Weather Fronts and Air Masses

An air mass is a large mass of air that is defined by its temperature and ____________________.

• Elevation (altitude)

• Water vapor content (humidity)

• Strength

• Weather

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which type of air mass is warm and humid?

• Continental polar

• Continental tropical

• Maritime polar

• Maritime tropical

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Which type of air mass is cold and dry?

• Continental polar

• Continental tropical

• Maritime polar

• Maritime tropical

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Which type of air mass is over Southern California?

• Continental polar

• Continental tropical

• Maritime polar

• Maritime tropical

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

A ​ (a)   front is moving through Texas, as well as a ​ (b)   pressure system.

• cold

• low

• warm

• high

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Match the system or front with the conditions.

• air pressure begins to rise

• after a cold front passes through

• temperatures drop and air pressure rises

• as storms approach what air pressure change happens

• air pressure begins to drop

• what air pressure change happens after a storm

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

Match the following

• The boundary between air masses

• Stationary Front

• A large volume of air with similar properties such as humidity and temperature

• Warm Front

• Warm air rises over cooler air bringing fair weather

• Front

• Nothing moves, warm and cold air collide from opposite direction

• Air Mass

• A line on a weather map connecting areas of similar air pressure

• Isobar

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Scientists classify air masses by their temperature and ​ (a)   . There are ​ (b)   main types of air masses that influence the weather in North America. Some air masses form near the equator, so they are considered ​ (c)   . Other air masses form North or South of the 50 degree line of ​ (d)   , which means they would be considered ​ (e)   air masses.

• humidity

• four

• tropical

• latitude

• polar

• height

• many

• maritime

• longitude

• continental

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6

Vocabulary

• as warm air crosses over a mountain it precipitates before it reaches the other side/the rain shadow

• air mass

• a boundary where two air masses meet

• orographic lifting

• traps warm air between to cold fronts/usually causing rain

• front

• a huge body of air in the troposphere with similar temperature and humidity throughout

• occluded front

• when two colliding air masses stop moving

• stationary front

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

The following terms are used to describe air masses. Match the term to its definition.

• polar

• forms in a very cold location

• maritime

• forms in a warm location

• continental

• forms in a cool location

• arctic

• forms over large bodies of water

• tropical

• forms over land

Tags

NGSS.MS-ESS2-5

NGSS.MS-ESS2-6