Deck 10: Wind: Global Systems

Question 1

In the northern hemisphere, ocean currents generally move in a circular pattern. Which of the following describes the direction of this motion in the North Atlantic and in the North Pacific?

A)clockwise in the Atlantic and counterclockwise in the Pacific
B)clockwise in the Atlantic and clockwise in the Pacific
C)counterclockwise in the Atlantic and counterclockwise in the Pacific
D)counterclockwise in the Atlantic and clockwise in the Pacific

Answer 1

B

Question 2

How many branches does the polar jet stream have under La Niña winter conditions?

A)1
B)2
C)3
D)4

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Which of the following statements describes the polar front jet stream?

A)It is normally found at a higher elevation than the subtropical jet.
B)It is strongest in summer.
C)It forms near 30° latitude.
D)It moves farther south in winter.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following terms refers to a condition where the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean turns cooler than normal?

A)El Niño
B)Southern Oscillation
C)La Niña
D)Ekman Spiral

Question 5

Which of the following currents is NOT located in the same gyre as the others?

A)Gulf Stream
B)Canary Current
C)Benguela Current
D)North Equatorial Current

Question 6

Which of the following major ocean currents flow parallel to the coast of North America?

A)California Current, Gulf Stream, and Labrador Current
B)Labrador Current, Canary Current, and Gulf Stream
C)Labrador Current, Canary Current, and California Current
D)Kuroshio Current, California Current, and Labrador Current

Question 7

If the Earth did not rotate, which of the following best describes how air would flow?

A)from the west
B)to the right of its direction of motion in the northern hemisphere
C)perpendicular to isobars
D)to the left of its direction of motion in the northern hemisphere

Question 8

On a weather map of the northern hemisphere, in which of the following locations are westerlies observed?

A)south of the tropical highs
B)between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs
C)north of the subpolar lows
D)between the doldrums and the horse latitudes

Question 9

In which of the following conditions is the polar jet stream strongest in the northern hemisphere?

A)when air temperatures on opposite sides of the polar front are about equal
B)when air north of the polar front is much colder than air south of the polar front
C)when air north of the polar front is much warmer than air south of the polar front
D)when relative humidity values on opposite sides of the polar front are about equal

Question 10

Which of the following names refers to the area of warm water that replaces cold surface water along the coast of Peru and Ecuador during December?

A)Peru/Humbolt current
B)Equatorial Counter Current
C)Brazil Current
D)El Niño

Question 11

How many semipermanent highs typically exist in the southern hemisphere in January?

A)7
B)5
C)3
D)2

Question 12

Which of the following describes how many small-scale processes are dealt with in general circulation models?

A)approximated and modulated
B)parameterized and estimated
C)approximated and parameterized
D)ignored or modulated

Question 13

If you were in southern Ontario and you wanted to stand with the average prevailing winds blowing in your face, in which direction would you face?

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

Question 14

Which of the following ocean currents is critical in maintaining the average winter temperatures in Great Britain and Norway, and keeping them from being much colder?

A)North Atlantic Drift
B)North Equatorial Current
C)Canary Current
D)Labrador Current

Question 15

Which of the following conditions defines upwelling?

A)the rising air motion in a low-pressure centre
B)the increasing height in an upper-level ridge
C)the rising of cold water from below
D)the lifting of air along the polar front

Question 16

Which of the following conditions likely occurs because of the low-level jet stream that forms over the central plains of the United States?

A)nighttime thunderstorms
B)onset of a chinook
C)development of El Niño
D)influx of cold polar air

Question 17

Which of the following is true about polar high-pressure areas?

A)They are responsible for the increased rate of sea ice melt.
B)They produce the polar easterlies.
C)They are stronger than all other pressure areas on Earth.
D)They are cyclonic.

Question 18

Consider the single-cell model of the general circulation of the atmosphere. Which of the following statements describes an assumption of this model?

A)The Earth's surface is covered with land and water.
B)The Earth is not perfectly spherical in shape.
C)The sun is always overhead at the North Pole.
D)The Earth does not rotate.

Question 19

Which of the following areas is most suitable for wind power generation?

A)on high mountain peaks
B)in the doldrums
C)along coastlines
D)in the horse latitudes

Question 20

Which of the following conditions is primarily responsible for the cold water along the northern California coast in summer?

A)upwelling
B)cold air moving over the water
C)oceanic fronts
D)the California Current

Question 21

Which of the following describes the prevailing wind at Vancouver, British Columbia (latitude 50° N),

A)easterly
B)southwesterly
C)westerly
D)northwesterly

Question 22

Which of the following statements describes the subtropical jet stream?

A)It is found at the tropopause.
B)It is located poleward of the polar front jet stream.
C)It generally blows from east to west.
D)It forms along the equator.

Question 23

Which of the following conditions is associated with the polar front?

A)sinking air aloft
B)air divergence at the surface
C)clear skies
D)an elongated region of lower pressure

Question 24

Which of the following factors defines a thermally direct cell?

A)It is driven by energy from the sun.
B)It occurs on both sides of a large lake or ocean.
C)It occurs in both the northern and southern hemispheres.
D)It involves heat.

Question 25

Which of the following terms describes a phenomenon in the Atlantic Ocean that is similar to the Southern Oscillation?

A)Asian monsoon
B)North Atlantic Oscillation
C)Gulf Stream Oscillation
D)Florida sea breeze convergence front

Question 26

In terms of the three-cell model of the general circulation, which of the following latitudes is the likely location of surface low-pressure areas?

A)equator and the poles
B)equator and 30° latitude
C)equator and 60° latitude
D)30° latitude and 60° latitude

Question 27

On a weather map of the northern hemisphere, in which of the following locations are trade winds observed?

A)between the polar front and the subtropical highs
B)between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs
C)north of the polar front
D)south of the subtropical highs

Question 28

Which of the following are produced by thermal factors as opposed to dynamic factors?

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

Question 29

Which of the following factors contributes to the formation of a low-level jet stream over the central plains of the United States?

A)east-west trending mountain range
B)sloping of the land from the Rockies to the Mississippi River valley
C)unstable air above the jet stream
D)daytime heating

Question 30

Which of the following terms describes the wind belt on the poleward side of the polar front?

A)northeast trades
B)prevailing westerlies
C)polar easterlies
D)doldrums

Question 31

Which of the following conditions occurs during the negative phase of the North Atlantic Oscillation?

A)An increased pressure gradient exists across the North Atlantic Ocean.
B)Pressure decreases near the coast of Greenland.
C)The prevailing westerlies in the northern hemisphere are stronger.
D)Winters in northern Canada are relatively mild.

Question 32

Which of the following characterizes the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)?

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

Question 33

Which of the following triggers an El Niño event?

A)ocean waters around Indonesia increase in temperature
B)Pacific equatorial currents increase in strength
C)upwelling increases along the California coast
D)trade winds weaken or reverse direction

Question 34

At any given time, how many jet streams can most often be found in the atmosphere of the northern hemisphere?

A)1
B)2
C)10
D)20

Question 35

Which of the following terms refers to the reversal of the positions of surface high- and low-pressure areas at the east and west ends of the Pacific Ocean?

A)upwelling
B)La Niña
C)El Niño
D)Southern Oscillation

Question 36

Which of the following areas is typically bordered by relatively warm water?

A)eastern coasts in the middle latitudes
B)eastern coasts in polar regions
C)western coasts in the middle latitudes
D)western coasts in the subtropics

Question 37

In which of the following directions does the jet stream flow?

A)directly from west to east
B)directly from east to west
C)from the equator towards the poles
D)in a wavy pattern from west to east

Question 38

In terms of the three-cell general circulation model, where are the driest regions of the Earth located?

A)near 30° latitude and the polar regions
B)near the equator and 60° latitude
C)near the equator and 30° latitude
D)near the equator and the polar regions

Question 39

Which of the following terms refers to the turning of water with depth?

A)Hadley spiral
B)Ekman spiral
C)gyre
D)Ferrel spiral

Question 40

In the general circulation of the atmosphere, where are subtropical highs located?

A)at the poles
B)near 60° latitude
C)near 30° latitude
D)at the equator

Question 41

As an air parcel aloft moves northward from the equator, it moves closer to the Earth's axis of rotation. According to the principle of conservation of angular momentum, which of the following statements explains the motion of the air parcel?

A)It increases in speed.
B)It slows down and eventually reverses direction.
C)It remains constant.
D)It slows down but continues in the same direction.

Question 42

According to the three-cell general circulation model, which of the following can be expected at the equator?

A)strong horizontal pressure gradients
B)doldrums
C)high winds
D)a ridge of high pressure

Question 43

Which of the following patterns of air movement is associated with the location of Toronto, Ontario (latitude 43N)?

A)northeast trades
B)doldrums
C)westerlies
D)southeast trades

Question 44

Which of the following jet stream patterns transfers the most heat across the globe?

A)tropical easterly
B)meridional
C)low-level
D)zonal

Question 45

Which of the following describes where the tropical easterly jet stream is generally located on an upper-level (100 hPa) chart in the northern hemisphere during July?

A)south of the upper-level subtropical high
B)north of the upper-level subtropical high
C)north of the polar front
D)directly over the polar front

Question 46

Which of the following occurs during a major El Niño event?

A)Peruvian fishermen harvest a record amount of fish near Christmas time.
B)British Columbia experiences severe drought conditions.
C)The northeast trade winds increase in strength.
D)Ocean warming is extensive over the tropical Pacific.

Question 47

Which of the following terms describes the large semipermanent surface anticyclone that is normally positioned over the ocean west of British Columbia?

A)Aleutian high
B)Hawaiian high
C)California high
D)Pacific high

Question 48

Which of the following terms describes the wind belt that predominates across Canada?

A)westerlies
B)northerlies
C)trades
D)easterlies

Question 49

Which of the following ocean currents, one warm and one cold, produce fog off the coast of Newfoundland?

A)Gulf Stream and Labrador Current
B)Gulf Stream and Canary Current
C)North Atlantic Drift and Canary Current
D)Labrador Current and Canary Current

Question 50

During which season are the average winds aloft strongest?

A)fall
B)winter
C)summer
D)spring

Question 51

Which of the following factors is ultimately the cause of jet streams?

A)the energy imbalance between high and low latitudes
B)the fact that water can exist in all three phases at once
C)the relative humidity imbalance between high and low latitudes
D)ultraviolet energy from the sun

Question 52

Which of the following terms describes the semipermanent pressure systems associated with the polar front?

A)subpolar lows
B)equatorial lows
C)polar highs
D)subtropical highs

Question 53

How many semipermanent highs and lows typically exist in the northern hemisphere in January?

A)10
B)7
C)5
D)4

Question 54

From which of the following directions do the winds most likely blow in Mexico City, Mexico (latitude 19°N)?

A)northwest
B)south
C)southwest
D)northeast

Question 55

On a surface weather map during the month of July, which of the following types of pressure systems may be found over the Canadian Prairies?

A)thermal low
B)Aleutian low
C)Pacific high
D)monsoon low

Question 56

Which of the following conditions are required for the low-level jet stream in the central plains of the United States to be associated with thunderstorms?

A)cold temperatures
B)dry air
C)rising air
D)upper-level divergence

Question 57

Which of the following conditions defines the Ekman spiral?

A)the air flow into a centre of low pressure
B)the turning of water with depth
C)the circulation of surface water around a gyre
D)the air flow out of a region of high pressure

Question 58

Which of the following is the name for the large thermally driven convection cell that is driven by convection along the equator?

A)El Niño cell
B)Hadley cell
C)Ekman spiral
D)Ferrel cell

Question 59

Which of the following describes the shift in position of the Pacific high over the North Pacific Ocean?

A)eastward in winter and westward in summer
B)westward in winter and eastward in summer
C)northward in winter and southward in summer
D)southward in winter and northward in summer

Question 60

Which of the following factors explains why the world's deserts exist at 30o latitude?

A)the sinking air of the subtropical highs
B)the convergence of the prevailing westerlies and the northeast trades
C)the location of the intertropical convergence zone
D)the sinking air of the polar front

Question 61

Which of the following factors describes why upwelling occurs along the northern California coast?

A)Seismic activity occurs on the ocean bottom.
B)Winds cause surface waters to move away from the coast.
C)Water level is affected by the gravitational attraction between the Earth and the moon.
D)Water flows from the Atlantic Ocean into the Pacific Ocean because of their different levels.

Question 62

Compare and contrast the causes and effects of El Niño and La Niña.

Question 63

Describe at least two important ways that the ocean interacts with large-scale atmospheric wind systems.

Question 64

Briefly describe where each of the following features is found in the Earth's general circulation. What meteorological conditions might be associated with each feature?
horse latitudes
trade winds
ITCZ
polar front
doldrums

Question 65

If you had to build a bridge linking South America to Africa, at what latitude would you build it? Why?

Question 66

What occurs during a major El Niño event? How might this affect global wind and precipitation patterns?

Question 67

Explain why upwelling occurs along the California coast.

Question 68

What features in the Earth's general circulation help determine where the driest and wettest places on Earth are found?

Question 69

Which of the following is a correct statement about ocean currents?

A)They are warmest in the mid-latitudes.
B)They are typically colder than the water 1 km below.
C)They are not involved in La Niña events.
D)They initiate Ekman spirals.

Question 70

Which of the following statements describes the region known as the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)?

A)It is where northeast trades meet the southeast trades.
B)It is where the polar front meets the subtropical high.
C)It is where northeast trades converge with the subtropical high.
D)It is where the Ferrel cell converges with the Hadley cell.

Question 71

Which of the following conditions would occur if the Earth's surface was homogeneous (that is, either all land or all water)?

A)The semipermanent highs and lows would be weaker.
B)The semipermanent highs and lows would disappear altogether.
C)The semipermanent highs and lows would be stronger.
D)The semipermanent highs and lows wouldn't change in intensity.

Question 72

What is the polar jet stream and where is it found? Does the position of the polar jet stream change during the year?

Question 73

Explain why large high- and low-pressure systems don't move from east to west across Canada.

Question 74

What changes might occur in the Earth's general circulation if the Earth's rotation were in the opposite direction?

Question 75

On a large circle, show where the major pressure and wind belts are located according to the three-cell model of the Earth's general circulation.