Deck 4: Wind Essentials

Question 1

Which of the following is NOT true regarding the effects of the 1991 Mount Pinatubo eruption?

A)Aerosols mixed with other atmospheric debris,increasing Earthʹs albedo.
B)A small,temporary decrease in average temperatures followed.
C)Sulfur dioxide (SO2)aerosols decreased in the atmosphere due to the presence of ash.
D)An aerosol cloud covered the globe,from 20° S to 30° N.

Answer 1

C

Question 2

Winds are named based on

A)the scientist who first described them.
B)the direction in which they are blowing.
C)the altitude at which they occur.
D)the direction from which they originate.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

A(n)is an instrument used to measure wind direction.

A)wind vane
B)sling psychrometer
C)anemometer
D)barometer

Answer 3

A

Question 4

The lowest surface air pressures ever recorded are associated with

A)sea level.
B)cold and dry climates.
C)frontal systems (cold and warm fronts).
D)hurricanes (typhoons).

Question 5

Evangelista Torricelli developed the first

A)mercury barometer.
B)aneroid barometer.
C)water-based barometer.
D)anemometer.
E)vacuum pump barometer.

Question 6

An instrument used to measure air pressure is

A)an aneroid barometer.
B)a mercury thermometer.
C)a wind vane.
D)an anemometer.

Question 7

An aircraft altimeter is a type of

A)anemometer.
B)aneroid barometer.
C)hygrometer.
D)mercury barometer.
E)sextant.

Question 8

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991

A)had little global affects and was mostly isolated to the Philippines.
B)erupted unexpectedly,inhibiting scientists from monitoring its effects.
C)demonstrated that localized circulation can curtail widespread dispersal of aerosols.
D)provided a unique opportunity to assess the dynamics of global atmospheric circulation.

Question 9

The highest surface air pressure ever recorded occurred when the air was

A)very cold.
B)very wet.
C)very high above the surface of Earth.
D)very warm.

Question 10

The average height of a column of mercury (Hg)in a barometer at sea level is

A)1013 inches.
B)29.00 millibars.
C)something that can not be determined without knowing air temperature.
D)760 mm (76 cm).

Question 11

The horizontal motion of air relative to Earthʹs surface is

A)wind.
B)a result of equalized pressure across the surface.
C)barometric pressure.
D)convection flow.

Question 12

The normal range for air pressure at sea level is

A)980-1050 mb.
B)500 to 1000 mb.
C)100 to 650 mb.
D)1060-2010 mb.

Question 13

is used in a barometer because .

A)Mercury; it is denser than water
B)Mercury; it will rise more than water will under the same air pressure
C)Water; it is liquid at normal air temperature
D)Water; it is denser than mercury

Question 14

A(n)is an instrument used to measure wind speed.

A)sling psychrometer
B)barometer
C)anemometer
D)wind vane

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT a determinant of wind speed and direction?

A)Coriolis force
B)Pressure gradient force
C)Electromagnetic force
D)Friction force
E)Gravitational force

Question 16

Evangelista Torricelli,a pupil of Galileo,determined that

A)winds flow from airs of high to low pressure.
B)air pressure varied with weather conditions.
C)atmospheric pressure is uniform in the troposphere.
D)large-scale circulations of winds.

Question 17

An increase in air pressure will cause the mercury in a barometer to

A)rise.
B)freeze.
C)boil.
D)fall.

Question 18

Normal sea level pressure has a value of

A)500 mb.
B)1013.2 millibars.
C)28.50 inches of lead.
D)32.01 millibars of mercury.

Question 19

If a wind is blowing from a compass direction of 202.5°,the wind is from the

A)northwest (NW).
B)south-southwest (SSW).
C)north-northeast (NNE).
D)north (N).
E)south (S).

Question 20

An aneroid barometer

A)requires the use of mercury.
B)uses a chamber that expands or contracts with changes in air pressure.
C)is a hypothetical instrument for measuring air pressure.
D)uses a meter long tube for measuring air pressure.

Question 21

The figure is an example of

A)wind movement based on the pressure gradient force alone.
B)geostrophic winds.
C)A high pressure center (anticyclone).
D)winds influenced by both the pressure gradient and Coriolis forces.

Question 22

Which is TRUE of air flowing into low pressure center?

A)Air converges and ascends.
B)Air diverges and ascends.
C)Air diverges and descends.
D)Air converges and descends.

Question 23

Objects and wind moving over distance and time on Earthʹs surface are

A)always deflected to the right by the friction force.
B)always deflected from a straight path to the west in the Southern Hemisphere.
C)apparently deflected from a straight path to the right in the Northern Hemisphere.
D)affected only by the pressure gradient and friction force.

Question 24

In the absence of friction,the combined effect of the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force produces

A)air flow from low to high pressure centers.
B)geostrophic winds at altitudes above the ground.
C)air flow perpendicular to the isobars.
D)air flow in a north-south direction.
E)surface winds.

Question 25

On a weather map of air pressure,what can you infer from a close spacing of isobars?

A)A steep pressure gradient creating a slower flow of air
B)A weak pressure gradient creating a slower flow of air
C)A steep pressure gradient creating a faster flow of air
D)Little without knowing temperature patterns
E)Higher pressures

Question 26

The Coriolis force

A)is the only force acting on flows of air in the upper troposphere.
B)decreases with height above the surface.
C)drives air from areas of higher to lower barometric pressure.
D)causes the apparent deflection of winds from a straight path.

Question 27

The deflection produced by the Coriolis force is caused by

A)friction caused by gravitational force.
B)differing pressure gradients.
C)air temperature differences.
D)Earthʹs rotation on its axis.

Question 28

If surface winds were influenced only by the pressure gradient force and Coriolis force (i.e.without the frictional force)

A)The effects would vary depending on surface texture.
B)there would be no winds at all.
C)winds would flow parallel to isobars and at high rates of speed.
D)winds would flow in a straight line from areas of higher to lower pressure.

Question 29

If Santa flew from the North Pole due south along the 100° meridian and did not correct his course,he would land

A)west of the 100° meridian.
B)east of the 100° meridian.
C)on the 100° meridian.
D)south of the 100° meridian.

Question 30

Which of the following is NOT true of the wind?

A)It is initiated by the pressure gradient force.
B)It blows from regions of high pressure to regions of low pressure.
C)Air blows from regions of hotter air to regions of colder air.
D)Winds are named based on the direction from which they blow.
E)The direction of flow can be affected by the rotation of Earth.

Question 31

Air flow is initiated by the

A)Coriolis force.
B)pressure gradient force.
C)centrifugal force.
D)friction force.

Question 32

Which of the following is TRUE regarding the effects of the Coriolis force?

A)The amount of Coriolis deflection is uniform from equator to poles.
B)Coriolis deflection occurs only along parallels,not meridians.
C)The Coriolis force is zero along the equator,increasing to one-half of maximum at 30° latitude and maximum at the poles.
D)The Coriolis force is zero at the poles,increasing to maximum along the equator.

Question 33

In the Northern Hemispheres,winds spiraling counterclockwise into a low pressure area are

A)anticyclonic.
B)meridional.
C)geostrophic.
D)cyclonic.

Question 34

An isoline of equal pressure plotted on a weather map is known as an

A)equilibrium line.
B)isotherm.
C)isobar.
D)isohyet.

Question 35

If Earth did not rotate,air would flow

A)perpendicular to the isobars,i.e.,straight across the isobars.
B)parallel to the isobars.
C)to the left of its direction of motion in the Northern Hemisphere.
D)to the right of its direction of motion in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 36

The frictional force effect on winds

A)is lessened in areas with rougher surfaces.
B)increases with increasing altitude.
C)is constant,regardless of time of day or year.
D)is negligible at altitudes above 500 m (~1,600 ft).

Question 37

If there is a steeper pressure gradient,wind will be than areas with a gradual pressure gradient.

A)warmer
B)cooler
C)stronger
D)lighter

Question 38

Which of the following describes the pressure gradient force?

A)It causes apparent deflection of winds from a straight path.
B)It decreases with height above the surface.
C)It is the only force acting on atmospheric flows in the upper troposphere.
D)It drives air from areas of higher to lower barometric pressure.

Question 39

Which of the following is TRUE of high pressure areas?

A)They are characteristic for areas along the equator.
B)Air converges and ascends within high pressure systems.
C)They generally involve atmospheric pressures lower than 1000 mb.
D)Air descends and diverges within high pressure systems.

Question 40

Which of the following would cause the Coriolis force to increase?

A)Increase in wind speed.
B)Increase in friction.
C)Movement over very small areas.
D)Occurrence closer to the equator.

Question 41

Which of the following is TRUE regarding low-pressure cells in the Southern Hemisphere?

A)They are influenced by continental-sized land areas at 60° S latitude.
B)The air circulation pattern around each low is clockwise.
C)They are most strongly developed during the summer months (January).
D)They form a continuous belt of uniform intensity surrounding the periphery of Antarctica.

Question 42

Which of the following is an example of tertiary circulation?

A)General circulation of the atmosphere
B)Subtropical high pressure systems
C)Land-sea breezes
D)Migratory high and low pressure systems

Question 43

Which of the following is an example of primary circulation?

A)The monsoons
B)Land-sea breezes
C)General circulation of the atmosphere
D)Migratory high and low pressure systems

Question 44

Which of the following are CORRECTLY matched?

A)High pressure ascending,converging air movements
B)Anticyclones subpolar pressure cells
C)High pressure cells cyclonic circulation
D)Cyclones low pressure cells

Question 45

The wind converging at the equatorial low are known as

A)trade winds.
B)polar easterlies.
C)westerlies.
D)doldrums.

Question 46

Which of the following matches is CORRECT relative to air circulation?

A)Anticyclone = low pressure center
B)Cyclone = clockwise circulation in the Southern Hemisphere
C)Anticyclone = counterclockwise circulation in the Northern Hemisphere
D)Cyclone = high pressure center

Question 47

Which of the following is associated with deserts such as the Sahara or the Arabian Desert?

A)Subpolar lows
B)Major agricultural regions
C)Worldʹs equatorial rain forests
D)Subtropical high pressure

Question 48

The tropical atmospheric circulation associated with rising winds along the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)and descending air in the subtropics are called

A)Ferrel cells.
B)Hadley cells.
C)Rossby waves.
D)polar cells.

Question 49

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)is associated with

A)subtropical high-pressure development.
B)the principal midlatitude circulations.
C)the horse latitudes.
D)the equatorial low-pressure trough.

Question 50

Which of the following primary pressure areas are produced by thermal factors,rather than dynamic factors?

A)Equatorial low and Bermuda high
B)Aleutian low and Icelandic low
C)Subtropical high and subpolar low
D)Equatorial low and polar high

Question 51

Which of the following is NOT true of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)?

A)Warm,moisture-laden airs converge along the ITCZ.
B)The ITCZ is stationary throughout the year.
C)A band of precipitation is associated with the ITCZ.
D)Consistent high Sun altitude and daylength make large amounts of energy available.

Question 52

The intertropical convergence zone is characterized by

A)divergence and subsidence of cold surface air.
B)convergence and uplift of warm surface air.
C)convergence and subsidence of cold surface air.
D)divergence and uplift of warm surface air.

Question 53

Calm winds associated with a weak pressure gradient and the vertical ascent of air in the ITCZ are known as

A)the doldrums
B)westerlies.
C)Hadley cells.
D)the horse latitudes.

Question 54

Which of the following primary pressure areas are produced by dynamic factors,rather than thermal factors?

A)Aleutian low and Icelandic low
B)Equatorial low and Bermuda high
C)Subtropical high and subpolar low
D)Equatorial low and polar high

Question 55

Which of the following matches is INCORRECT relative to air circulation?

A)Cyclone = counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere
B)Cyclone = low pressure center
C)Anticyclone = high pressure center
D)Anticyclone = clockwise circulation in the Southern Hemisphere

Question 56

Between 20° to 35° north latitude and 20° to 35° south latitude are

A)the largest zone of water surpluses in the world.
B)cyclonic systems of low pressure.
C)the worldʹs largest arid and semi-arid desert regions.
D)warm and wet conditions,and the worldʹs great tropical forests.

Question 57

In the Northern Hemispheres,winds spiraling clockwise out of a high pressure area are

A)geostrophic.
B)anticyclonic.
C)cyclonic.
D)meridional.

Question 58

Which of the following is TRUE of Hadley cells?

A)They are associated with the subpolar low pressure systems.
B)They occur at great depth in the oceans.
C)They dominate the polar circulation.
D)They appear most vertically and symmetrically on either side of the equator at the equinoxes.

Question 59

Which of the following is an example of secondary circulation?

A)General circulation of the atmosphere
B)Mountain-valley breezes
C)Weather patterns
D)Migratory high and low pressure systems

Question 60

Air flow in a Northern Hemisphere high pressure zone is

A)downward,inward and clockwise.
B)downward,outward and clockwise.
C)downward,outward and counterclockwise.
D)inward,upward and counterclockwise.
E)inward,upward and clockwise.

Question 61

The polar high pressure cells

A)are the strongest of the four primary pressure areas.
B)are more pronounced at the North Pole than at the South Pole.
C)are cyclonic in nature.
D)produce the weak,variable polar easterlies.

Question 62

During the winter,the Bermuda high migrates to the and becomes the .

A)west; Aleutian low
B)east; Aleutian low
C)west; Azores high
D)west; Pacific high
E)east; Azores high

Question 63

The subtropical high pressure system in the North Atlantic and associated cool and warm currents

A)circulate warm ocean currents along the western African coast.
B)bring cool waters to the eastern shores of the United States.
C)contribute to west African deserts (dry,stable climate)
D)influence the warm and dry conditions in the Bahamas.

Question 64

The dominant surface winds from the subtropics to high latitudes are the

A)trade winds.
B)geostrophic winds.
C)polar easterlies.
D)westerlies.

Question 65

The western side of subtropical high pressure cells tend to be

A)dry,stable,and warm,with cooler ocean currents.
B)cool and moist.
C)warm,moist,and unstable.
D)generally in the same position all year; i.e.,they do not migrate with the high Sun.

Question 66

Which of the following is NOT true of the polar front zone?

A)It is a zone of frequently strong winds.
B)It is a zone in which warm and cold air mix.
C)The polar jet stream is usually located above it.
D)There is little precipitation in the zone.

Question 67

The Aleutian low and Icelandic low are

A)dominant in the summer and weaken or disappear in the winter.
B)dominant in the spring and fall and weaken or disappear in the summer and winter.
C)dominant in the winter and weaken or disappear in the summer.
D)dominant year-round,but tend to be strongest in the summer.

Question 68

Light and variable winds which caused difficulties for mariners in the days of sailing ships occur under the

A)subpolar low and subtropical high.
B)subpolar low and equatorial low.
C)equatorial low and subtropical high.
D)equatorial low and subpolar low.

Question 69

Zones of windless,hot,dry desert air between 25 ° N and 25° S latitude are named

A)the doldrums.
B)the horse latitudes.
C)Hadley cells.
D)westerlies.

Question 70

If you were between 40° and 50° north latitude,and you wanted to stand with the average winds blowing in your face you would stand facing

A)east.
B)north.
C)west.
D)south.

Question 71

Which is TRUE of upper atmospheric circulation?

A)These winds are unrelated to surface weather patterns and of no consequence to the atmosphereʹs general circulation.
B)These winds flow principally from the east.in the mesosphere.
C)Middle and upper tropospheric circulation is an important component of the atmosphereʹs general circulation.
D)It refers to the winds in the thermosphere.

Question 72

The most prominent movement in the upper-level westerly geostrophic wind flows are the

A)cyclones.
B)anticyclones.
C)jet streams.
D)katabatic waves.

Question 73

Winds that blow predominantly from the northeast and the southeast are the

A)horse latitudes.
B)westerlies.
C)trade winds.
D)polar easterlies.

Question 74

Which association is INCORRECT?

A)Subtropical High 20-35° N/S
B)Polar High Cold/Dry
C)Subpolar low 60° N/S
D)Equatorial low Hot/Dry

Question 75

The area of conflict between colder and warmer air masses in the subpolar region

A)is unrelated to the formation of cyclonic storms.
B)is termed the polar front.
C)is referred to as the subtropical contact zone.
D)is most distinctive during summer months in each respective hemisphere.

Question 76

On Earth between 30° north latitude and the equator,winds flow from the as they flow out of the pressure zone toward the ITCZ.

A)NE; polar high
B)SW; subtropical high
C)NW; subtropical high
D)SE; subtropical high
E)NE; subtropical high

Question 77

Which of the following is INCORRECT regarding the subpolar low -pressure cells?

A)In the Northern Hemisphere,they are generally stronger in summer than in winter.
B)They are associated with the polar front.
C)They are known as the Aleutian and Icelandic lows.
D)They develop more strongly over the ocean than over land.

Question 78

On Earth between 30° and 60° north latitude,winds flow from the as they flow out of the pressure zone toward the pressure zone.

A)west-southwest; subpolar low; subtropical high
B)northeast; subtropical high; subpolar low
C)west-southwest; subtropical high; subpolar low
D)northeast; subpolar low; subtropical high

Question 79

are waving undulations within the upper-air westerly wind flow.

A)Monsoons
B)Hadley cells
C)The trade winds
D)Rossby waves

Question 80

The polar high is more pronounced over because of the there.

A)the Arctic; colder ocean waters
B)the Arctic; greater landmass
C)the Antarctic; colder ocean waters
D)the Antarctic; greater landmass