oceanography week 5
How big can the diameter of a hurricane become?
500 miles
Why is warm, moist air considered the "fuel" for a hurricane?
Air cools as it rises. As air cools, water vapor will condense out as liquid water. Condensation releases heat, providing energy to the hurricane.
How do high pressure systems behave in the Northern Hemisphere?
High pressure systems rotate clockwise due to air turning to the right as it moves from high pressure to low pressure.
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding low pressure systems?
In the Northern Hemisphere, low pressure systems are cyclonic. Rising air in a Northern Hemisphere low pressure system is akin to opening a valve by turning it to the left.
At what latitude(s) are most major deserts of the world located?
30 degrees north and south latitude 90 degrees north and south latitude Submit
Which of the following statements regarding moving air is/are true?
Air always moves from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure. The movement of air is called wind. Due to the Coriolis effect, objects are deflected to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere. Cyclonic flow is counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which of the following statements regarding the wind belts and the wind belt boundaries is/are true?
Deserts are found in Greenland and Antarctica. Winds blow from high to low pressure. Winds are named according to the direction they come from.
Which of the following characteristics of Earth's relationship to the Sun explains the existence of Earth's seasons?
Earth's axis always points in the same direction relative to the stars. Earth orbits around the Sun, completing one orbit each year. Earth spins on its axis, completing one rotation each day. Earth's axis is tilted relative to its orbital plane.
What is the typical path for a North Atlantic hurricane to follow?
It begins in the low latitudes of the Atlantic, is pushed westward by the trade winds, curves to the right due to the Coriolis effect, and then, once it is in the midlatitudes, it is pushed to the east by the prevailing westerlies.
When are the Sun's rays perpendicular to Earth's surface at the equator?
March Equinox September Equinox
Why is heavy rain associated with hurricane formation?
Rising, moist air cools. As air cools, water condenses and eventually falls.
When do all locations on Earth experience equal lengths of day and night?
September Equinox March Equinox
Why is the direction of rotation in the Northern Hemisphere opposite the direction of rotation in the Southern Hemisphere?
The Coriolis effect causes opposite deflections in the Northern Hemisphere than in the Southern Hemisphere.
Why don't tropical storms that form on the equator develop into hurricanes?
The Coriolis effect is absent.
As shown in the video, what causes the item to deflate?
The higher pressure inside the item forces the air out into the lower pressure of the room. Submit
How does the inclination of Earth's axis change over the course of a year?
The inclination of Earth's axis does not change.
Which of the following statements is/are true regarding the anatomy of a hurricane?
Torrential rain and thunderstorms are common within the spiral rain bands. Warm, moist air rises from the ocean surface, creating a low pressure system. Air moves from high to low pressure and curves to the right due to the Coriolis effect in the Northern Hemisphere. Submit
What is a tropical cyclone?
a low-pressure disturbance that develops over warm, tropical waters
Where does the length of day remain the same throughout the year?
at the equator Submit
What common household item is used in this video to demonstrate differences in atmospheric pressure?
balloon
As discussed in the video, air always moves from _____ atmospheric pressure regions to _____ atmospheric pressure regions.
high, low
Where are tropical cyclones found?
lower and middle latitudes
What is the Coriolis Effect?
the deflection of moving objects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere
What did the NASA satellite measure as it made passes above Hurricane Arthur in 2014?
the extent and intensity of the rain bands Submit
What is the December solstice?
the time of the year when Earth's geographic North Pole is leaning most directly away from the Sun Submit
What is the June solstice?
the time of the year when Earth's geographic North Pole is leaning most directly toward the Sun
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?
to the right
How would a moving 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 Submit
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the South Pole toward the equator?
toward the left
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the East Coast of the United States toward the West Coast of the United States?
toward the north
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the West Coast of the United States toward the East Coast of the United States?
toward the south
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the east coast of South Africa toward the west coast of South Africa?
toward the south
Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?
toward the west
Which direction would an airplane deflect if flying across South Africa from the west coast to the east coast?
towards the north
Which of the following names mean "tropical cyclone"?
typhoon cyclone hurricane
What conditions are required for a hurricane to form?
warm ocean temps the coriolis effect
