Which statement describes an Arctic front?

Which statement describes an Arctic front?

• A. front between continental arctic air mass and maritime arctic air mass.
• B. front between maritime polar air mass and maritime tropical air mass.
• C. front between continental tropical and maritime tropical air masses.
• D. front between polar air mass and cold air mass.

Answer: (A)

An Arctic front forms when two air masses that originate in the Arctic meet: a continental Arctic air mass, which is extremely cold and very dry, and a maritime Arctic air mass, which is also cold but moister. The sharp contrast in temperature and humidity at their boundary creates a distinct front. The other options describe fronts involving air masses from different regions—mid-latitude polar and tropical pairs, or a vague polar versus cold air clash—not the Arctic boundary. So the described boundary between continental Arctic and maritime Arctic air masses is the Arctic front.

An Arctic front forms when two air masses that originate in the Arctic meet: a continental Arctic air mass, which is extremely cold and very dry, and a maritime Arctic air mass, which is also cold but moister. The sharp contrast in temperature and humidity at their boundary creates a distinct front. The other options describe fronts involving air masses from different regions—mid-latitude polar and tropical pairs, or a vague polar versus cold air clash—not the Arctic boundary. So the described boundary between continental Arctic and maritime Arctic air masses is the Arctic front.