PSCI 102 - Test 3

When seasons change, the sun gives in different parts of the earth in varying amounts of _____

energy

The Earth heats _________

unequally

In Earth, land warms up and cools off more _______ than water

quicker

WHat region has the coldest air on the Earth?

Polar

In polar zones of the Earth, the nights in winter are ______

cloudless

Water and land can heat or cool the air above them

TRUE

Only land can heat the cool air above

FALSE

When water or land heat or cool the air, what do they create?

Air masses

Where do air masses form mostly?

Polar and tropical regions

What latitudes do air masses not stay too long?

Middle

The air mass the originates over Alaska or northwestern Canada:

Continental polar air mass

The air mass that forms over the northern oceans and are more humid:

Maritime polar air mass

The air mass that form over the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea:

Maritime tropical air mass

The air mass that form in the deserts of the Southwest U.S. and Mexico

Continental tropical air mass

What do ocean currents and moving air masses transfer from the tropics and cold to other parts of Earth?

Heat

Cold air masses grow in _______ areas where the air sinks

polar

Hot/dry air masses form where air sinks and it is ______ outside

clear

Maritime tropical air forms over the _______ where warm humid air rises and form into clouds, rain and storms

oceans

As elevation increases, the number of molecules _________

decrease

As elevation increases, the density of air _________

decreases

The decrease in density air means the air pressure will __________

decrease

To create wind, air must move from a ___________ pressure

high to low

What movement of air creates cloudy skies and can make rain or snow typically with low pressure?

Upward movement

What movement of air creates clear skies in high pressure?

Downward movement

On weather maps, the H stands for

High pressure

On weather maps, the L stands for

Low pressure

_____ pressure means the air rises and make clouds/precipitation

Low

____ pressure means the air sinks and skies are clear

High

____ pressure pushes air toward _____ pressure

Higher; lower

When winds are affect by the rotation of the Earth, this is called:

Coriolis effect

What hemisphere do winds curve to the right?

Northern

What hemisphere do winds curve to the left?

Southern