Transcript Air Masses - Madison Public Schools

Study Guide
Quiz 12/8
Topics Include:
Relative Humidity
Dew Point
Cloud Formation
Air Masses
Fronts
Scientific Method
Make Sure You Understand:
Relative humidity is the amount of moisture (water vapor) in the
air compared to the amount of moisture the air can hold at that
temperature.
Dew Point is when air cools to the temperature at which air is
saturated.
Assuming the amount of water vapor in the air stays the same…
• If the temperature increases, then the relative humidity
decreases.
• If the temperature decreases, then the relative humidity
increases.
What is a cloud made of?
• A cloud is made of water droplets condensed
on dust particles in the air
Water Vapor
Dust
Particle
Water Vapor
Be able to answer the following:
If you see these clouds in the sky what weather can you
expect?
Name of Cloud
Appearance
Effect
1. Cumulus
White, puffy, cotton ball clouds
Fair weather. Nice day outside.
2. Cirrus
Feathery, wispy clouds.
Fair at present, BUT rain in 24 –
48 hours (a day or two).
Made of ice crystals!
Warns of a warm front
approaching.
3. Stratus
Flat layers of gray clouds
Brings gentle steady rain.
Forms in a warm front.
4. Cumulonimbus
Thunderhead!
Dark flat bottoms building into
anvil shaped tops
Thunderstorms! Heavy rain,
thunder, lightning, and possible
hail.
Forms in cold front.
Air Masses
A. mP
B. cP and/or cA
C. mP
D. cT
E. mT
F. mT
G. What is the origin of
each of the 3 mT air
masses?
The Pacific Ocean, the
Gulf of Mexico, and the
Atlantic Ocean
Air Masses
An air mass is named for it’s temperature and
moisture level.
When two air masses meet the warm air mass will rise
and the cool air mass will sink.
Continental
Dry
Maritime
Wet
Polar
Cold
Tropical
Warm
Cold Air Masses
• A Continental Polar (cP) air mass brings cool,
dry weather in the summer.
• A Continental Polar (cP) air mass brings
extremely cold weather in the winter.
• A Maritime Polar (mP) air mass brings cool,
foggy weather in the summer.
• A Maritime Polar (mP) air mass brings cool
weather with rain and snow in the winter.
Warm Air Masses
• A Continental Tropical (cT) air mass brings clear,
dry, and hot weather in the summer.
• A Continental Tropical (cT) air mass brings warm
and dry weather in the winter.
• A Maritime Tropical (mT) air mass brings hot,
humid weather, with possible hurricanes and
thunderstorms in the summer.
• A Maritime Tropical (mT) air mass brings mild,
often cloudy weather in the winter.
Fronts
Fronts are the boundary between different air masses.
• Warm fronts occur when warm air rises and condenses
into long areas of clouds which bring gentle rain or
snow followed by warmer weather
• Cold fronts create short, heavy, violent periods of rain
followed by cool fair weather
• Stationary fronts create clouds and fog at the site of
the front and can bring days of rain or snow
• Occluded fronts occur when warm air is cut off from
the ground which can bring heavy wind and
precipitation
Make sure you know:
1. Which symbol belongs to which front.
2. The color of each front symbol.
3. The type of weather does each front bring.
Warm front
(red)
Occluded front
(purple)
Cold front
Stationary front
(blue)
(red and blue)
Think about it…
• Would a farmer prefer the rain from a warm front or
a cold front to come through his area during the
growing season?
• Explain why..
• Suppose you are planning an outdoor activity for
tomorrow afternoon. You hear on the weather that a
front is coming through tonight. With the
understanding that you want to be outside
tomorrow, which of the 4 fronts we learned about
would you rather have come through?
• Fully explain why.
A Farmer Would Prefer A..
WARM FRONT!
because…
Warm Fronts are good for
farmers because…
Cold Fronts are bad for
farmers because…
• Gentle, prolonged rain that
can soak in soil and water
plants
• Short, violent rain that may
not soak into the soil to
water plants
• It will NOT erode the soil
• Violent rain that erodes soil
• It will NOT damage plants
• It will damage plants (hail)
• It is warm after the front
• It is cold after that front,
which may kill the plants
Scientific Method
(know them in order)
• The Steps of the Scientific
Method:
• During the experiment you
must remember:
• People In Hawaii Eat Coconuts!
• Madison Police Department!
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• Materials
• Procedures
• Data
Problem
Information
Hypothesis
Experiment
Conclusion