Deck 7: Circulation of the Atmosphere

Question 1

Chinook and foehn winds are warm because:

A)they are warmed adiabatically as they sink downslope.
B)they blow out of areas experiencing intense solar heating.
C)they occur primarily in deserts.
D)they only occur in the tropics.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

According to Hadley,the most important factor causing circulation patterns in the atmosphere was:

A)high-low pressure distribution.
B)subsidence.
C)convection.
D)equator-pole temperature contrast.

Answer 2

D

Question 3

Planetary scale flow such as trade-winds are best classified as:

A)microscale.
B)mesoscale.
C)synoptic.
D)macroscale.

Answer 3

D

Question 4

Which of the following associations is NOT correct?

A)sea breeze - day time
B)land breeze - blows from the sea onto the land
C)mountain breeze - night time
D)chinooks - leeward side of mountains

Question 5

The Native American term chinook means:

A)mountain wind.
B)big storm.
C)cold sun.
D)snow eater.

Question 6

Which mesoscale circulation affects Chicago?

A)land-sea breeze
B)katabatic wind
C)anabatic wind
D)mountain-valley breeze
E)cold fronts

Question 7

A Santa Ana (or Chinook or Foehn)wind is a:

A)wind that is peculiar to the China mainland.
B)wind associated with a blizzard.
C)cold,damp wind blowing off snow fields.
D)very dry,warm wind coming down a mountain slope.

Question 8

Which of the following is an example of a mesoscale wind?

A)a traveling anticyclone
B)waves in the westerlies
C)a sea breeze
D)hurricane

Question 9

Microscale winds generally last for:

A)a few seconds.
B)1 to 2 hours.
C)1 to 2 days.
D)3 days or longer.

Question 10

Dust devils:

A)can last for days.
B)are most common in the tropics.
C)are associated with convective clouds.
D)form from the bottom up.
E)do not occur over vegetated surfaces.

Question 11

G.Hadley's ideas about atmospheric circulations were concerned with the

A)macroscale.
B)synoptic scale.
C)microscale.
D)mesoscale.

Question 12

Which of these winds is not influenced very much by the Coriolis effect?

A)Northeast trades
B)mid latitude westerlies
C)sea breeze
D)jet stream

Question 13

One type of lake-effect storm that forms over the Great Lakes is characterized by a vortex shape.These vortices can range from 10 km to 100 km across.Based on their size,these storms would be classified as:

A)microscale.
B)mesoscale.
C)synoptic scale.
D)planetary scale.

Question 14

The cyclones and anticyclones of the midlatitudes are part of the ________ circulation.

A)microscale
B)trade wind
C)mesoscale
D)synoptic or macroscale
E)Hadley

Question 15

Synoptic scale circulations are of what size,approximately?

A)under 1 km
B)between 1 and 100 km
C)between 100 and 5000 km
D)between 1000 and 40,000 km

Question 16

Urban heat islands induce ________.

A)foehn winds
B)mistral winds
C)country breezes
D)city breezes

Question 17

Winds are usually named for:

A)the direction or place to which they are heading.
B)the direction or place from which they are blowing.
C)the approximate latitude of their origin.
D)the altitude where they are strongest.

Question 18

Haboobs:

A)never occur outside of Northern Africa.
B)do not occur more than once or twice a year.
C)are usually only a few meters high.
D)are dust storms triggered by intense thunderstorms.

Question 19

Land-sea breezes and ________ are mesoscale winds.

A)Santa Ana winds
B)tornadoes
C)hurricanes
D)cold fronts
E)occluded fronts

Question 20

Chinook winds,land-sea breezes and Santa Ana winds are examples of ________ circulations.

A)microscale
B)vortex
C)synoptic
D)macroscale
E)mesoscale

Question 21

Why do westerly winds prevail at upper altitudes?

A)rotation of the earth
B)lower air density
C)absence of friction
D)rotation of the earth and equator to pole temperature contrast
E)equator to pole temperature contrast

Question 22

Which of the following factors contributes to the general subsidence in the latitude zone 20 degrees to 35 degrees?

A)both the Coriolis force and radiation cooling
B)the Coriolis force
C)radiation cooling of the air
D)release of latent heat

Question 23

The doldrums are associated with what latitude(s)?

A)the Tropic of Cancer
B)the equator
C)the midlatitudes
D)the poles

Question 24

During the summer season,the subtropical high found in the North Atlantic is also called the:

A)Azores high.
B)Atlantic high.
C)Bermuda high.
D)Carolina high.

Question 25

The divergence near the ground that is associated with the subtropical high pressure zone can be cited as the origin of:

A)polar easterlies.
B)jet streams.
C)cyclogenesis.
D)sea breeze.
E)trade winds.

Question 26

The Sahara and Australian deserts (among others)are associated with which pressure belt?

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

Question 27

The C in ITCZ stands for convergence.What does the convergence refer to?

A)surface winds along the equator
B)winds aloft near the poles
C)surface winds in the mid latitudes
D)surface winds in a monsoon

Question 28

Although the idealized version of Earth features continuous pressure belts that continue zonally around the planet,the real Earth has broken-up pressure cells that vary seasonally.What explains this?

A)The effects of the Coriolis force vary seasonally.
B)Large landmasses heat differently than oceans and interrupt the pressure pattern.
C)The oceans experience drastic temperature changes from season to season.
D)The intensity of incoming solar radiation varies radically along the same line of latitude.

Question 29

Another name for the subtropical high is:

A)horse latitudes.
B)doldrums.
C)trades.
D)prevailing westerlies.
E)subpolar calm.

Question 30

What changes have increased the risk associated with the Santa Ana winds in southern California?

A)Commonly used landscape trees are more flammable than naturally occurring vegetation.
B)Climate change has increased the local rainfall,leading to mudslides.
C)Very little flammable material exists anymore in the landscape,so houses burn more easily.
D)There hasn't been an increased risk - people have started building outside of fire zones now.

Question 31

Taken as a whole,the large scale or general circulation patterns of the atmosphere exist:

A)as nature's method of balancing heat energy differences.
B)as a result of Earth's motion through space.
C)because of the earth's rotation.
D)as a cause of temperature contrasts.
E)as a result of the different landforms on Earth's surface.

Question 32

Most of the United States is situated in which zone of prevailing winds?

A)doldrums
B)trade winds
C)westerlies
D)subpolar easterlies
E)northerlies

Question 33

The subpolar low (polar front)is:

A)a zone where the polar easterlies and the westerlies converge.
B)a zone where the trade winds of the two hemispheres meet.
C)the boundary between frozen and liquid ocean.
D)the forward edge of the antarctic ice cap.

Question 34

The prevailing winds that blow from the horse latitudes toward the doldrums are called:

A)subtropical northerlies.
B)westerlies.
C)trade winds.
D)polar easterlies.
E)southerlies.

Question 35

Concerning rainfall patterns,areas of persistent high pressure tend to cause

A)desert regions.
B)pronounced wet and dry seasons.
C)severe flooding.
D)moderate rainfall.

Question 36

Surface high pressure zones are usually associated with:

A)ascending air.
B)clear or nearly clear weather.
C)converging winds.
D)stormy weather.

Question 37

Summertime wildfires in California are fanned by:

A)the westerlies.
B)katabatic winds.
C)the Santa Ana winds.
D)Hadley circulations.

Question 38

The term "Hadley cell" applies to:

A)0 degrees to 30 degrees latitude.
B)the whole atmosphere.
C)30 degrees to 60 degrees latitude.
D)60 degrees to 90 degrees latitude.
E)the poles and the equator.

Question 39

The region where the northeast trades meet the southeast trades is known as the:

A)ITCZ.
B)hot zone.
C)high latitudes.
D)subtropics.
E)rainforest.

Question 40

The prevailing winds that tend to influence cities such as Chicago and New York City are

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

Question 41

The wave-like or meandering pattern of the upper level winds in middle latitudes is of major importance for:

A)reducing wind speeds in the tropics.
B)transporting heat between equator and poles.
C)reducing the Coriolis effect.
D)causing westerly winds.
E)causing jet streams.

Question 42

The Gulf Stream is the name given to:

A)the circulation of water in the Gulf of Mexico.
B)a warm current carrying water from the equator along the East Coast of the United States.
C)the current carrying cold water from the North Pole along the West Coast of the United States.
D)a counter-clockwise surface current in the Gulf of California.

Question 43

Every year,the clockwise circulation around the subtropical high helps to:

A)transport 40 million tons of dust from the Sahara Desert to the Amazon rainforest.
B)lead hurricanes eastward across the Atlantic.
C)deliver 20 million tons of carbon dioxide generated in Africa into the air above North America.
D)speed ozone depletion by lifting CFCs into the stratosphere.

Question 44

The large rainfall totals associated with the Indian monsoon occur when:

A)the winds shift to the north,blowing off of the Eurasian subcontinent.
B)the ITCZ shifts to the north,near the Himalaya Mountains.
C)high pressure develops over the Indian subcontinent.
D)the ITCZ shifts south towards the Tropic of Capricorn.

Question 45

The intense rain of India's monsoon season is attributed to:

A)increased moisture advection from the north.
B)the arrival of the subtropical high.
C)the northward migration of the ITCZ.
D)the cooler winter temperatures,which make it easier for water vapor to condense.

Question 46

Which of the following is a characteristic of deserts located near cold ocean currents?

A)They are often cool and shrouded in fog.
B)They often have unstable atmospheric conditions.
C)They tend to be warmer than inland deserts.
D)They receive more rain than other deserts.

Question 47

The greater strength of jet stream winds during winter is due to:

A)warmer temperatures at high altitudes.
B)lower humidity.
C)stronger Coriolis effect.
D)greater horizontal temperature contrasts.
E)greater air density.

Question 48

Jet streams are associated with fronts because of the:

A)higher pressure behind the front.
B)reduced friction above the front.
C)large temperature gradient.
D)clouds forming there.

Question 49

Large scale wind circulation systems that reverse with the seasons are called:

A)meridional cells.
B)typhoons.
C)tropical cyclones.
D)monsoons.
E)tropical anticyclones.

Question 50

All of the following can result from a strong El Niño event EXCEPT:

A)the suppression of the Southern Oscillation.
B)depletion of fish populations as upwelling is suppressed along the western coast of South America.
C)weakening or reversing of the Pacific tradewinds.
D)abnormally high air pressure over Indonesia.

Question 51

Which of the following statements about airflow in the middle and upper troposphere is true?

A)The flow is west-to-east throughout the midlatitudes.
B)The predominant flow is easterly in the midlatitudes and westerly in the tropics.
C)The flow is predominantly from the poles toward the equator.
D)The predominant flow is from the equator poleward.

Question 52

City X experiences very dry conditions in the winter,along with a prevailing northerly wind.In the summer,the prevailing winds shift to southerly and the rainfall at City X increases by a factor of 10.What can you say about the general climate regime of City X?

A)It must be located under the ITCZ for most of the year.
B)It must be located deep in the interior of a large continent.
C)It is probably at a high latitude.
D)It has a monsoon climate.

Question 53

When are upper air winds fastest?

A)anytime surface temperature gradients are weak
B)in summer
C)in winter
D)These winds maintain about the same speed throughout the year.

Question 54

The process that brings cold,nutrient-rich water to the surface along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador is called:

A)thermocline suppression.
B)El Niño.
C)upwelling.
D)the Southern Oscillation.

Question 55

El Niño events are characterized by:

A)strengthening of the NE trade winds.
B)a very strong cold current flowing along the eastern edge of South America.
C)warm water piling up near Indonesia.
D)pooling of unusually warm water in the eastern tropical Pacific.

Question 56

A primary factor causing monsoon circulations is:

A)mountain ranges.
B)greater temperature changes over continents compared to oceans.
C)waves in the westerlies.
D)ocean currents.
E)Coriolis effect.

Question 57

The Southern Oscillation:

A)is a cycle of strengthening and reversing trade winds in the equatorial Pacific.
B)is another name for a La Niña event.
C)does not have the ability to drastically alter climate,and is of little concern.
D)is more important to weather in the United States than anywhere else in the world.

Question 58

The definition of the word monsoon means:

A)rainy season.
B)torrential rainfall.
C)seasonal wind shift.
D)moisture-laden air.

Question 59

Jet streams:

A)are usually about ten miles wide.
B)occur at 25,000 to 40,000 feet in middle latitudes.
C)were first detected by George Hadley.
D)reverse direction 180 degrees in summer.
E)do not go below 50 degrees latitude.

Question 60

The primary force causing ocean currents is:

A)the major winds.
B)temperature differences between cold water below and warm water above.
C)the earth's rotation about its axis.
D)the earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun.
E)the Coriolis effect.

Question 61

The 'bora' is an example of a katabatic wind that blows toward the Adriatic Sea.

Question 62

What option below best characterizes the rainfall distribution at a station located on an island in the Arctic Ocean at about 80 degrees N latitude?

A)winter dry season
B)adequate precipitation all year around
C)dry all year around
D)summer dry season

Question 63

Most of the earth's deserts are located in the:

A)boundary between liquid and frozen oceans.
B)tradewind belt.
C)subsidence areas of subtropical highs.
D)areas along the polar front.
E)doldrum belt.

Question 64

What option below best characterizes the rainfall distribution at a station located along the equator?

A)summer dry season
B)adequate precipitation all year around
C)dry all year around
D)winter dry season

Question 65

Trade winds are a smaller macroscale wind phenomenon than a cyclone.

Question 66

The amount of precipitation received at a given location is primarily controlled by:

A)overnight temperatures.
B)annual temperature range.
C)the solar energy budget.
D)the humidity of the air at that place.
E)circulation patterns in the atmosphere.

Question 67

The major features of precipitation distribution patterns are determined by:

A)general circulation and pressure patterns.
B)solar radiation available.
C)temperature lapse rates.
D)ocean water temperature.
E)annual temperature range.

Question 68

The areas of abundant rainfall on the earth tend to be:

A)in midlatitudes.
B)in polar regions.
C)near the equator and in midlatitudes.
D)near the equator.
E)over oceans.

Question 69

Dust devils and tornadoes form under similar conditions;tornadoes are just much stronger.

Question 70

Katabatic winds have a cooling effect,and chinook winds have a warming effect.

Question 71

What option below best characterizes the rainfall distribution at a station located south of the Sahara desert at about 20 degrees N latitude?

A)adequate precipitation all year around
B)dry all year around
C)winter dry season
D)summer dry season

Question 72

What option below best characterizes the rainfall distribution at a station,such as New York City,located at about 40 degrees N latitude?

A)adequate precipitation all year around
B)summer dry season
C)winter dry season
D)dry all year around

Question 73

Country breezes occur partly because concrete and asphalt are low albedo surfaces.

Question 74

Two of the strongest El Niño events on record began in what years?

A)1984 and 1999.
B)1976 and 2003.
C)1983 and 1997.
D)2004 and 2007.

Question 75

The bora and mistral are local names given to chinook winds.

Question 76

The northeast trades are found between 60 degrees and 30 degrees North.

Question 77

The chinook wind has been known to cause rapid increases in temperature in the Denver,CO area.

Question 78

A sea breeze is usually best developed early in the morning.

Question 79

Sea breezes are more likely at night,while land breezes are more likely during the day.

Question 80

What option below best characterizes the rainfall distribution at a non-desert station located immediately to the north of the Sahara desert?

A)winter dry season
B)adequate precipitation all year around
C)dry all year around
D)summer dry season