Study Guide

Catastrophic Events

Directions: Match the term with its definition

__i__1. Air Mass a. an instrument used to measure air pressure

__g__2. Front b. the movement or flow of air as it changes

temperature

___e_3. Evaporation c. the process by which water vapor changes from a

gas to a liquid

___c_4. Condensation d. Water that falls from the atmosphere as rain,

sleet, snow or hail

__f__5. Cloud e. Liquid water heats up and changes into a gas

__h__6. Transpiration f. Tiny water droplets, ice and dust particles that

are grouped together

__b_7. Convection Current g. a boundary that forms when different air masses

meet

__l__8. Meteorologist h. The process by which plants release water vapor

into the air through their leaves

__a__9. Barometer i. air that has the same temperature and humidity

throughout

__k_10. Low pressure system j. usually creates calm weather

__j_11. High pressure system k. usually creates precipitation and bad weather

__d_12. Precipitation l. a scientist who studies the earth’s atmosphere and

forecasts weather

Directions: Answer the following questions:

1. How does an unstable air mass form? ___Two different air masses meet. A cold air mass slides under a warm air mass ______

2. Cold and dry air masses usually come from what location?__Northern Canada______

3. Warm and moist air masses usually come from what location? Gulf of Mexico_

4. What type of weather forms when two different air masses meet? ______Stormy weather______

5. How does air move or flow? Cold air _____sinks______and warm air ______rises______.

6. Using Doppler radar, as the frequency of the radar increases the storm is moving _____closer______

6. During a land breeze, the ______land____ cools faster so the warm air over the ____sea______rises and the ______cooler_____ air over the land moves towards the water.

7. Draw a picture of a land breeze:

8. During a sea breeze, air over the land ______heats____ faster. This air _____rises______the cooler air over the _____sea_____ moves in over the land.

9. Draw a picture of a sea breeze:

10. What happens to the air above a cold surface? ______It sinks towards the cold surface ______

11. What happens to the air above a warm surface? _____it rises trying to find cooler air______

Directions: Put the following words on the line next to their description

warm front stationary front cold front
occluded front light rain or snow thunderstorms
large amounts of snow rain or fog

1. This type of front has dense cold air pushing lighter warm air upward.

______cold front____

2. This type of front has fast moving cold air overtaking slower moving warm air.

______Occluded Front______

3. This type of front happens when warm air overtakes a cold air mass

______warm front______

4. This type of front happens when two air masses move close to one another but they do not move each other.

______Stationary front______

5. What type of weather happens during a cold front? ______thunderstorms______

6. What type of weather happens during a warm front?

______light rain or snow______

7. What type of weather happens during an occluded front?

______large amounts of rain or snow______

8. What type of weather happens during a stationary front?

______rain or fog______