Atmospheric Circulation
1 On a 500 millibar chart, _______________ are drawn to represent horizontal changes in altitude which correspond to horizontal changes in pressure.
contour lines
isobars
isotherms
isotachs
2 The amount of pressure change that occurs over a given distance is called the:
pressure gradient
Coriolis gradient
centrifugal gradient
pressure potential
pressure force
3 If the earth stopped rotating:
surface winds would blow directly from higher toward lower pressure
the Coriolis force would not exist
there would be no pressure gradient force
all of the above
only (a) and (b) are correct
4 The Coriolis force is the result of the:
wind
rotating earh
difference between day and night
difference in pressure between two points on the earth
difference in temperature between the equator and the poles
5 Which statement below is NOT correct concerning the Coriolis force:
it causes winds to deflect toward the right in the Northern Hemisphere
it is non-existent (zero) at the equator
it causes winds to deflect toward the left in the Southern Hemisphere
it causes the winds to blow faster
it increases with increasing latitude
6 When the wind blows in a more or less west to east direction, the wind flow pattern is called:
gradient
meridional
cyclostrophic
zonal
centripetal
7 Which of the following forces can influence wind direction:
Coriolis force
pressure gradient force
centripetal force
all of the above
only (b) and (c) are correct
8 The wind around a low pressure area (at the surface) in the SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE blows:
counterclockwise and outward from the center
counterclockwise and inward toward the center
clockwise and outward from the center
clockwise and inward toward the center
it varies with the seasons
9 The pressure gradient force is directed from higher pressure toward lower pressure:
only at the equator
at all places on the earth except at the equator
only in the Northern Hemisphere
only in the Southern Hemisphere
at all places on earth
10 If in the Northern Hemisphere at your home the surface wind is blowing from the northwest, then the region of lowest pressure will be to the _________________ of your home.
north
south
east
west
11 The atmosphere around the earth would rush off into space if the vertical pressure gradient force were not balanced by:
the Coriolis force
the horizontal pressure gradient force
gravity
the centrifugal force
friction
12 If the pressure gradient force remained the same and the earth's rotation decreased, the speed of the geostrophic wind would:
increase
decrease
show no change
13 The winds aloft in middle latitudes would NOT blow from the west if:
the earth's rotation decreased slightly
the earth's rotation increased slightly
Earth's rotation reversed
the average temperature of the earth increases
the average temperature of the air aloft increases dramatically over the low latitudes
14 The Coriolis force is strongest when the wind speed is ____________ and the latitude is ______________.
high, low
high, high
low, high
low, low
15 The force that initially causes the wind to blow is the:
Coriolis force
pressure gradient force
centripetal force
friction
gravity
16 A wind blowing at a constant speed parallel to straightline isobars or a constant pressure surface contours with the PFG and Coriolis force in balance is called a:
gradient wind
meridional wind
geostrophic wind
cyclostrophic wind
zonal wind
17 The angle at which the wind crosses the isobars depends upon:
wind speed
height above the surface
surface friction
all of the above
only (b) and (c) are correct
18 On an upper-level chart the wind tends to blow:
at right angles to the contours or isobars
at an angle of 45 degrees to the contours or isobars
at an angle of 30 degrees to the contours or isobars
at an angle between 15 degrees and 25 degrees to the contours or isobars
parallel to the contours or isobars
19 On a 500 mb chart:
an area of low height corresponds to an area of low pressure
closely spaced contour lines indicate a region of high winds
high heights correspond to relatively warm air
all of the above
only (a) and (b) are correct
20 The wind around a low pressure area (at the surface) in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE blows:
counterclockwise and outward from the center
counterclockwise and inward toward the center
clockwise and outward from the center
clockwise and inward toward the center
it varies with the seasons
21 The wind around a high pressure area (at the surface) in the NORTHERN HEMISPHERE blows:
counterclockwise and outward from the center
counterclockwise and inward toward the center
clockwise and outward from the center
clockwise and inward toward the center
it varies with the seasons
22 When the upward-directed pressure gradient force is in balance with the downward pull of gravity, the atmosphere is in:
hydrostatic equilibrium
unstable equilibrium
geostrophic equilibrium
trouble
23 We can generally expect the air to be ______________ above areas of surface low pressure and _______________ above areas of surface high pressure.
rising, rising
rising, sinking
sinking, rising
sinking, sinking
24 The surface air around a low pressure area normally ____________, while aloft, above the system, the air normally ______________.
diverges, converges
diverges, diverges
converges, diverges
converges, converges
25 The wind's speed generally increases with height above the earth's surface because:
only the lowest layer of air rotates with the earth
air temperature normally decreases with height
wind instruments are not accurate at the earth's surface
friction with the earth's surface slows the air near the ground
air parcels expand and become less dense as they rise above the surface
26 If the sea level pressure in central Florida is 1016 mb, then the strongest summertime sea breeze along the Atlantic shore would occur when the sea level pressure off shore is:
1019 mb
1017 mb
1015 mb
1014 mb
1013 mb
27 Sea breeze circulations:
mainly occur at night
usually occur when the water is cooler than the land
occur when the surface wind blows from the water toward the land
all of the above
only (b) and (c) are correct
28 When fly fishing in a mountain stream, you notice that the wind is blowing UPSTREAM. From this you deduce that the wind is a:
chinook wind
valley breeze
Santa Ana wind
mountain breeze
katabatic wind
29 The summer monsoon in eastern and southern Asia is characterized by:
wet weather and winds blowing from land to sea
dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea
wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land
dry weather and winds blowing from sea to land
30 During the summer along the coast, a sea breeze is usually strongest and best developed:
in the afternoon
just after sunrise
just before sunset
just before noon
around midnight