Question 1

The most practical location for building a wind turbine would be ____.

Accepted Answer

The most practical location for building a wind turbine is in a region of moderate, steady winds. This environment provides a consistent and manageable flow of air, optimizing the turbine's energy production efficiency and reducing wear and tear compared to areas with gusty or highly variable winds.

Question 2

The wind's speed generally increases with height above Earth's surface because ____.

Accepted Answer

Friction with Earth's surface slows down the air near the ground, causing wind speeds to be generally lower close to the surface. As you move higher above the surface, the influence of friction decreases, allowing wind speeds to increase.

Question 3

The nighttime counterpart of the sea breeze circulation is called ____.

Accepted Answer

The nighttime counterpart of the sea breeze circulation is called a land breeze. This occurs when the land cools faster than the sea at night, causing air to move from the land towards the sea.

Question 4

A sea breeze circulation will reverse direction and become a land breeze ____.

Accepted Answer

Sea breeze circulation reverses direction and becomes a land breeze once per day, typically occurring at night when the land cools faster than the sea, reversing the pressure gradient.

Question 5

A wind reported as 225 degrees would be a wind blowing from the ____.

Accepted Answer

Wind direction is reported as the direction from which it originates. Therefore, a wind reported as 225 degrees is coming from the southwest (SW).

Question 6

A sea or land breeze is caused by ____.

Accepted Answer

Sea or land breezes are primarily caused by temperature differences between the land and the sea. During the day, land heats up faster than the sea, causing air over the land to rise and cooler sea air to move in, creating a sea breeze. At night, the process reverses, leading to a land breeze.

Question 7

If huge waves pound against the beach communities of Southern California for several days during clear, calm weather, it is a good bet that ____.

Accepted Answer

Large waves in coastal areas, even during clear weather, are often caused by strong winds blowing over the ocean's surface far away. These winds generate waves that travel vast distances to shore.

Question 8

Surface winds are generally strongest and most gusty ____.

Accepted Answer

Surface winds are generally strongest and most gusty in the afternoon due to the heating of the Earth's surface by the sun. This heating causes differences in air pressure, leading to stronger winds.

Question 9

Suppose the wind speed increased from 5 mph to 10 mph. We can conclude that the force exerted by the wind increased by a factor of ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose the wind speed increased from 5...

Question 10

Thermal turbulence above the surface is normally at a minimum during the ____.

Accepted Answer

Thermal turbulence is at a minimum during the early morning because the ground has cooled overnight, reducing the temperature difference between the ground and the air above it. This leads to less convection and turbulence.

Question 11

The leveche (a hot, dry wind experienced in southeast Spain)originates from a low-pressure area centered immediately north of ____.

Accepted Answer

The leveche wind originates from a low-pressure area centered immediately north of Algeria.

Question 12

The size and shape of a turbulent eddy depends upon ____.

Accepted Answer

The size and shape of a turbulent eddy are influenced by the size and shape of the obstacle that disrupts the flow, causing turbulence.

Question 13

An offshore wind blows ____.

Accepted Answer

An offshore wind blows from land to water, typically occurring when the land cools faster than the ocean at night, causing the air above the land to cool and move towards the water.

Question 14

A wind rose indicates ____.

Accepted Answer

A wind rose is a graphical tool used to give a succinct view of how wind speed and direction are typically distributed at a particular location over a certain period. It does not indicate wind speed at a specific time (A), nor does it show observed wind speed and direction on a surface map (C). It is not related to spinning wind patterns caused by obstructions (D) or fossilized roses (E).

Question 15

Which of the below determines how high a wind wave will grow over the open ocean?

Accepted Answer

The height of wind waves over the open ocean is primarily determined by the length of time the wind blows over the water. This is because the longer the wind blows over a surface of water, the more energy is transferred to the water, leading to higher waves.

Question 16

The slowing of the wind due to the random motion of air molecules is called ____.

Accepted Answer

The slowing of the wind due to the random motion of air molecules is referred to as molecular viscosity. This term specifically describes the internal friction within a fluid (in this case, air) that arises from the molecular motion and interaction, leading to the diffusion of momentum.

Question 17

Thermal turbulence above the surface is usually most severe ____.

Accepted Answer

Thermal turbulence is most severe during maximum surface heating because the sun heats the surface of the Earth, causing the air to warm, expand, and rise, leading to turbulence. This typically occurs around midday when the sun's rays are most direct.

Question 18

During the summer in humid climates, nighttime clouds tend to form over water during a ____.

Accepted Answer

During the summer in humid climates, nighttime clouds tend to form over water during a land breeze. This occurs because at night, the land cools down faster than the water, causing the air over the land to cool and descend, creating a pressure difference that drives the cooler air from the land towards the water. This movement of air from land to sea at night is known as a land breeze.

Question 19

Suppose a west wind of 20 knots blows over a coastal region which is densely covered in shrubs. If this same wind moves out over the middle of a large calm lake, its speed and direction would probably be ____.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Suppose a west wind of 20 knots...

Question 20

The top of the planetary (atmospheric)boundary layer is usually near ____.

Accepted Answer

The top of the planetary boundary layer is typically around 1,000 meters (1 km) above the Earth's surface, where it transitions to the free atmosphere.

Quiz 9: Wind: Small-Scale and Local Systems