Geog 1900 Final Exam: Questions & Detailed Solutions
What are air masses? Correct Ans - large bodies of air, 1000km across or
more, several thousand meters thick
Do air masses have similar temperature and moisture content at any given
elevation? Correct Ans - yes
What are the two main criteria by which air masses get classified? Correct
Ans - latitude, nature of the surface (temperature and moisture)
Arctic (A) air mass Correct Ans - high latitudes, very cold
Polar (P) air mass Correct Ans - high latitudes, cold
Tropical (T) air mass Correct Ans - low latitudes, warm
continental (c) air mass Correct Ans - formed over land, dry air
maritime (m) air mass Correct Ans - formed over water, humid air
What are fronts? Correct Ans - boundaries that separate air masses of
different densities
What is a warm front? Correct Ans - warm air advances over cold air as
cold air retreats (overrunning)
What are characteristics of warm fronts? Correct Ans - friction decreases
with slope, slope of front is less steep compared to cold fronts, light to
moderate precipitation, clouds become lower near the front, good at
temperature inversions which causes sleet and freezing rain in the winter
What is a cold front? Correct Ans - cold air advances pushing warm air
What are characteristics of cold fronts? Correct Ans - 2x steeper
compared to warm fronts, friction increases slope, faster compared to warm
fronts, takes place over less distance/area, more intense precipitation
,What is a stationary front? Correct Ans - a front that moves slower than
other fronts, flow in the cold and warm air masses nearly aligned with front
orientation (forms when warm air and cold air meet)
What are characteristics of stationary fronts? Correct Ans - slowest
moving front, some warm air tends to override cold air, can still generate
uplift and precipitation
What is an occluded front? Correct Ans - when a cold front catches up to
a warm front
What are characteristics of occluded fronts? Correct Ans - low pressure
center between boundary of cold and warm front, the length of the front
increases as time increases,
Do cold fronts or warm fronts travel faster? Correct Ans - cold fronts
What is a cold-type occlusion? Correct Ans - the cold air mass overtaking
the warm front is colder than the cool air ahead of the warm front, and plows
under both air masses; ex: mid-latitude cyclone
What is a warm-type occlusion? Correct Ans - the cold air mass
overtaking the warm front is warmer than the cool air ahead of the warm
front, and rides over the colder air mass while lifting the warm air; ex: along
the northwest coast of the U.S.
What is a dryline? Correct Ans - at boundaries between warm air masses
and distinct moisture content
What are characteristics of drylines? Correct Ans - usually occur in
Texas, dew point is the main indicator, not a lot of uplift or precipitation
What are midlatitude cyclones? Correct Ans - An extratropical cyclone
(low pressure system) that is the principal weather maker at midlatitudes
What is the typical life cycle of a midlatitude cyclone? Correct Ans -
forms at boundary between warm and cold air masses, starts as a stationary
front and turns into an occluded front
, Cyclones are generated by __________ aloft Correct Ans - divergence
Upper-level winds can steer cyclones to areas of ____________ Correct Ans -
convergence
______ aloft weakens cyclones Correct Ans - Convergence
The more wavy isobars are, the more favorable the formation of __________ are
Correct Ans - cyclones
Over an area of high pressure, there is _________ aloft in high latitudes
Correct Ans - convergence
Over an area of low pressure, there is ________ aloft in low latitudes Correct
Ans - convergence
What kind of precipitation is observed in the cold front of a cyclone?
Correct Ans - strong storms
What kind of precipitation is observed in the warm front of a cyclone?
Correct Ans - fog, drizzle
How do the formation of cyclones start? Correct Ans - divergence aloft
generates low pressure near the surface
What is lightning? Correct Ans - electric discharge between clouds or
between the clouds and the surface; due to differences in charges between
two areas
How do areas become charged in order to be able to produce lightning?
Correct Ans - transfer of charge between ice crystals and graupel
After the transfer of charges between ice crystals and graupel, what charges
do each have? Correct Ans - graupel=negative
ice crystals=positive
How do charges get separated in the vertical? Correct Ans - grapuel is
heavier and falls faster than ice crystals and lighter ice crystals are more
easily transported to higher areas of the cloud by updrafts
What are air masses? Correct Ans - large bodies of air, 1000km across or
more, several thousand meters thick
Do air masses have similar temperature and moisture content at any given
elevation? Correct Ans - yes
What are the two main criteria by which air masses get classified? Correct
Ans - latitude, nature of the surface (temperature and moisture)
Arctic (A) air mass Correct Ans - high latitudes, very cold
Polar (P) air mass Correct Ans - high latitudes, cold
Tropical (T) air mass Correct Ans - low latitudes, warm
continental (c) air mass Correct Ans - formed over land, dry air
maritime (m) air mass Correct Ans - formed over water, humid air
What are fronts? Correct Ans - boundaries that separate air masses of
different densities
What is a warm front? Correct Ans - warm air advances over cold air as
cold air retreats (overrunning)
What are characteristics of warm fronts? Correct Ans - friction decreases
with slope, slope of front is less steep compared to cold fronts, light to
moderate precipitation, clouds become lower near the front, good at
temperature inversions which causes sleet and freezing rain in the winter
What is a cold front? Correct Ans - cold air advances pushing warm air
What are characteristics of cold fronts? Correct Ans - 2x steeper
compared to warm fronts, friction increases slope, faster compared to warm
fronts, takes place over less distance/area, more intense precipitation
,What is a stationary front? Correct Ans - a front that moves slower than
other fronts, flow in the cold and warm air masses nearly aligned with front
orientation (forms when warm air and cold air meet)
What are characteristics of stationary fronts? Correct Ans - slowest
moving front, some warm air tends to override cold air, can still generate
uplift and precipitation
What is an occluded front? Correct Ans - when a cold front catches up to
a warm front
What are characteristics of occluded fronts? Correct Ans - low pressure
center between boundary of cold and warm front, the length of the front
increases as time increases,
Do cold fronts or warm fronts travel faster? Correct Ans - cold fronts
What is a cold-type occlusion? Correct Ans - the cold air mass overtaking
the warm front is colder than the cool air ahead of the warm front, and plows
under both air masses; ex: mid-latitude cyclone
What is a warm-type occlusion? Correct Ans - the cold air mass
overtaking the warm front is warmer than the cool air ahead of the warm
front, and rides over the colder air mass while lifting the warm air; ex: along
the northwest coast of the U.S.
What is a dryline? Correct Ans - at boundaries between warm air masses
and distinct moisture content
What are characteristics of drylines? Correct Ans - usually occur in
Texas, dew point is the main indicator, not a lot of uplift or precipitation
What are midlatitude cyclones? Correct Ans - An extratropical cyclone
(low pressure system) that is the principal weather maker at midlatitudes
What is the typical life cycle of a midlatitude cyclone? Correct Ans -
forms at boundary between warm and cold air masses, starts as a stationary
front and turns into an occluded front
, Cyclones are generated by __________ aloft Correct Ans - divergence
Upper-level winds can steer cyclones to areas of ____________ Correct Ans -
convergence
______ aloft weakens cyclones Correct Ans - Convergence
The more wavy isobars are, the more favorable the formation of __________ are
Correct Ans - cyclones
Over an area of high pressure, there is _________ aloft in high latitudes
Correct Ans - convergence
Over an area of low pressure, there is ________ aloft in low latitudes Correct
Ans - convergence
What kind of precipitation is observed in the cold front of a cyclone?
Correct Ans - strong storms
What kind of precipitation is observed in the warm front of a cyclone?
Correct Ans - fog, drizzle
How do the formation of cyclones start? Correct Ans - divergence aloft
generates low pressure near the surface
What is lightning? Correct Ans - electric discharge between clouds or
between the clouds and the surface; due to differences in charges between
two areas
How do areas become charged in order to be able to produce lightning?
Correct Ans - transfer of charge between ice crystals and graupel
After the transfer of charges between ice crystals and graupel, what charges
do each have? Correct Ans - graupel=negative
ice crystals=positive
How do charges get separated in the vertical? Correct Ans - grapuel is
heavier and falls faster than ice crystals and lighter ice crystals are more
easily transported to higher areas of the cloud by updrafts
