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How Do Air Masses Affect Weather?

1. Air and the Sun
Weather begins with the ________, which provides ___________ for making weather.

More energy reaches the _____________ than the poles. This uneven heating is part of what causes air to move and what makes ______________.

Most of the suns energy never reaches Earth. It is lost in _________. Of the energy that reaches Earth: a. 3/10 is reflected out into space b. 3/10 warms the air c. 4/10 warms the oceans and land

__________________________ allows the atmosphere to trap heat to keep the Earth warm.

Green House Experiment Temperature Before Temperature After

Hypothesis: The temperature will ________________. Results: Did the temperature increase or decrease? Circle Conclusion: Why did the temperature do this?

2. Air Masses ________________ - a large body of air that forms over a land mass or large body of water. Air masses have 2 properties: a. ____________ content b. temperature
Moist air masses
form over

Dry air masses

Cold air masses

form near

Warm air masses

form near

form over

3. Air Masses Meet When 2 air masses meet they usually dont mix. Instead they from a border called a __________. Most weather happens along here.

__________________ when a cold air mass catches up to a warm air mass. The colder air mass forces the warmer up and it begins to cool forming clouds that produce rain or snow.

____________________- when a warm air mass catches up to a cold air mass. The warm air slides up over the colder, denser air. Clouds form sometimes many miles ahead of the front. Steady rain or snow may fall as the front approaches or passes.

________________________ - fronts that stop moving. It can stay in place for several days. The constant fall of snow or rain along a stationary front can leave behind many inches of snow or rain.

Symbols for fronts The arrows and half circles point in the direction the front is moving.

Which way is the warm front moving? ___________ Which way is the cold front moving? ___________