REview Ch 12 meteorology

A large parcel of air that takes on the characteristics of the area over which it forms is a(n)

• cloud

• air mass

• source region

• wind

Maritime air masses originate over

• clouds

• oceans

• glaciers

• mountains

The Sun's rays strike Earth more directly at the ______ than they do at the ______.

• poles / tropics

• tropics / poles

• longitudes / latitudes

• doldrums / horse latitudes

The Coriolis effect is due to

• the Earth's magnetic field

• the Earth's rotation

• the jet streams

• the trade winds

The three basic wind systems in each hemisphere are

• trade winds

• prevailing westerlies

• polar easterlies

• arctic air mass

Narrow bands of fast, high-altitude, westerly winds are called

• jet streams

• trade winds

• polar easterlies

• polar vortex

In a cold front, cold, dense air displaces warm air and forces the warm air

• up along a steep front

• down to a bottom layer

• through the cold air causing condensation

• into an occluded front

Advancing warm air that displaces cold air is called a

• warm front

• cold front

• stationary front

• convergence

In a surface high pressure system, air ______, so that when it reaches Earth's surface, it spreads _______

• sinks / away from the center

• rises / inward toward the center

• condenses / upward

• evaporates / downward

In a surface low pressure system, air _______, so the net flow is _________

• rises / inward toward the center

• sinks / outward from the center

• evaporates / outward from the center

• rises / outward from the center