Earth Systems Chapter 13 Homework

Where are Hadley cells found?

in the atmosphere near the equator

What drives Hadley cell circulation?

heating from the Sun

How does the location of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) change over time?

The ITCZ migrates south of the equator in Northern Hemisphere winter and north of the equator in Northern Hemisphere summer.

When would you expect the low-pressure cell over Greenland to be most developed?

during the Northern Hemisphere winter

Which areas of Earth experience the most precipitation?

areas near the ITCZ

What two features are many of Earth's deserts associated with?

the subtropical highs and cool ocean currents found along the west coasts of continents

The Trade Winds are one type of prevailing wind pattern. How many other types of prevailing winds are there among earth's global wind patterns?

2

Why does air tend to rise in equatorial regions?

Equatorial regions receive more direct sunlight than other areas.

What is the air that sinks at latitudes of 30 degrees north and south like?

This air is cool and dry.

What term is used to describe the effect on air movement produced by Earth's rotation?

the Coriolis effect

Why does wind between the equator and 30 degrees south come out of the southeast?

Cooled air moves north toward the equator and is deflected toward the west by the Coriolis effect.

In which direction would winds move at the poles if Earth rotated in the opposite direction?

Wind from the north pole would move to the southeast, and the wind from the south pole would move to the northeast.

Which way would wind travel in the region between 30 and 60 degrees latitude if Earth stopped rotating?

south in the Southern Hemisphere and north in the Northern Hemisphere

At any given time, approximately how much pressure is exerted upon you by the air above?

14.7 lbs/in2

In a mercury barometer, the column of mercury falls when __________.

air pressure drops

Air pressure measuring ~1040 mb is considered __________.

a high pressure system

Which of the following statements is correct?

Air travels from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure.

A Northern Hemisphere cyclone is made up of a __________.

a counter-clockwise spiral pattern of high pressure moving toward a low pressure region

What provides the ultimate driving source for wind?

solar energy

In addition to friction and the pressure-gradient force, which other force is influential in the control of wind on Earth?

the Coriolis force

Which parameter has the greatest influence on wind speed?

differences in air pressure

Above the zone of friction, clear air turbulence occurs when which conditions are met?

when air at one level is moving at a different velocity than an adjacent level in the atmosphere

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis force will deflect wind blowing from the south in which direction?

northeast

Which statement regarding the Coriolis force is correct?

The Coriolis force affects only wind direction, not wind speed.

Isobars are contour lines that connect __________.

points of equal air pressure

How does the Coriolis effect complicate wind patterns?

Winds are deflected from a straight to curved path.

__________ indicate(s) steep pressure gradients.

Closely spaced isobars

A high and low-pressure system develops over Australia. Which of the following is a likely scenario?

Winds move from high to low pressure and are deflected to the left.

A tropical cyclone is characterized by __________ isobars around a __________ system.

closely spaced, low-pressure

A __________ is another name for winds that blow in an onshore direction during the day.

sea breeze

Which of the following is a true statement regarding land breeze?

Air moves from a high-pressure zone at low altitude above the land toward a low-pressure area at low altitude over the sea.

A valley breeze is defined by __________.

rising warm air that triggers cloud formation at high elevations

A __________ occurs at _____, when cold air travels downslope and warm air rises.

mountain breeze, night

Which of the following distinguish a chinook from other types of breezes?

Chinooks increase in volume and warm up while moving downslope.

The Coriolis effect causes __________.

winds to be deflected from a straight path

Describe the trajectory of a missile that is launched from the South Pole to the Equator.

The path would be deflected to the left of a straight line.

Which of the following statements about the Coriolis effect is correct?

The Coriolis effect causes deflection of winds North and South of the Equator.

Which of the following is the best description of a Southern Hemisphere cyclone?

High-pressure winds move toward a low-pressure area in a clockwise direction.

Which of the following is comparable between Northern and Southern Hemisphere hurricanes?

The eye of a hurricane is a low-pressure region.

How would an object in Earth's atmosphere be deflected as a result of Earth's rotation?

to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere

What is the Coriolis effect?

the deflection of objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?

to the right

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the South Pole toward the equator?

to the left

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?

to the west

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the West Coast of the United States to the East Coast of the United States?

to the south

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the East Coast of the United States to the West Coast of the United States?

to the north

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the east coast of South Africa to the west coast of South Africa?

to the south

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the west coast of South Africa to the east coast of South Africa?

to the north

Circulation in the atmosphere is influenced by whether the planetary body is rotating or nonrotating. Sort the following features by whether they apply to a rotating Earth, a nonrotating Earth, or neither.

Drag the appropriate items into their respective bins.

Non rotating:

-all surface air flows toward the equator

-one pair of convec cells

Rotating:

-equatorial and subpolar air

-presence of trade winds

-three pairs of convec cells

Neither:

-all surface air flows poleward

-air sinks at equator

A jet stream generally diverges above a low-pressure (warm) center. However, at Earth's surface, air converges at a low-pressure center. If the divergence of the jet stream is greater than the convergence of air at the surface low-pressure center below it, what will happen to the surface winds?

The surface winds will likely get stronger.