Scholastic Study Jams: Air Masses and Fronts

What is an air mass?

• a place where weather always changes in an extreme way

• a large body of air with the same temperature and moisture

• any kind of cloud that produces rain, snow, sleet or hail

• any kind of air, as long as it is always wet and freezing

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What forms when two air masses meet and create weather?

• a formation

• warm air

• a front

• a tornado

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

When a cold air mass crashes into a warm air mass, which kind of front is formed?

• cold front

• warm front

• hot front

• polar front

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Why does a warm front usually bring a light and steady rain?

• Warm fronts bring extremely low air pressure.

• Weather that is not intense always happens at any kind of front.

• A warm air mass violently crashes against a cold air mass, so the weather is wet.

• A warm air mass slowly climbs up over the cold air mass, so the weather is less intense.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which kind of front usually forms long, thin stratus clouds?

• polar front

• cold front

• warm front

• hot front

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What is similar between the two kinds of maritime air masses?

• amount of moisture in the air

• temperature of the air mass

• geographic location

• types of clouds they form

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

What would most likely happen if a continental polar air mass clashed with a continental tropical air mass?

• The clouds would disappear, and the day would become clear and sunny.

• Cumulus clouds would form, and a big thunderstorm would occur.

• Stratus clouds would form, and they would make the day warmer.

• Clouds would form, and they would bring light and steady rainfall.

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5