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ESS 3.3 - Clouds, Air Masses, Fronts, and Climate

Total questions: 55

Worksheet time: 29mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

What can happen when air rises, expands, and cools?

a)

clouds form

b)

high pressure

c)

sunny skies

d)

fronts

2.

In order for a cloud to form, air must ___________________________.

a)

warm and allow water vapor to evaporate.

b)

cool and allow water vapor to condense.

3.

What type of cloud forms high up in the atmosphere and is mostly made up of ice crystals?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

4.

What type of cloud forms when air rises at a very steep angle, causing clouds to 'pile' up?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

5.

What type of cloud forms when entire layers of air rise at a gentle, shallow angle?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

6.

Which type of cloud?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

7.

Which type of cloud?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

8.

Which type of cloud?

a)

cirrus

b)

cumulus

c)

stratus

9.

When cumulus clouds produce precipitation, the resulting storm is usually __________________.

a)

brief, but intense, with heavy downpours and thunder and lightening

b)

light, but long-lasting drizzle

10.

When stratus clouds produce precipitation, the resulting storm is usually __________________.

a)

brief, but intense, with heavy downpours and thunder and lightening

b)

light, but long-lasting drizzle

11.

What are the characteristics of an air mass labeled cP?

a)

cold and dry

b)

hot and dry

c)

cold and moist

d)

hot and moist

12.

What are the characteristics of an air mass labeled cT?

a)

cold and dry

b)

hot and dry

c)

cold and moist

d)

hot and moist

13.

What are the characteristics of an air mass labeled mT?

a)

cold and dry

b)

hot and dry

c)

cold and moist

d)

hot and moist

14.

What are the characteristics of an air mass labeled mP?

a)

cold and dry

b)

hot and dry

c)

cold and moist

d)

hot and moist

15.

In the U.S. where do cold and dry air masses come from?

a)

Canada

b)

north Pacific Ocean

c)

Gulf of Mexico

d)

Mexico and Texas

16.

In the U.S. where do cold and moist air masses come from?

a)

Canada

b)

north Pacific Ocean

c)

Gulf of Mexico

d)

Mexico and Texas

17.

In the U.S. where do warm and moist air masses come from?

a)

Canada

b)

north Pacific Ocean

c)

Gulf of Mexico

d)

Mexico and Texas

18.

In the U.S. where do warm and dry air masses come from?

a)

Canada

b)

north Pacific Ocean

c)

Gulf of Mexico

d)

Mexico and Texas

19.

Large parcels of air where temperature and humidity are the same throughout are called ____________.

a)

fronts

b)

tornados

c)

air masses

d)

clouds

20.

What type of front is shown in the picture?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

stationary front

d)

occluded front

21.

What type of front is shown in the picture?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

stationary front

d)

occluded front

22.

What type of front is shown in the picture?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

stationary front

d)

occluded front

23.

What type of front is shown in the picture?

a)

cold front

b)

warm front

c)

stationary front

d)

occluded front

24.

Which symbol is used for a cold front?

a)
b)
c)
d)
25.

Which symbol is used for a warm front?

a)
b)
c)
d)
26.

Which symbol is used for a stationary front?

a)
b)
c)
d)
27.

Which symbol is used for a occluded front?

a)
b)
c)
d)
28.

Air mass 1 is ____________.

a)

warm

b)

cold

29.

Air mass 2 is ____________.

a)

warm

b)

cold

30.

Air mass 2 is ____________.

a)

warm

b)

cold

31.

Air mass 1 is ____________.

a)

warm

b)

cold

32.

Which city on the map does the following weather forecast best match?


Today will be beautiful weather, with very little wind and clear, blue skies.

a)

Seattle

b)

Memphis

c)

El Paso

33.

Which city on the map does the following weather forecast best match?


In the next couple of hours, the skies at this city will become cloud covered. Heavy rains and strong winds are expected, with possible lightening and thunder. Temperatures will become much cooler.

a)

Seattle

b)

Memphis

c)

El Paso

34.

Which city on the map does the following weather forecast best match?


Yesterday, this city experienced some light winds, cloud-covered skies, with light precipitation. Today, the weather is sunny and warmer than it was yesterday.

a)

Seattle

b)

Memphis

c)

El Paso

35.

Which of the following symbols correctly represents what is occurring in the diagram?

a)
b)
c)
d)
36.

Which locations on the map are most likely not receiving precipitation?

a)

A

b)

B

c)

C

d)

D

e)

E

37.

Cold fronts produce _______.

a)

cumulus clouds

b)

stratus clouds

c)

cirrus clouds

38.

Warm fronts produce _______.

a)

cumulus clouds

b)

stratus clouds

c)

cirrus clouds

39.

What is climate?

a)

short-term atmospheric conditions

b)

the average daily temperatures for a city

c)

long-term average weather conditions

d)

the average amount of snowfall an area recieves

40.

What two factors are used to describe an area's climate?

a)

average temperatures

b)

average days with wind speeds greater than 20 mph

c)

total inches of snowfall on nearby mountain ranges

d)

average amount of precipitation

e)

number of cloudy days compared to sunny days in a year

41.

What is the primary factor that will determine the kind of climate an area will experience?

a)

latitude

b)

Earth's rotation

c)

longitude

d)

number of clouds in the sky

42.

Why is latitude so important in determining an area's temperature?

a)

determines how intense the sunlight will be throughout the year (angle of sunlight)

b)

determines the pressure belt (high vs. low)

43.

Why is latitude so important in determining an area's precipitation?

a)

determines how intense the sunlight will be throughout the year (angle of sunlight)

b)

determines the pressure belt (high vs. low)

44.

Locations found in high pressure belts are generally _______.

a)

dry/arid

b)

humid/moist

45.

Locations found in low pressure belts are generally _______.

a)

dry/arid

b)

humid/moist

46.

Besides latitude, what other factor(s) can affect the temperature and area will experience?

a)

elevation

b)

large mountain ranges (rain shadows)

c)

nearness to large bodies of water (oceans)

d)

longitude

47.

Besides latitude, what other factor(s) can affect the precipitation an area will experience?

a)

elevation

b)

large mountain ranges (rain shadows)

c)

nearness to large bodies of water (oceans)

d)

longitude

e)

El Niño and La Niña

48.

Which type of climate is warm year-round with no seasons?

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar

49.

Which type of climate has average temperatures above freezing, with 4 distinct seasons?

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar

50.

Which type of climate has average temperatures below freezing, and has only a brief, short summer where temperatures reach above freezing.

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar

51.

Would locations 1 and 3 likely have the same climate?

a)

yes - their longitude is very close to the same

b)

no - their elevations are very different

c)

yes - their both on the interior of the continent

d)

no - their latitudes are very different

52.

Side A on the diagram would have _________ climate than side C.

a)

a wetter

b)

a drier

53.

Which climate zone does the graph represent?

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar

54.

Which climate zone does the graph represent?

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar

55.

Which climate zone does the graph represent?

a)

Tropical

b)

Temperate

c)

Polar