Air Pressure and Winds Quiz

b

Cyclonic airflow is characterized by:

Select one:

a. divergence both at the surface and aloft.

b. divergence aloft and convergence at the surface.

c. convergence both at the surface and aloft.

d. convergence aloft and divergence at the surface.

c

The primary force causing ocean currents is

Select one:

a. the Coriolis effect.

b. temperature differences between cold water below and warm water above.

c. the major winds.

d. the earth's elliptical orbit around the Sun.

e. the earth's rotation about its axis.

c

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

Select one:

a. equatorial low

b. subpolar low

c. subtropical high

d. polar high

d

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

Select one:

a. thermocline suppression.

b. El Niño.

c. the Southern Oscillation.

d. upwelling.

a

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

Select one:

a. as nature's method of balancing heat energy differences.

b. as a result of the different landforms on Earth's surface.

c. as a cause of temperature contrasts.

d. as a result of Earth's motion through space.

e. because of the earth's rotation.

b

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?

Select one:

a. summer dry season

b. dry all year around

c. adequate precipitation all year around

d. winter dry season

a

The primary force which causes all winds is

Select one:

a. pressure gradient force.

b. centrifugal force.

c. inertia force.

d. Coriolis effect.

e. geostrophic force.

d

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

Select one:

a. hurricane

b. a traveling anticyclone

c. waves in the westerlies

d. a sea breeze

d

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

Select one:

a. severe flooding.

b. pronounced wet and dry seasons.

c. moderate rainfall.

d. desert regions.

a

The subpolar low (polar front) is:

Select one:

a. a zone where the polar easterlies and the westerlies converge.

b. the boundary between frozen and liquid ocean.

c. a zone where the trade winds of the two hemispheres meet.

d. the forward edge of the antarctic ice cap.

e

The major features of precipitation distribution patterns are determined by

Select one:

a. solar radiation available.

b. temperature lapse rates.

c. annual temperature range.

d. ocean water temperature.

e. general circulation and pressure patterns.

a

The definition of the word 'monsoon' means

Select one:

a. seasonal wind shift.

b. torrential rainfall.

c. rainy season.

d. moisture-laden air.

c

The wind speed normally increases with height in the layer of air next to the ground. This illustrates the fact that

Select one:

a. the lowest part of the atmosphere is turbulent.

b. pressure decreases with height.

c. friction is present only close to the ground.

d. density decreases with height.

e. temperature decreases with height.

c

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

Select one:

a. subpolar easterlies

b. trade winds

c. westerlies

d. doldrums

e. northerlies

b

Upper air winds:

Select one:

a. are greatly influenced by friction.

b. are generally faster than surface winds.

c. are unaffected by the Coriolis force.

d. do not influence surface weather.

b

The Coriolis effect is important only for motions that

Select one:

a. are near the earth's surface.

b. cover long distances.

c. are slow.

d. cover short distances.

e. do not involve a pressure gradient.

a

The best explanation for the cause of atmospheric pressure is

Select one:

a. weight of the air above.

b. air compression.

c. wind force.

d. air temperature.

e. air density.

e

Horizontal variations in air pressure cause a force which makes the wind blow. These pressure variations are caused by

Select one:

a. greenhouse effect.

b. Earth's rotation.

c. non-circular shape of Earth.

d. warm temperatures in the stratosphere.

e. uneven heating of the earth's surface.

a

Instead of the air flowing straight out of a high pressure system, it spirals out in a clockwise direction. The cause of the clockwise spiraling motion is

Select one:

a. Coriolis force.

b. pressure gradient force.

c. inertia.

d. centripetal force.

e. turbulence.

e

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

Select one:

a. greater air density.

b. warmer temperatures at high altitudes.

c. stronger Coriolis effect.

d. lower humidity.

e. greater horizontal temperature contrasts.

d

Circulations in the earth's atmosphere are fundamentally caused by

Select one:

a. heating of the ozone layer.

b. ocean currents.

c. gravity.

d. temperature contrasts between different locations.

e. frontal storm systems.

a

When air moves from the ocean onto land:

Select one:

a. converging winds and ascending air result over the land.

b. the winds tend to increase their speed.

c. divergence and subsidence occur over the land.

d. curved flow is initiated.

b

El Niño events are characterized by:

Select one:

a. warm water piling up near Indonesia.

b. pooling of unusually warm water in the eastern tropical Pacific.

c. strengthening of the NE trade winds.

d. a very strong cold current flowing along the eastern edge of South America.

d

Microscale winds generally last for:

Select one:

a. 3 days or longer.

b. 1 to 2 hours.

c. 1 to 2 days.

d. a few seconds.

b

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

Select one:

a. annual temperature range.

b. circulation patterns in the atmosphere.

c. the solar energy budget.

d. overnight temperatures.

e. the humidity of the air at that place.

e

The pressure gradient force is directed from higher to lower pressure

Select one:

a. only at the poles.

b. everywhere except the equator.

c. only in the Northern Hemisphere.

d. only at the equator.

e. everywhere.

c

Winds are usually named for:

Select one:

a. the direction or place to which they are heading.

b. the altitude where they are strongest.

c. the direction or place from which they are blowing.

d. the approximate latitude of their origin.

d

The geostrophic wind concept is most like the real atmospheric winds

Select one:

a. in an anticyclone.

b. near the equator.

c. near the surface.

d. at high altitudes.

e. in a cyclone.

c

In the northern hemisphere, cyclonic winds flow

Select one:

a. inward and clockwise.

b. outward and counterclockwise.

c. inward and counterclockwise.

d. outward and clockwise.

b

Jet streams are associated with fronts because of the

Select one:

a. clouds forming there.

b. large temperature gradient.

c. reduced friction above the front.

d. higher pressure behind the front.

b

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

Select one:

a. subtropics.

b. ITCZ.

c. high latitudes.

d. hot zone.

e. rainforest.

a

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

Select one:

a. very dry, warm wind coming down a mountain slope.

b. cold, damp wind blowing off snow fields.

c. wind associated with a blizzard.

d. wind that is peculiar to the China mainland.

b

You would expect vertical airflow in a cyclone to result in

Select one:

a. convergence aloft.

b. divergence aloft.

c. no cloud development.

d. divergence at the surface.

b

When are upper air winds fastest?

Select one:

a. in summer

b. in winter

c. anytime surface temperature gradients are weak

d. These winds maintain about the same speed throughout the year.

b

The effect of friction on the wind alters its

Select one:

a. viscosity.

b. speed and direction.

c. heat content.

d. speed only.

e. density.

b

If "fair" weather is approaching, the pressure tendency would probably be:

Select one:

a. falling.

b. rising.

c. steady.

d. Pressure tendency has nothing to do with forecasting good or bad weather.

b

The force that generates wind is:

Select one:

a. friction.

b. pressure gradient force.

c. gravity.

d. Coriolis force.

e. centrifugal force.

b

Which of these factors influence the magnitude of the Coriolis force?

Select one:

a. wind direction

b. both wind speed and latitude

c. wind speed

d. latitude

c

If the earth were not rotating,

Select one:

a. all winds would cease.

b. Earth would lose its atmosphere.

c. air would move directly from high to low pressure.

d. atmospheric pressure would decrease.

b

High air pressure zones are usually associated with:

Select one:

a. ascending currents.

b. relatively dry conditions.

c. stormy weather.

d. converging winds.

a

You would expect vertical airflow in an anticyclone to result in

Select one:

a. convergence aloft.

b. convergence at the surface.

c. divergence aloft.

d. clouds.

c

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

Select one:

a. microscale

b. mesoscale

c. synoptic or macroscale

d. Hadley

e. trade wind

b

The overall strength of a circulation system is determined by

Select one:

a. friction between the ground and the air.

b. its pressure gradient.

c. no one factor is more important than the others.

d. the latitude.

e. air temperature.

c

The areas of abundant rainfall on the earth tend to be

Select one:

a. in polar regions.

b. over oceans.

c. near the equator and in midlatitudes.

d. in midlatitudes.

e. near the equator.

b

A steep pressure gradient:

Select one:

a. produces light winds.

b. produces strong winds.

c. is only possible in the tropics.

d. would be depicted by widely spaced isobars.

b

A primary factor causing monsoon circulations is

Select one:

a. Coriolis effect.

b. greater temperature changes over continents compared to oceans.

c. mountain ranges.

d. waves in the westerlies.

e. ocean currents.

b

The Coriolis effect occurs because of this characteristic of the earth:

Select one:

a. its dense core.

b. its rotation.

c. its magnetic field.

d. its atmosphere.

d

Meteorologists convert all atmospheric pressure data to the equivalent sea-level air pressure in order to:

Select one:

a. make sure all of the data is measured in millibars.

b. unify the pressure gradient force at all locations.

c. correct for the effects of the Coriolis force.

d. remove the effects of elevation.

a

Most of the earth's deserts are located in the

Select one:

a. subsidence areas of subtropical highs.

b. boundary between liquid and frozen oceans.

c. areas along the polar front.

d. doldrum belt.

e. tradewind belt.