Deck 6: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations

Question 1

Evangalista Torricelli developed the first

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

Answer 1

B

Question 2

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

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

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The eruption of Mount Pinatubo in June 1991

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The Beaufort wind scale measures wind speed

A) with an anemometer.
B) by observed effects.
C) using satellites.
D) with a wind vane.

Question 5

Evangelista Torricelli, a pupil of Galileo, determined

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

Question 6

Winds are named based on

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

Question 7

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

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

Question 8

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

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

Question 9

Airplanes measure their altitude using

A) a mercury barometer.
B) an anemometer.
C) a hygrometer.
D) an aneroid barometer.
E) sextants.

Question 10

Normal sea level pressure has a value of

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

Question 11

An aneroid barometer

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

Question 12

An instrument used to measure air pressure is

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

Question 13

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

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

Question 14

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

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

Question 15

________ is used in a barometer because ________.

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

Question 16

The normal range for air pressure at sea level is

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

Question 17

The horizontal motion of air relative to Earth's surface is

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

Question 18

Air flow is initiated by the

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

Question 19

In 2006, a wayward oil platform was carried via ocean and wind currents to the remote island of Tristan da Cunha, bringing with it

A) 30,000 rubber ducks, turtles, and frogs.
B) a massive oil spill.
C) 62 non-native marine species.
D) much needed food and other supplies.

Question 20

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

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

Question 21

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) The direction of flow can be affected by the rotation of Earth.
D) Air blows from regions of hotter air to regions of colder air.
E) Winds are named based on the direction from which they blow.

Question 22

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

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

Question 23

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

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

Question 24

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

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

Question 25

The Earth's lowest barometric pressures are associated with

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

Question 26

The frictional force effect on winds

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

Question 27

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

A) electromagnetic force
B) pressure gradient force
C) Coriolis force
D) friction force
E) gravitational force

Question 28

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

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

Question 29

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

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

Question 30

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

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

Question 31

The Coriolis force

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

Question 32

Which is true of air flowing into low pressure center?

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

Question 33

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

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

Question 34

Objects and wind moving over distance and time on Earth's surface are

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

Question 35

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

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

Question 36

Which of the following describes the pressure gradient force?

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

Question 37

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 at the poles, increasing to maximum along the equator.
D) The Coriolis force is zero along the equator, increasing to one-half of maximum at 30° latitude and maximum at the poles.

Question 38

If Earth did not rotate, air would flow

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

Question 39

The deflection produced by the Coriolis force is caused by

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

Question 40

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

A) increase in wind speed
B) occurrence closer to the equator
C) increase in friction
D) movement over very small areas

Question 41

The figure is an example of

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

Question 42

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

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

Question 43

The intertropical convergence zone is characterized by

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

Question 44

Which of the following is true of high pressure areas?

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

Question 45

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

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

Question 46

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

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

Question 47

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

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

Question 48

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

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

Question 49

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

A) subtropical high and subpolar low
B) equatorial low and polar high
C) equatorial low and Bermuda high
D) Aleutian low and Icelandic low

Question 50

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

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

Question 51

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

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

Question 52

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

Question 53

Upper tropospheric winds that flow parallel to isobars are called

A) geostrophic winds.
B) NE trades winds.
C) easterlies.
D) westerlies.

Question 54

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

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

Question 55

Which of the following is an example of tertiary circulation?

A) migratory high and low pressure systems
B) subtropical high pressure systems
C) general circulation of the atmosphere
D) land-sea breezes

Question 56

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

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

Question 57

Which of the following is an example of primary circulation?

A) migratory high and low pressure systems
B) the monsoons
C) general circulation of the atmosphere
D) land-sea breezes

Question 58

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

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

Question 59

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

A) subtropical high and subpolar low
B) equatorial low and polar high
C) equatorial low and Bermuda high
D) Aleutian low and Icelandic low

Question 60

Which of the following is an example of secondary circulation?

A) migratory high and low pressure systems
B) weather patterns
C) general circulation of the atmosphere
D) mountain-valley breezes

Question 61

Which of the following is not true regarding human influence on monsoon pattern?

A) Most scientists concur that human activity will have little effect on monsoonal patterns.
B) Warming temperatures caused by increased greenhouse gases may increase monsoon precipitation.
C) Rising concentrations of aerosols may cause an overall drop in monsoon precipitation.
D) The relationships are complex and further compounded by natural oscillations in global circulation.

Question 62

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

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

Question 63

The Pacific high and Bermuda high are

A) more dominant during the summer months because the ocean temperatures are warmer than land temperatures at the same latitude.
B) more dominant during the summer months because the ocean temperatures are cooler than land temperatures at the same latitude.
C) less dominant during the winter months because the ocean temperatures are cooler than land temperatures at the same latitude.

Question 64

Seasonally shifting wind systems associated with the annual cycle of returning precipitation are known as

A) sea breezes.
B) Santa Ana winds.
C) chinook winds.
D) monsoons.

Question 65

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

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

Question 66

Which of the following are correctly matched?

A) high pressure - ascending, converging air movements
B) cyclones - low pressure cells
C) high pressure cells - cyclonic circulation
D) anticyclones - subpolar pressure cells

Question 67

The polar high is more pronounced over ________ because ________.

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

Question 68

Katabatic winds are

A) localized winds associated with sea-breezes.
B) another name for mountain-valley breezes.
C) unrelated to pressure differences.
D) regional-scale, gravity-driven winds that bring high density air downslope.

Question 69

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is associated with

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

Question 70

The polar high pressure cells

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

Question 71

Mountain and valley breezes

A) are characterized by warmer air descending mountain slopes during the day and valley air ascending the mountain slopes at night.
B) are caused by valley floors heating more quickly than valley slopes during the day and cooling more rapidly at night.
C) involve warm air rising upslope during the day, creating an area of low pressure; at night it is reversed with a low pressure area forming on the valley floor.
D) are secondary wind systems.

Question 72

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

A) Hadley cells
B) Rossby waves
C) The jet stream
D) Monsoons

Question 73

The Aleutian low and Icelandic low are

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

Question 74

Monsoonal winds are

A) katabatic in nature.
B) regional wind systems that seasonally vary.
C) limited to the Indian subcontinent.
D) a form of mountain-valley wind.

Question 75

Which is true of upper atmospheric circulation?

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

Question 76

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

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

Question 77

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

A) subpolar lows
B) world's equatorial rain forests
C) subtropical high pressure
D) major agricultural regions

Question 78

Which of the following is true of Hadley cells?

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

Question 79

Air flow in a Northern Hemisphere high pressure zone is

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

Question 80

Which of the following is not associated with the Asian monsoon pattern?

A) Unequal heating between the Asian landmass and Indian Ocean.
B) Shifting migration of the ITCZ bringing moisture-laden air to the area during the summer.
C) Summer low pressure zones over the ocean and high pressure zone over land.
D) High amounts of precipitation, including record breaking rainfall.