Question 1

Which of the following factors is indicated by a wind rose?

Accepted Answer

A wind rose is a graphical representation of the percentage of time that wind blows from different directions at a specific location. It is used to assess wind patterns and their potential impact on the environment, such as air pollution dispersion or wind energy potential.

Question 2

Which of the following is the most likely wind to blow upstream along a mountain stream?

Accepted Answer

Valley breezes occur during the day when the sun heats the air along the mountain slopes, causing it to rise and draw cooler air up from the valley, effectively creating an upstream wind along a mountain stream.

Question 3

Which of the following wind conditions is associated with the nighttime clouds that tend to form over water during the summer in humid climates?

Accepted Answer

Land breeze is the wind that blows from land to sea during the night. During the summer in humid climates, the land cools more quickly than the water, resulting in a temperature difference that generates a land breeze. This wind condition associated with the nighttime clouds that tend to form over water during the summer in humid climates.

Question 4

In which of the following conditions are chinook winds driest on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains?

Accepted Answer

Chinook winds are warm and dry winds that blow down the eastern slopes of the Rocky Mountains. They occur when moist air from the Pacific Ocean is pushed up and over the mountains, cooling and forming clouds that produce precipitation on the upwind side of the mountains. As the air descends on the downwind side, it is warmed by compression and loses moisture, resulting in dry and warm conditions on the eastern side of the Rockies. Therefore, the driest conditions occur when clouds form and precipitation falls on the upwind side of the mountains.

Question 5

Which of the following describes the frequency of dust storms and dust devils on Mars?

Accepted Answer

Dust storms and dust devils are common on Mars. In fact, they can last for months and cover the entire planet in a dusty haze.

Question 6

Referring to the figure below, in which of the following conditions do clouds most likely form? ​

Accepted Answer

During the day, the land gets warmer than the water, which causes the air above the land to rise, and cooler air from the water moves in to replace it. As the warm air rises, it cools and forms clouds.

Question 7

How often does a sea breeze circulation reverse direction and become a land breeze?

Accepted Answer

Sea breeze circulation typically occurs during the day and land breeze circulation occurs at night. Therefore, the circulation is likely to reverse direction and become a land breeze once per day.

Question 8

Suppose the wind speed increases from 8 km/h to 16 km/h. Which of the following expresses the factor by which the force of the wind will have increased?

Accepted Answer

The force of the wind is proportional to the square of the wind speed, so if the wind speed doubles (increases by a factor of 2), then the force of the wind increases by a factor of 2 squared, or 4.

Question 9

Pedalling a bicycle into a 30 km/h wind requires how much more effort compared to pedalling into a 10 km/h wind?

Accepted Answer

The effort required to overcome air resistance increases with the cube of the velocity. Therefore, pedalling into a 30 km/h wind (3 times the speed of a 10 km/h wind) requires 3^3 = 27 times the effort. However, since you're already putting in effort to overcome the 10 km/h wind, the additional effort is 27 - 1 = 26 times the effort for the 10 km/h wind. The correct interpretation of the question suggests comparing the effort at 30 km/h directly to 10 km/h, which is a common misunderstanding. The direct comparison should indeed reflect that the effort increases with the cube of the speed difference. However, the options provided do not accurately reflect the precise calculation based on the cube law, suggesting a misunderstanding in the explanation. The principle that the drag force (and thus the effort) increases with the square of the velocity should guide the correct answer, but the options and explanation seem misaligned with this physical law. Re-evaluating the explanation: The drag force, which determines the effort, indeed increases with the square of the velocity relative to the air. If the velocity triples (from 10 km/h to 30 km/h), the effort increases by a factor of 3^2 = 9, making option B the intended correct choice based on a simplified interpretation focusing on the square law for drag force in the context of the provided options.

Question 10

Which of the following statements describes why wind speed generally increases with height above the Earth's surface?

Accepted Answer

Friction with the Earth's surface slows the air near the ground. This slowing effect reduces wind speeds close to the Earth's surface. With height above the surface, the amount of friction decreases, allowing the winds to increase in speed.

Question 11

Where does clear air turbulence occur most often?

Accepted Answer

Clear air turbulence often occurs near a boundary of high wind shear, where there is a rapid change in wind speed and/or direction. This can create turbulent eddies in the air that can cause sudden jolts and bumps for aircraft.

Question 12

Suppose a west wind of 20 knots blows over a coastal region that is densely covered in shrubs. Which of the following describes the same wind's likely speed and direction if it moved over the middle of a large, calm lake?

Accepted Answer

The wind speed would likely increase over the lake due to the reduced surface friction compared to the shrubby terrain, and the Coriolis effect would cause the wind to veer more to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, making it more northwesterly.

Question 13

The top of the friction layer is usually found near which of the following altitudes?

Accepted Answer

The top of the friction layer, also known as the planetary boundary layer, is typically found around 1000 meters (1 km) above the Earth's surface.

Question 14

Which of the following factors has the LEAST influence on determining how high a wind wave will grow over the open ocean?

Accepted Answer

Density of water has the least influence on determining how high a wind wave will grow over the open ocean. The other factors - length of time the wind blows over the water (A), wind speed over the water (C), and fetch of water (D) - all play significant roles in determining wave height.

Question 15

A wind profiler obtains wind information using which of the following instruments?

Accepted Answer

A wind profiler obtains wind information using Doppler radar. Doppler radar can detect the direction and speed of winds by analyzing the frequency shifts in the signals returned from particles in the atmosphere. Aerovane and theodolite are used for measuring wind speed and direction at a specific location, while radiosonde are used for measuring atmospheric parameters like temperature, pressure, and humidity in addition to wind speed and direction.

Question 16

Which of the following is considered a reason for the howling of wind on a blustery night?

Accepted Answer

Eddies of higher air density cause fluctuations in wind speed and direction, creating the howling sound.

Question 17

Which of the following is an instrument that uses infrared or visible light in the form of a laser beam to determine wind direction?

Accepted Answer

Lidar (Light Detection and Ranging) is an instrument that emits laser light and detects the reflected light to determine wind direction.

Question 18

Which of the following gives an example of mesoscale motion?

Accepted Answer

Mesoscale motion refers to atmospheric phenomena that occur on scales ranging from a few to several hundred kilometers. Winds blowing through a city are an example of mesoscale motion as they are influenced by the local topography and land use. The other options are not considered mesoscale motion as they occur on a larger or smaller scale.

Question 19

-Which of the following winds could result from the surface pressure pattern as shown in the figure above? ​

Accepted Answer

The Santa Ana wind is a type of dry and warm wind that occurs in Southern California, often resulting from high-pressure systems in the interior of the region pushing air towards the coast. The description or implication of a specific surface pressure pattern leading to a particular wind type fits the characteristics of the Santa Ana wind, which is known for its direction and effect in the region mentioned. Other options like chinook wind, nor'easter, and land breeze are associated with different specific conditions and geographical settings that do not match the typical scenario for Santa Ana winds.

Question 20

Which of the following locations is the most practical for building a wind turbine?

Accepted Answer

A region of moderate, steady winds is the most practical location for building a wind turbine as it provides a consistent wind source that is not too strong or unpredictable, which allows for efficient and safe operation of the turbine. A narrow valley can create turbulence and channel winds in unpredictable ways, while a region of strong, gusty winds can be dangerous and cause damage to the turbine. The downwind side of a mountain may experience disrupted or inconsistent wind patterns due to terrain effects.

Quiz 9: Wind: Small-Scale and Local Systems