Rems Online Assessment: Air Pressure and Air Masses

1. Name the air mass that is most likely to be characterized by hot, dry air and that can
often bring hot weather to the UK in summer. (1)
Tropical continental air mass.

2. Which two air masses interact to form depressions over the North Atlantic Ocean that
frequently pass over the UK? (2)
Polar Maritime and Tropical Maritime.

Questions 3-8 are about figure 1 below - study the map and key carefully.

Figure 1

3. Study figure 1. State the pressure (including units) in the centre of the depression. (1)
984mb
4. Name the type of weather front marked X in figure 1. (1)
Cold front

5. State the temperature (in ⁰C) at the weather station nearest London in figure 1. (1)
The temperature at the weather station nearest London in figure 1 is 3⁰C.

6. Using figure 1, explain why the temperature in most of England is around 7 ⁰C lower than
in Ireland. (3)
The temperature in most of England is around 7 ⁰C lower than in Ireland because Ireland
is in the warm sector of the depression. This is made up of warm, moist, Tropical
Maritime air. However, England is in the cold front of the depression. This is made up of
cold, moist Polar Maritime air.

7. Explain why the western areas of Scotland, Wales and England (in figure 1) are being
affected by a belt of rain. (3)
The western areas of Scotland, Wales and England are being affected by a belt of rain
because the warm front is passing over them. This causes the less dense Tropical
Maritime air to rise rapidly over the colder, more dense, Polar Maritime air in front. This
produces thick, low level nimbostratus cloud and precipitation.

8. Find weather stations B (Atlantic Ocean, northwest of Ireland) and C (Norfolk, Eastern
England) on the map. Using figure 1, contrast the wind speed at weather station B to the
wind speed at weather station C. Suggest a reason for the difference. (3)
The wind speed in weather station B is 35 oktas and the wind speed in weather station C
is calm. This is because weather station B is very near to the centre of the depression,
where the air pressure is very low. Here, air rushes in quickly from surrounding areas of
 higher pressure, creating strong winds and stormy conditions. However, weather station
C is ahead of the depression, where there is higher air pressure and much less winds.

9. Explain the typical weather associated with an anticyclone in winter in the UK. (5)
The typical weather associated with an anticyclone in winter in the UK is clear, blue skies
with sunshine and light, little cloud and precipitation, little wind, high pressure and cold,
crisp days. As a result of the temperatures being very cold is that overnight, air close to
the ground gets so cold that water vapour within it condenses, producing dew, mist or
fog, and if it is colder still, frost.