Deck 5: Atmospheric Circulation and Wind Systems

Question 1

Valley breezes blow from high elevations to lower elevations.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

The Empty Quarter is caused by the ITCZ.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

Geostrophic winds do not cross isobars.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

Dust storms are natural, but they are becoming more frequent because of human activities.

Question 5

Scientists cannot predict El Niño more than 6 months in advance.

Question 6

As a general trend, the influence of the ITCZ becomes stronger farther away from the equator.

Question 7

High pressure is generally associated with fair weather.

Question 8

Generally, warmer days should create a stronger sea breeze.

Question 9

Desertification is both a natural process and an anthropogenic process.

Question 10

El Niño is a periodic shift in Earth's climate system.

Question 11

El Niño events occur predictably every 5 years.

Question 12

Onshore winds are always east winds.

Question 13

A 90 degree wind can also be called an east wind.

Question 14

Wind energy can also be stored in the ground as compressed air or even in reservoirs of water.

Question 15

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Hadley cell is bordered by the ITCZ to the south and the subtropical high to the north.

Question 16

La Niña often follows right after El Niño.

Question 17

The winter portion of a monsoon system brings precipitation.

Question 18

Synoptic-scale systems have longer durations than mesoscale systems.

Question 19

Land breezes occur during the day.

Question 20

Microscale meteorological systems occur over a distance of 2 kilometers or less.

Question 21

Mesoscale meteorological systems occur over several thousand kilometers.

Question 22

Troughs are usually associated with stormy weather and ridges are usually associated with fair weather.

Question 23

A hurricane is a cyclonic system.

Question 24

Renewable energies such as solar and wind eventually run out.

Question 25

There is more friction over mountains than over the oceans.

Question 26

Station pressure is a raw pressure measurement that has not been adjusted to sea level.

Question 27

Coriolis force determines the direction water spirals down a sink.

Question 28

A north wind can also be called a 0 degree wind.

Question 29

During winter, landmasses develop high-pressure systems.During summer, they develop low-pressure systems.

Question 30

Upper-level winds are slower than surface winds.

Question 31

The ITCZ generally occurs where the rays of the Sun are perpendicular to Earth's surface.

Question 32

The polar jet stream is weakest in winter.

Question 33

Hydrogen fuel cells are one way to store wind energy.

Question 34

Upper-level winds are above the boundary layer.

Question 35

Air always flows from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

Question 36

In the Southern Hemisphere, cyclones rotate counterclockwise.

Question 37

Isobars show wind direction.

Question 38

Chinook winds occur on the leeward side of the Rocky Mountains.

Question 39

The fastest winds ever recorded were the result of the release of latent heat energy.

Question 40

Dynamic pressure is caused by heating or cooling of air.

Question 41

Which is best characterized as cold and wet?

A)ITCZ
B)subtropical high
C)subpolar low
D)polar high

Question 42

Between 60 and 90 degrees latitude north and south the __________ occur.

A)northeasterly trade winds
B)southeasterly trade winds
C)westerlies
D)polar easterlies

Question 43

The fastest wind officially recorded was measured in a __________.

A)hurricane
B)tornado
C)midlatitude storm system
D)sea breeze

Question 44

All global pressure belt systems generally move north in July and south in January.

Question 45

Which is not found in a cyclone?

A)surface-level converging air flow
B)divergence aloft
C)a rising central air column
D)clockwise rotation in the Northern Hemisphere

Question 46

What do valley and mountain breezes, chinook and foehn winds, Santa Ana winds, and katabatic winds all have in common?

A)They form by heating of landmasses.
B)They form in the tropics.
C)They all occur in sloped terrain.
D)They are all strongest in summer.

Question 47

The polar jet stream is found __________ meters altitude.

A)at 1,000 to 4,000
B)at 4,000 to 7,000
C)at 7,000 to 12,000
D)above 12,000

Question 48

El Niños and La Niñas occurred during about __________ of the last 50 years.

A)8
B)10
C)25
D)30

Question 49

The wind blows because the Sun shines.

Question 50

The direction of the pressure gradient runs __________ to isobars.

A)parallel
B)perpendicular
C)at an angle
D)over

Question 51

The Pacific Northwest in North America is likely to experience __________ weather from El Niño.

A)warm
B)wet and warm
C)dry
D)dry and warm

Question 52

In July in the Northern Hemisphere, the subtropical high __________.

A)strengthens
B)weakens
C)remains unchanged
D)moves over land

Question 53

Which does not occur when an El Niño year occurs?

A)a reversal of the trade winds
B)migration of warm water eastward across the equatorial Pacific Ocean
C)deepening of the thermocline near Indonesia and Australia
D)reversed Walker circulation

Question 54

Which wind system would assist with sailing from Virginia to Portugal?

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

Question 55

A wind rose portrays __________.

A)the prevailing wind direction
B)wind speed
C)the pressure gradient for any given time
D)wind altitude

Question 56

Which is a windless region found near 30 degrees latitude north and south?

A)the doldrums
B)the horse latitudes
C)the subtropical high
D)the boundary layer

Question 57

NIMBY stands for Not In My Back Yard.

Question 58

Which is a windless region found near the equator?

A)the doldrums
B)the horse latitudes
C)the subtropical high
D)the boundary layer

Question 59

Why is the Dead Sea's average air pressure higher than sea level average air pressure?

A)because the Dead Sea lies above sea level
B)because the Dead Sea lies below sea level
C)because the Dead Sea is in a hot desert
D)because the Dead Sea is at a high latitude

Question 60

An area with uniform air density and pressure will have __________.

A)strong wind
B)moderate wind
C)weak wind
D)no wind

Question 61

Coriolis force is caused by __________.

A)the geographic grid
B)the pressure-gradient force
C)friction force
D)Earth's rotation

Question 62

The most important factor determining wind speed and direction is __________.

A)Coriolis force
B)pressure-gradient force
C)friction force
D)thermal pressure

Question 63

The global pressure system called the __________ is found centered on about 60 degrees latitude north and south.

A)ITCZ
B)subtropical high
C)subpolar low
D)polar high

Question 64

In the Northern Hemisphere, Coriolis force deflects objects __________.

A)up
B)down
C)right
D)left

Question 65

When isobars are close together, this indicates the pressure gradient is __________.

A)high
B)low
C)stable
D)Isobars have no relationship to the pressure gradient.

Question 66

Most of the wind energy in the United States is where?

A)along the coastlines
B)in the Great Plains
C)in the deserts
D)on the East Coast

Question 67

Between 0 and 30 degrees south latitude the __________ occur.

A)northeasterly trade winds
B)southeasterly trade winds
C)westerlies
D)polar easterlies

Question 68

Which wind systems are most prevalent in northwestern Africa?

A)westerlies
B)trade winds
C)polar easterlies
D)katabatic winds

Question 69

When isobars are close together, this indicates the wind speed is__________.

A)high
B)low
C)still
D)Isobars have no relationship to wind speed.

Question 70

The ITCZ is farthest north in __________.

A)January
B)March
C)July
D)September

Question 71

Western Australia is likely to experience __________ from El Niño.

A)typhoons
B)flooding rains
C)heat waves
D)fires

Question 72

Which country is not affected by the South Asian Monsoon?

A)Pakistan
B)Bangladesh
C)India
D)Japan

Question 73

__________ are disconnected arrows that show the direction and speed of the wind.

A)Wind barbs
B)Wind vectors
C)Streamlines
D)Wind vanes

Question 74

Which wind systems are most prevalent in northern Europe?

A)westerlies
B)trade winds
C)polar easterlies
D)katabatic winds

Question 75

Which generates sea breezes?

A)inland heating of the land
B)inland cooling of the land
C)upper-level winds
D)anticyclones

Question 76

Where was the lowest official sea level pressure ever recorded?

A)in a tropical cyclone
B)in Siberia
C)in a midlatitude cyclone in the U.S.
D)in an airplane

Question 77

The global pressure system called the __________ is found centered on the equator.

A)ITCZ
B)subtropical high
C)subpolar low
D)polar high

Question 78

Which location has the weakest Coriolis deflection?

A)Ecuador
B)Mexico
C)the United States
D)northern Canada

Question 79

Katabatic winds form from __________.

A)a seasonal reversal
B)cold and heavy air
C)nighttime cooling of landmasses
D)adiabatic heating

Question 80

A(n) __________ measures wind direction only.

A)aerovane
B)anemometer
C)wind vane
D)altimeter