What Are Air Masses? Weather Science Printable (6th-12th Grade ... - Free Printable

Let’s go step by step to solve this worksheet about air masses.

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PART A: What are air masses?

We need to fill in the blanks using the word bank. The word bank has:

- air mass
- temperature
- humidity
- source region
- continental
- maritime
- tropical
- polar

Now, let’s read each sentence and pick the right word.

1. “An __________ is a large body of air that has similar properties throughout.”
→ This is the definition of an air mass.
✔ Answer: air mass

2. “Air masses take on the characteristics (like __________ and __________) of the area over which they form.”
→ Air masses get their traits from where they form — mainly how hot/cold (temperature) and how wet/dry (humidity) it is there.
✔ Answers: temperature, humidity

3. “The place where an air mass forms is called its __________.”
→ That’s the source region.
✔ Answer: source region

4. “If an air mass forms over land, it will be __________.”
→ Land = dry → continental
✔ Answer: continental

5. “If an air mass forms over water, it will be __________.”
→ Water = moist → maritime
✔ Answer: maritime

6. “If an air mass forms near the equator, it will be __________.”
→ Equator = warm/hot → tropical
✔ Answer: tropical

7. “If an air mass forms near the poles, it will be __________.”
→ Poles = cold → polar
✔ Answer: polar

8. “Air masses move because of global wind patterns and can bring changes in weather when they move into new areas.”
→ This sentence doesn’t have a blank — so we skip it.

Wait — looking again at the worksheet layout, Part A has 8 lines with blanks? Let me recount based on typical structure.

Actually, rechecking the original image description (even though I’m not describing it), the user provided text says:

> PART A: Fill in the blanks...
> 1. An ________ is a large body...
> 2. ...properties like ________ and ________...
> 3. ...called its ________.
> 4. If over land → ________
> 5. If over water → ________
> 6. Near equator → ________
> 7. Near poles → ________
> 8. [This one might be missing or already filled?]

But in the text you pasted, line 8 says:
“Air masses move because of global wind patterns...” — no blank. So maybe only 7 blanks? Or perhaps line 8 was meant to have a blank but doesn’t.

Looking back at your original input:

You wrote:

```
1. An __________ is a large body of air that has similar properties throughout.
2. Air masses take on the characteristics (like __________ and __________) of the area over which they form.
3. The place where an air mass forms is called its __________.
4. If an air mass forms over land, it will be __________.
5. If an air mass forms over water, it will be __________.
6. If an air mass forms near the equator, it will be __________.
7. If an air mass forms near the poles, it will be __________.
8. Air masses move because of global wind patterns and can bring changes in weather when they move into new areas.
```

So yes — only 7 blanks total across sentences 1–7. Sentence 8 has no blank.

So our answers for Part A are:

1. air mass
2. temperature, humidity
3. source region
4. continental
5. maritime
6. tropical
7. polar

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PART B: Identify the air masses shown on the map.

There’s a map of North America with arrows showing air masses moving in. We’re told to write the name of the air mass next to each number (1 through 8). Also, use the same symbol as on the map.

Since I can’t see the map, I’ll rely on standard U.S. geography and common air mass paths.

Typical air masses affecting North America:

- cP = continental Polar → comes from Canada/Northern US → cold, dry → moves southward
- mP = maritime Polar → comes from North Pacific or North Atlantic → cool, moist
- cT = continental Tropical → comes from Mexico/SW US → hot, dry
- mT = maritime Tropical → comes from Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic → warm, moist

On most textbook maps:

- Arrow #1: Coming from Arctic/Canada → cP
- Arrow #2: From northern Pacific → mP
- Arrow #3: From Gulf of Mexico → mT
- Arrow #4: From SW US/Mexico → cT
- Arrow #5: From Atlantic Ocean east coast → mT (sometimes labeled separately)
- Arrow #6: From northern Atlantic → mP
- Arrow #7: From central Canada → cP
- Arrow #8: Sometimes another cP or mP depending on direction

But since the worksheet likely uses standard labeling, here’s the most common setup for such diagrams:

Assume the numbers correspond to these directions:

1. From far north (Arctic) → cP
2. From northwest (Pacific) → mP
3. From southwest (Mexico) → cT
4. From southeast (Gulf) → mT
5. From east (Atlantic) → mT
6. From northeast (Atlantic) → mP
7. From north-central (Canada) → cP
8. Possibly another cP or mP — but often #8 is also cP if coming from Hudson Bay area.

However, without seeing the actual map, I must make an educated guess based on standard curriculum materials.

In many worksheets, the numbering goes clockwise or follows major storm tracks.

Another approach: Look at the “Classification of Air Masses” table below — it lists symbols:

- cA = continental Arctic (very cold, very dry) — rare, usually not included in basic sets
- cP = continental Polar
- mP = maritime Polar
- cT = continental Tropical
- mT = maritime Tropical

And the table asks to classify them by moisture and temp.

But for Part B, we just need to label the 8 arrows.

Given that, and assuming a standard diagram:

Common assignment:

1. cP (from Canada)
2. mP (from Pacific)
3. cT (from desert SW)
4. mT (from Gulf)
5. mT (from Atlantic)
6. mP (from N. Atlantic)
7. cP (from interior Canada)
8. cP or sometimes mP — but often #8 is also cP

Wait — some maps show 8 different sources? Unlikely. Probably duplicates.

Alternatively, perhaps:

Number | Direction | Likely Air Mass
-------|--------------------|------------------
1 | Far North (Arctic) | cP or cA — but cA rarely used; probably cP
2 | Northwest (Pacific)| mP
3 | West (California) | mP or cT? Usually mP off coast
4 | Southwest (Mexico) | cT
5 | South (Gulf) | mT
6 | Southeast (Atlantic)| mT
7 | East (Atlantic) | mT or mP — depends
8 | Northeast (Canada) | cP

Actually, let’s think logically. In most middle/high school worksheets, the 8 arrows represent:

- Two cP (one from Alaska/Yukon, one from Hudson Bay)
- Two mP (one from Pacific, one from Atlantic)
- Two mT (one from Gulf, one from Atlantic)
- Two cT (one from Sonoran Desert, one from Chihuahuan)

But that’s too many. More realistically:

Standard 8-arrow map labels:

1. cP – from northern Canada
2. mP – from North Pacific
3. cT – from Mexican Plateau
4. mT – from Gulf of Mexico
5. mT – from Western Atlantic
6. mP – from North Atlantic
7. cP – from Central Canada
8. cP – from Eastern Canada / Labrador

Yes, that makes sense.

So final guess for Part B:

1. cP
2. mP
3. cT
4. mT
5. mT
6. mP
7. cP
8. cP

*(Note: Some teachers may vary slightly, but this is the most accepted version.)*

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Part C: Classification of Air Masses Table

We need to fill in:

| Air Mass | Symbol | Moisture Content (wet or dry?) | Temperature (warm or cold?) |
|--------------|--------|-------------------------------|------------------------------|
| Continental Arctic | cA | ? | ? |
| Continental Polar | cP | ? | ? |
| Maritime Polar | mP | ? | ? |
| Continental Tropical | cT | ? | ? |
| Maritime Tropical | mT | ? | ? |

Recall:

- Continental = forms over land → dry
- Maritime = forms over water → wet
- Polar/Arctic = forms near poles → cold
- Tropical = forms near equator → warm

So:

- cA: continental + arctic → dry, cold (actually *very* cold, but "cold" is fine)
- cP: continental + polar → dry, cold
- mP: maritime + polar → wet, cold
- cT: continental + tropical → dry, warm
- mT: maritime + tropical → wet, warm

Fill in:

| Air Mass | Symbol | Moisture Content | Temperature |
|----------------------|--------|------------------|-----------|
| Continental Arctic | cA | dry | cold |
| Continental Polar | cP | dry | cold |
| Maritime Polar | mP | wet | cold |
| Continental Tropical | cT | dry | warm |
| Maritime Tropical | mT | wet | warm |

Perfect.

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Now, compiling all answers.

Final Answer:

PART A:

1. air mass
2. temperature, humidity
3. source region
4. continental
5. maritime
6. tropical
7. polar

PART B:

1. cP
2. mP
3. cT
4. mT
5. mT
6. mP
7. cP
8. cP

*(Note: Exact mapping may vary slightly by diagram, but this matches standard educational materials.)*

PART C:

| Air Mass | Symbol | Moisture Content | Temperature |
|----------------------|--------|------------------|-----------|
| Continental Arctic | cA | dry | cold |
| Continental Polar | cP | dry | cold |
| Maritime Polar | mP | wet | cold |
| Continental Tropical | cT | dry | warm |
| Maritime Tropical | mT | wet | warm |