Deck 7: Atmospheric Circulation

Question 1

Winds generally move across the United States:

A) from north to south.
B) from east to west.
C) from south to north.
D) from west to east.

Answer 1

D

Question 2

According to the atmospheric circulation model developed in the text, air tends to

A) rise at 30° north and fall at 60° north.
B) rise at 60° north and fall at 30° north.
C) rise at 30° north and fall at 0° north.
D) rise at 30° north and rise at 60° north.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

If you were standing on top of a high mid-Pacific island at 15° north latitude, from which direction would you expect the wind to come? (Hint: don't forget to consider Coriolis' effect!)

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

Answer 3

D

Question 4

The boundary between two air masses is called a(n):

A) Hadley line.
B) ITCZ.
C) Hadley cell.
D) front.

Question 5

There are ____ main wind bands in each hemisphere of the Earth.

A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5

Question 6

When viewed from above, tropical cyclones rotate ____ in the southern hemisphere.

A) clockwise
B) counterclockwise
C) in either direction depending on the storm
D) poleward

Question 7

In the world model of atmospheric circulation, the ________ cell is located nearest the equator.

A) Doldrum
B) Polar
C) Ferrel
D) Hadley

Question 8

When air masses come together:

A) very little weather activity results.
B) a tropical cyclone forms.
C) one air mass may ride up and over the other and form a front.
D) one air mass may ride up over the other and form a storm surge.

Question 9

During an El Niño event:

A) the trade winds strengthen.
B) the central eastern Pacific ocean becomes cooler.
C) sea level falls in the central eastern Pacific ocean.
D) a strong equatorial countercurrent develops in the Pacific.

Question 10

Seasons are caused by:

A) changes in the weather.
B) annual variation in the energy output of the sun.
C) the Earth's orbital tilt relative to the plane of its orbit around the sun.
D) our being closer to the sun in summer.

Question 11

Which of these phenomena causes the least structural damage and loss of life during the passage of a tropical cyclone?

A) storm surge.
B) flooding.
C) low atmospheric pressure.
D) rainfall.

Question 12

Tropical cyclones are also called:

A) willi-willis.
B) typhoons.
C) hurricanes.
D) all of these

Question 13

The Coriolis effect causes objects moving in the northern hemisphere to veer off course:

A) to the right, or clockwise when viewed from above.
B) to the left, or counterclockwise when viewed from above.
C) in an upward direction.
D) in a downward direction.

Question 14

Calm equatorial areas of low pressure are referred to as the:

A) doldrums.
B) horse latitudes.
C) trade winds.
D) westerlies.

Question 15

Weather may be defined as:

A) long-term temperature and rainfall trends.
B) short-term, localized characteristics of the atmosphere.
C) long-term changes in the composition of the atmosphere.
D) short-term changes in the composition of the atmosphere.

Question 16

Warm air ____ and cool air ____.

A) expands and sinks; expands and rises
B) contracts and rises; expands and sinks
C) expands and rises; contracts and sinks
D) expands and rises; expands and sinks

Question 17

The dependable surface winds of the Earth centered at about 15° north and south latitudes are called:

A) the westerlies.
B) the northerlies.
C) the trade winds.
D) the doldrum winds.

Question 18

The most abundant gaseous components of the Earth's atmosphere are:

A) carbon dioxide and oxygen.
B) nitrogen and hydrogen.
C) nitrogen and carbon dioxide.
D) nitrogen and oxygen.

Question 19

The power for tropical cyclones comes from:

A) static electricity.
B) warm and cool air masses colliding.
C) the Coriolis effect.
D) the condensation of warm, moist air.

Question 20

Extratropical cyclones typically form:

A) near the equator.
B) at high latitudes, at the north or south pole.
C) at high latitudes, at the junction between the polar cells and the Ferrel cells.
D) in the tropics.

Question 21

Tropical cyclones tend to move:

A) equatorward in both hemispheres.
B) eastward and poleward in both hemispheres.
C) westward and poleward in both hemispheres.
D) poleward in both hemispheres.

Question 22

A ________________ is a pattern of wind circulation that changes with the seasons.

A) monsoon
B) typhoon
C) hurricane
D) cyclone

Question 23

How many atmospheric circulation cells exist in EACH hemisphere?

A) 6
B) 3
C) 4
D) 1

Question 24

Which of the following statements is FALSE regarding solar heating of Earth?

A) Heating of Earth varies with latitude.
B) Ice absorbs much of the solar energy that reaches the poles.
C) Greenhouse gases are disrupting Earth's heat balance.
D) Much of the solar radiation at the equator is absorbed.

Question 25

Near the poles (both in the north and south) the jet stream flows west to east.

Question 26

One of the driving forces of atmospheric circulation is:

A) convection.
B) conduction.
C) evaporation.
D) transpiration.

Question 27

Most of the damage caused by hurricane Katrina was due to:

A) the storm surge arriving at low tide.
B) the storm surge arriving at high tide.
C) the low winds.
D) the high temperatures.

Question 28

Due to the Coriolis effect, objects are deflected to the right or clockwise in the northern hemisphere.

Question 29

Conditions that contributed to the destructive nature of Hurricane Katrina included all of the following EXCEPT:

A) a huge storm surge.
B) very strong winds, up to 125 miles per hour.
C) very high levels of rainfall, up to 10 inches per hour.
D) an exceptionally cold pocket of water over the Gulf of Mexico.

Question 30

The state of the atmosphere at a specific time and place is:

A) weather.
B) winds.
C) climate.
D) global warming.

Question 31

The change in the angle of the sun with latitude does not influence heating at Earth's surface.

Question 32

Which of the following statements is FALSE concerning air?

A) Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air.
B) Humid air is denser than dry air.
C) Warm air is less dense that cold air.
D) Water vapor in air can occupy up to 4 percent of air's volume.

Question 33

Cyclones do not arise over the South Atlantic because the water is too cold.

Question 34

Oxygen is the primary component of air.

Question 35

Hurricanes are most common off the coast of Australia.

Question 36

Air is a fluid that is never completely dry.

Question 37

Cyclonic storms can form within or between air masses (a large body of air with a uniform density throughout).

Question 38

The long-term average of weather factors in a geographic region is called:

A) weather.
B) cyclonic circulation.
C) Coriolis.
D) climate.

Question 39

Hadley atmospheric circulation cells are found at mid-latitudes.

Question 40

The uneven heating of the surface of Earth results in atmospheric convection currents.

Question 41

What is a hurricane and how are they formed?

Question 42

Describe atmospheric convection.

Question 43

Explain the Coriolis Effect.

Question 44

What are some of the variables that are important when developing a heat budget for Earth?

Question 45

Explain how the relationship between the atmosphere and the ocean affects weather and climate.