Chapter 6 final

most abundant greenhouse gas that also influences air density

water vapor

The strength of a hurricane is ranked from 1 to 5 on the

Saffir-Simpson Scale

The average albedo of Earth's surface is about:

30%

The apparent deflection of air masses to the right or left (depending on latitude) as they move from one latitude to another is called the:

Coriolis effect

The intensity of tropical cyclones is measured by meteorologists using the __________ scale

Saffir-Simpson

The percentage of solar radiation reflected from the surface of Earth back into space is known as the

albedo

Inter-tropical Convergence Zone

area where warm, moist air rises close to the equator

Winds blowing out of the north toward the south in the southern hemisphere will appear to

be deflected toward the east.

A zone of high atmospheric pressure results when there is relatively __________ air aloft.

cool, dry

Low-pressure regions in the northern hemisphere rotate:

counterclockwise.

Tropic of Cancer

located at 23.5° N latitude

Earth's polar regions (above 60° latitude) are classified as deserts because

old, dry sinking air in the polar high regions produces little precipitation

Polar easterlies

prevailing wind pattern at polar latitudes

Air warmed by the land that rises and is replaced by cooler air from the ocean may produce a:

sea breeze

The Sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky, directly overhead along the Tropic of Cancer, during the:

summer solstice

The two factors that are most important in determining the density of air are

temperature and water vapor content

The thickness of sea ice is limited primarily by

the insulating nature of the ice itself

The wind belt(s) with strong, reliable, generally easterly winds is (are) the:

trade winds

The boundary between the troposphere and stratosphere

tropopause

The lowermost portion of the atmosphere where most weather occurs is called the:

troposphere

The temperate regions are characterized by:

westerly winds