Air Masses

24)Warm air holds more water vapor than cold air.

25) Land heats up and cools down faster than water 25) Land heats up and cools down faster than water. As warm air rises, cooler air moves down, creating convection currents.

26) Unequal heating of land and water forms wind systems and weather events. Wind is caused by differences in air pressure, going from an area of high pressure to lower pressure.

27) Land heats up and cools down faster than water 27) Land heats up and cools down faster than water. During the day, land heats faster than a body of water, so the air above the land becomes warmer. The warm air expands and creates a low-pressure system. The cooler air above the body of water blows inland and under the warm air.

28) At night, the land cools faster than the water so the air above the water rises since it is warmer. The cooler air over the land blows toward the water. These are called sea breezes.

An air mass is a large body of air that has the same moisture and temperature.

29) A warm air mass is called a Tropical air mass.

29) A cold air mass is called a Polar air mass.

29) A dry air mass is called a Continental air mass.

29) A wet air mass coming from the ocean is called Maritime air mass

29) A cold dry air mass is called Polar Continental air mass.

29) A cold wet air mass is called Polar Maritime air mass.

29) A warm dry air mass is called Tropical Continental air mass.

29) A warm wet air mass is called Tropical Maritime air mass.

30) Isobars indicate air pressure on a weather map.