Term
| General circulation of the atmosphere refers to: |
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Definition
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Term
| Migratory high and low pressure systems refer to: |
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Definition
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Term
| Land-sea breezes refer to: |
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Definition
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Term
| Air flow is initiated by the... |
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Definition
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Term
| The instrument used to measure wind speed is... |
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Definition
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Term
| Normal sea level pressure has a value of: |
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Definition
| 1013.2 millibars or 29.92 inches of mercury in a barometer |
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Term
| If the mercury in a barometer RISES, then... |
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Definition
| the air pressure has increased. |
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Term
| Barometers use _______ because... |
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Definition
| Mercury; it weighs more than water |
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Term
| Describe the pressure gradient force. |
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Definition
| It drives air from areas of higher to lower barometric pressure. |
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Term
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Definition
| An isoline of equal pressure plotted on a weather map. |
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Term
| Air flows _____ a surface with high pressure because the density of the air in the high pressure zone is _____ than that of the surrounding air. |
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Definition
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Term
| If Earth did not rotate, air would flow... |
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Definition
| perpendicular to the isobars, i.e. straight across the isobars |
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Term
| The closer the spacing of the isobars, the _____ the wind blows. |
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Definition
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Term
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Definition
| causes the apparent deflection of winds from a straight path. |
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
The Coriolis force is zero along the equator, increasing to maximum at the poles. |
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Definition
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Term
| In the absence of friction, the combined effect of the Coriolis force and the pressure gradient force produces... |
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Definition
| geostrophic winds at altitude above the ground. |
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
Relative to air circulation, cyclones circulate clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. |
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Definition
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Term
| The inter tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is characterized by... |
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Definition
| convergence and uplift of warm surface air. |
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Term
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Definition
| winds that blow predominantly from the northeast and the southeast. |
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Term
| The Aleutian low and Icelandic low are... |
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Definition
| strongest during the winter months because the ocean temperatures are warner than land temperatures at the same latitude. |
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Term
| The western side of subtropical high pressure cells tend to be... |
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Definition
| warm, moist, and unstable. |
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Term
| The polar high pressure cells... |
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Definition
| produce the weak, variable polar easterlies. |
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Term
| What causes land-sea breezes? |
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Definition
| Onshore (toward the land) air flows that develop in the afternoon as the land heats faster than neighboring water surfaces |
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Term
| What causes mountain-valley breezes? |
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Definition
| Warm air rising upslope during the day and cooler air descending the slopes at night |
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Term
| A monsoon climate is characterized by ______ summers and _____ winters. |
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Definition
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Term
| What produces ocean currents? (2) |
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Definition
1) the frictional drag of winds
2) the Coriolis force and water density differences |
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
The forces that control the wind include gravity, the pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and friction force. |
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Definition
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
A line connecting points of equal pressure on a weather map is called an isobar. |
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Definition
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
An area of high pressure circulates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and is called an anticyclone. |
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Definition
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
Subtropical high-pressure systems generate both the trade winds and the westerlies. |
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Definition
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Term
TRUE/FALSE?
Ocean currents play a relatively small role in regulating climate. |
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Definition
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Term
| The horizontal motion of air across Earth's surface is called ____. Wind speed is measured with an _________ while wind direction with a _____ _____. |
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Definition
| wind; anemometer; wind vane |
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