (P) located?

• within about 25 degrees of the equator
• poleward of 60 degrees north and south
• over large land masses
• over the oceans

Where is the tropical latitude (T) located?

• over the oceans
• over large land masses--dry
• within about 25 degrees of the equator
• poleward of 60 degrees north and south

Where is the continental (c) located?

• Over the oceans
• About 25 degrees of the equator
• Poleward of 60 degrees north and south
• Over large land masses

Where is the marine (m) located

• Poleward of 60 degrees north and south
• Located over the oceans
• Located over large land masses
• Located within about 25 degrees of the equator

What is a Source Region?

• An area with air mass 
• A geographic area 
• An area where gravity orginates
• A geographic area where an air mass originates

The longer the air mass stays over its source region, the more likely it will...

• Acquire nothing...it will stay the same
• Acquire gravity
• Acquire the properties of the surface below
• I don know

What are the 4 general air mass classifications categorized according to the source region

• Polar 
• Tropical 
• Continental 
• All of the above