Air Masses and Fronts

SECTION: AIR MASSES AND FRONTS

What causes changes in the weather?

• temperatures that go up

• air that gets more moisture

• clouds appear

• the movement and interaction of air masses

What is a large body of air that has similar temperature and moisture throughout called?

• temperature

• air mass

• front

• precipitation

AIR MASSES

What are the two main characteristics of air masses?

• density and moisture

• mass and temperature

• moisture content and temperature

• shape and mass

Use page 490 in your red textbook.

What does the symbol on a weather map tell about an air mass?

• shape and mass

• moisture content and temperature

• age and size

• temperature and size

Multiple Mark Answer

What are the 3 places where polar air masses form and cause cold winter weather in the United States?

• over Northern Canada

• over the North Atlantic Ocean

• over Antarctica

• over the North Pacific Ocean

Warm AIR MASSES

Which warm air mass that influences the weather in the United States develops over land?

• maritime tropical (mT)

• maritime polar (mP)

• continental tropical (cT)

• continental polar (cP)

WARM AIR MASSES:

Which air masses cause the hurricanes and thunderstorms that occur on the East Coast and in the Midwest?

• maritime polar (mP)

• continental tropical (cT)

• continental polar (cP)

• maritime tropical (mT)

FRONTS:

What usually happens when two types of air masses meet?

• cold air rises

• warm air rises

• the masses disappear

• air from the two masses mixes together

What is the boundary between air masses of different densities and usually different temperatures called?

• a front

• a source region

• severe weather

• condensation

What is a warm air mass that moves over a cold, denser air mass called?

• a cold front

• a warm front

• an occluded front

• a stationary front