Fill in the blanks...Air masses MOVE from areas of ______ pressure to areas of_________ pressure.

Air masses move from high pressure to low pressure.

Air masses MOVE from areas of HIGH pressure to areas of LOW pressure.

To understand why air masses move in this way, we need to consider the concept of atmospheric pressure. Atmospheric pressure is the force exerted by the weight of the air above a particular location. Differences in atmospheric pressure across different regions drive the movement of air masses.

High-pressure systems are characterized by relatively higher atmospheric pressure compared to the surrounding areas. Air molecules in high-pressure systems are densely packed and tend to move outward, creating a region of relatively sinking air. As a result, air flows away from high-pressure areas toward regions with lower atmospheric pressure.

Low-pressure systems, on the other hand, have relatively lower atmospheric pressure compared to surrounding areas. Air molecules in low-pressure systems are less densely packed, creating a region of relatively rising air. This causes surrounding air from high-pressure areas to flow into the low-pressure region, resulting in the movement of air masses from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

This movement from high to low-pressure areas is known as atmospheric circulation and plays a crucial role in shaping weather patterns and driving weather phenomena such as winds, storms, and fronts.