Weather and Climate
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Earth Science › Weather and Climate
What is the result of a cool air mass and a warm air mass converging low to the ground?
stormy weather patterns
a sunny clear sky
winds become calm
there are less clouds
Explanation
The answer is "stormy weather patterns"
A cold front moves faster than a warm air mass. The warm humid air is pushed up and results in a short period of heavy rain and possibly violent thunderstorms.
A warm front moves slower than a cold air mass. The warm air raises steadily above the cooler air mass and causes gentle rain showers for longer periods of time.
An occluded front is a combination of two fronts that form when a cold front catches up and overtakes a warm front. The result is a mix of rain showers and thunderstorms.
A stationary front is the boundary between two air masses when neither is moving. Clear skies to partly cloudy skies may result, with occasional light rain.
A weather map has closely space isobars. What type of weather would you expect to be present?
high winds
high temperatures
clear skies
low moisture
Explanation
The answer is "high winds" because isobars represent changes in air pressure, and wind is caused by differences in air pressure.
A front is a boundary between two air masses.
Cold fronts are designated by lines of blue triangles.
Warm fronts are designated by lines of red semi circles.
A stationary front has both of a cold and warm front on the same line facing opposite directions. An occluded front has both a warm and cold front traveling in the same direction.
On weather maps, high pressure systems have an “H” at the center. High pressure systems bring cold air and spin outward.
Low pressure systems are marked with an “L.” They spin inward and bring warm air.
Which of these climate zones has the warmest temperatures?

polar
temperate
dry
tropical
Explanation
The answer is "tropical"
Tropical: In this hot and humid zone, the average temperatures are greater than 64°F (18°C) year-round and there is more than 59 inches of precipitation each year.
Dry: These climate zones are so dry because moisture is rapidly evaporated from the air and there is very little precipitation.
Temperate: In this zone, there are typically warm and humid summers with thunderstorms and mild winters.
Continental: These regions have warm to cool summers and very cold winters. In the winter, this zone can experience snowstorms, strong winds, and very cold temperatures—sometimes falling below -22°F (-30°C)!
Polar: In the polar climate zones, it’s extremely cold. Even in summer, the temperatures here never go higher than 50°F (10°C)!

What type of front is depicted in the image?
a cold front
a warm front
an occluded front
a stationary front
Explanation
The answer is "a cold front."
A front is a boundary between two air masses.
Cold fronts are designated by lines of blue triangles.
Warm fronts are designated by lines of red semi circles.
A stationary front has both of a cold and warm front on the same line facing opposite directions. An occluded front has both a warm and cold front traveling in the same direction.
On weather maps, high pressure systems have an “H” at the center. High pressure systems bring cold air and spin outward.
Low pressure systems are marked with an “L.” They spin inward and bring warm air.
When strong updrafts occur, what type of weather should we expect?
tornadoes, hail, high winds
clear, sunny skies
gentle showers
high humidity but no rain
Explanation
The answer is "tornadoes, hail, high winds."
A front represents a boundary between two different air masses, such as warm and cold air. If cold air is advancing into warm air, a cold front is present. On the other hand, if a cold air mass is retreating and warm air is advancing, a warm front exists.
Thunderstorms are caused by moisture and differences in air pressure. Remember that warm air rises and cold air sinks. When warm, moist air is near the ground and cold, dry air is up above, convection will create unstable air currents where high pressure and low pressure systems meet. In a big thunderstorm cloud, there are now strong upward winds and downward winds happening at the same time. These are called updrafts and downdrafts. This is the most dangerous stage of the storm, when tornadoes, hail, winds and flooding can happen. Updrafts continue to fuel the storm with warm, moist air. But, once a storm runs out of updrafts, it starts to weaken.
When strong updrafts occur, what type of weather should we expect?
tornadoes, hail, high winds
clear, sunny skies
gentle showers
high humidity but no rain
Explanation
The answer is "tornadoes, hail, high winds."
A front represents a boundary between two different air masses, such as warm and cold air. If cold air is advancing into warm air, a cold front is present. On the other hand, if a cold air mass is retreating and warm air is advancing, a warm front exists.
Thunderstorms are caused by moisture and differences in air pressure. Remember that warm air rises and cold air sinks. When warm, moist air is near the ground and cold, dry air is up above, convection will create unstable air currents where high pressure and low pressure systems meet. In a big thunderstorm cloud, there are now strong upward winds and downward winds happening at the same time. These are called updrafts and downdrafts. This is the most dangerous stage of the storm, when tornadoes, hail, winds and flooding can happen. Updrafts continue to fuel the storm with warm, moist air. But, once a storm runs out of updrafts, it starts to weaken.
How do convection currents cause thunderstorms?
They cause warm air to rise and cold air to sink.
They cause cold air to rise and warm air to sink.
They cause warm and cold air to sink.
They cause warm and cold air to rise.
Explanation
The answer is "They cause warm air to rise and cold air to sink."
A front represents a boundary between two different air masses, such as warm and cold air. If cold air is advancing into warm air, a cold front is present. On the other hand, if a cold air mass is retreating and warm air is advancing, a warm front exists.
Thunderstorms are caused by moisture and differences in air pressure. Remember that warm air rises and cold air sinks. When warm, moist air is near the ground and cold, dry air is up above, convection will create unstable air currents where high pressure and low pressure systems meet. In a big thunderstorm cloud, there are now strong upward winds and downward winds happening at the same time. These are called updrafts and downdrafts. This is the most dangerous stage of the storm, when tornadoes, hail, winds and flooding can happen. Updrafts continue to fuel the storm with warm, moist air. But, once a storm runs out of updrafts, it starts to weaken.
What is the result of a cool air mass and a warm air mass converging low to the ground?
stormy weather patterns
a sunny clear sky
winds become calm
there are less clouds
Explanation
The answer is "stormy weather patterns"
A cold front moves faster than a warm air mass. The warm humid air is pushed up and results in a short period of heavy rain and possibly violent thunderstorms.
A warm front moves slower than a cold air mass. The warm air raises steadily above the cooler air mass and causes gentle rain showers for longer periods of time.
An occluded front is a combination of two fronts that form when a cold front catches up and overtakes a warm front. The result is a mix of rain showers and thunderstorms.
A stationary front is the boundary between two air masses when neither is moving. Clear skies to partly cloudy skies may result, with occasional light rain.
How can humans best minimize their impact on Earth's systems?
Humans must utilize Earth’s resources in a way that creates a balance between man made structures and Earth’s systems.
Humans can utilize Earth’s resources freely without any negative impacts to Earth’s systems.
none of these
Humans must return to a time before modern technology was hurting the environment
Explanation
Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Most notably, human impacts have contributed to climate change. Scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The effects of this are difficult to predict but some effects are more certain:
-On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but others may not.
-Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.
-A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice, increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level rise.
-Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO2, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher temperatures and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and affect the makeup of natural plant communities.
Not all human impacts are negative. Ways in which people positively affect ecosystems around the world include:
-Recycling
-Establishing wildlife preserves and parks
-Creating green, open space laws
-Doing reforestation
-Creating environmental regulations
Which of the following practices allows humans to utilize water resources while preserving as much of the natural landscape as possible?
restricting irrigation
diverting waterways into canals
building hydroelectric dams
draining lakes for transport
Explanation
The answer is "restricting irrigation."
Humans impact the physical environment in many ways: overpopulation, pollution, burning fossil fuels, and deforestation. Most notably, human impacts have contributed to climate change. Scientists attribute the global warming trend observed since the mid-20th century to the human expansion of the "greenhouse effect" — warming that results when the atmosphere traps heat radiating from Earth toward space. Certain gases in the atmosphere block heat from escaping. Gases that contribute to the greenhouse effect include: Water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The effects of this are difficult to predict but some effects are more certain:
-On average, Earth will become warmer. Some regions may welcome warmer temperatures, but others may not.
-Warmer conditions will probably lead to more evaporation and precipitation overall, but individual regions will vary, some becoming wetter and others dryer.
-A stronger greenhouse effect will warm the oceans and partially melt glaciers and other ice, increasing sea level. Ocean water also will expand if it warms, contributing further to sea level rise.
-Meanwhile, some crops and other plants may respond favorably to increased atmospheric CO2, growing more vigorously and using water more efficiently. At the same time, higher temperatures and shifting climate patterns may change the areas where crops grow best and affect the makeup of natural plant communities.
Not all human impacts are negative. Ways in which people positively affect ecosystems around the world include:
-Recycling
-Establishing wildlife preserves and parks
-Creating green, open space laws
-Doing reforestation
-Creating environmental regulations