| A | B |
|---|
| What do we call the place where two air masses meet? | a front |
| What is weather? | the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place |
| What causes weather? | uneven heating of the earth's atmosphere |
| What causes changes in weather from day to day? | the movement of air masses |
| What causes wind? | differences in air pressure |
| What happens to solar energy? | some is absorbed in the atmosphere and the earth's surfaces; some is reflected |
| What is the study of the Earth's atmosphere, climate, and weather called? | meteorology |
| In what direction does most of the weather in the United States move? | west to east |
| Why is air pressure higher when the air is cold? | more particles (molecules) are "packed" closer together |
| What does a high pressure system mean? | cooler temperatures and clear skies |
| What does a low pressure system usually mean? | warmer weather, storms, and rain |
| What is one reason the Earth's surface is heated unevenly? | Earth has a round shape |
| What are the two properties that give an air mass its name? | temperature and moisture |
| What happens when a moving warm air mass meets a colder air mass? | the warm air mass rises; the water vapor in the air mass condenses and forms clouds |
| What do we call a winter snowstorm with temperatures below freezing? | blizzard |
| What is common along a cold front? | thunderstorms and heavy rain |
| What do we call a funnel-shaped spirals of air that hang from the bottom of storm clouds? | tornadoes |
