CHAPTER 13
An elongated area of high pressure on an air pressure map is called a(n) ______, and an elongated area of low pressure is called a(n) ______.
ridge; trough
During the daytime, air rises over the relatively warm land and sinks over the cool ocean, creating a(n) ______________ breeze.
sea OR onshore
Some areas deviate from the expected pattern of SST because of __________ currents carrying cold water away from the poles and warm water away from the equator.
surface
Shallow, wind-driven ocean currents traveling clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere are called ______. Ocean currents that sink as a result of increased density and are part of the thermohaline conveyor are called ______.
surface currents; deep currents
The most easily observed, general pattern of SST is that ______.
temperatures decrease with increased latitude
Wind direction is given as the direction ______.
the air is coming from
Seasons are caused by the ______ of Earth relative to the Sun.
tilt
A rotating, funnel-shaped column of air that extends down to the ground is called a(n) ___________. If it does not reach the ground it is called a(n) _______ __________.
tornado; funnel cloud
A rotating, funnel-shaped column of air that extends down to the ground is called a(n) __________. If it does not reach the ground it is called a(n) _______ _______.
tornado; funnel; & cloud
The seasonal changes in prevailing wind direction are called ______, and often result in torrential rainstorms when the changes bring steady onshore winds.
monsoons
The Sun warms equatorial regions of Earth ______ than the poles. This causes an area of ______ pressure to develop near the equator. As a result, the northeast and southeast trade winds are created as air at the surface then flows ______ the equator.
more; low; toward
Most water vapor in the atmosphere originates from evaporation at the surface of the ____________.
ocean
Temperature, pressure, and humidity are all factors that influence the type of ______ that forms and whether any forms at all.
precipitation
A desert ______.
receives less than 25 cm of precipitation per year has sparse vegetation often lacks permanent streams
True or false: A funnel cloud is exactly the same thing as a tornado.
False
True or false: The seasons are caused by Earth's proximity to the Sun.
False
Air that is heated at the equator moves upward, then either north or south, where it sinks at approximately 30°, in a ______.
flow cell
In the image, A shows ______ and B shows ______.
formation of water droplets; formation of snowflakes
When air masses rise, a _________-pressure system develops. Rain is often associated with these systems.
low
When air masses rise, a __________ -pressure system develops. Rain is often associated with these systems.
low
What are gyres in the world's oceans?
Large oval--shaped circulation patterns of surface currents
Ice
Liquid water is solidified at cooler temperatures; air rises and cools to a low enough temperature that crystals form.
The East Australian Current is a warm water surface current in the Southwestern ___________ Ocean.
Pacific
The Humboldt Current is located in the Southeastern _________ Ocean.
Pacific
The Kurishio Current is a warm water surface current in the Northwestern ____________ Ocean.
Pacific
Why do large deserts often form in subtropical regions?
A zone of high pressure results in descending air that warms and becomes even drier.
The ITCZ is a zone of __________ pressure and high _________.
low; rainfall OR precipitation
The California Current in the Northern _________ Ocean brings __________ water southward along the western coast of the United States.
Pacific; cold
When updrafts and downdrafts within a cloud vertically move a particle of ice up and down, which allows a buildup of layers to occur on the ice until it becomes too large to remain aloft, __________ form.
hail OR hailstones
The more collisions there are between gas molecules, the ______ air pressure will be.
higher
The thermohaline conveyor ______.
is driven by density differences takes about 1,000 years for water to complete the trip transports deep water nearly around the globe involves cold, saline water sinking is a deep-water current
Which are associated with low-pressure systems?
-Stormy weather -Rising air masses Counterclockwise flow (Northern Hemisphere)
What are the primary causes of wind?
-Uneven heating of Earth's surface. -Movement of air from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.
Although the percentage does vary by location, the average amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is ____________ percent. (Enter a single, whole number.)
1
Approximately what percentage of Earth's atmosphere is water vapor?
1%
Rank the following particles by their relative sizes with the smallest on top.
1. Condensation 2. Cloud droplets 3. Typical raindrops
Place the storm events in relative order from shortest lasting (on top) to longest lasting (minutes to hours to days).
1. Tornado 2. Supercell 3. Hurricane
Match the letter with the correct description of the area depicted in a supercell thunderstorm.
A - A rounded upper dome due to strong updrafts pulls moist air up very high. B - Choice, This is a rotating updraft; a vertical spinning air mass that creates the tornado. This is a rotating updraft; a vertical spinning air mass that creates the tornado. C - Lightning forms from electrical currents in the storm. D - Microburst produces damaging winds that move in a straight line.
Match the letter of the region with the appropriate conditions.
A - Air rises and cools, vapor condenses and falls as significant amounts of rainfall that help create tropical forests. B - North-moving air meets south-moving air at the surface, and air rises and cools. Vapor condenses and rain and snow fall. C - Subtropics; descending masses of air dry out the region and create desert conditions.
Identify the major ocean basins in the image by matching the letter to the correct name.
A - North Pacific B - South Atlantic C - Indian Ocean D - Southern Ocean E - Arctic Ocean F - South Pacific G - North Atlantic
Match the region in the image with the appropriate description.
A - Precipitation often falls as snow. In this circulation cell, air rises at 60o north and sinks at 90o north B - Most of the continental United States is affected by this cell. Air rises at 60o north and sinks at 30o north. C - Tropical jungles are present. Air rises at 0o and sinks 30o north or south. D - The Kalahari Desert results from sinking air at 30o south
Match the location on the map with the most appropriate description of events.
A - Water cools and becomes more saline; water sinks. B - Water upwells to the surface, bringing nutrients with it. C - Cold water travels as a deep current and mixes with water formed near Antarctica.
Which of these would be considered weather, rather than climate, events?
A high amount of rainfall over the course of a weekend causes flooding in downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Vancouver, British Columbia, experiences a very warm winter and doesn't receive enough snowfall for Winter Olympic events. A heat wave strikes Atlanta, Georgia, causing many people to experience heat exhaustion.
What is a monsoon?
A seasonal change in the prevailing wind direction that often results in a major change in the amount of precipitation an area receives
Liquid water
Air rises and cools, causing condensation to occur; air sinks and warms, causing crystals to melt.
Describe two major currents in the Northern Pacific by matching them to their descriptions.
Alaska Current - East-moving warm water California Current - South-flowing, cold water
Match the rain forest structure location with the best description.
Canopy - Contains most of the rain forest's species; captures most of the sunlight Understory layer - Most plants are short and have broad leaves; shaded Floor - Contains few nutrients; organic debris decomposes rapidly
Which may be causes of drought?
Change in weather patterns Change in wind direction Change in the direction of an ocean current
Which of the following are major threats to the survival of rain forests?
Commercial logging Subsistence farming Construction of dams Mining for natural resources Cattle production
Match the following particles to their approximate sizes.
Condensation nuclei - 0.002 mm in diameter Cloud droplets - 0.02 mm in diameter Typical raindrops - 2 mm in diameter
Which of the following explains how and why atmospheric pressure changes with altitude?
Density of molecules in the atmosphere decreases upward, as does the force of Earth's gravity. Atmospheric pressure lowers with increasing altitude.
Desertification may result from which of the following?
Diversion of surface water Overgrazing by livestock Extended periods of drought Poor farming techniques
Which of the following are major factors affecting regional climate?
Elevation Prevailing winds Latitude Types of ocean currents nearby
Which of the following areas are deserts?
Greenland and Antarctica Atacama and Gobi Mojave and Sonoran Sahara and Kalahari
Match three of the major current in the Northern Atlantic Ocean to the correct description.
Gulf Stream - A warm current that runs to the north along the US east coast Canary Current - A cold current that runs to the south along the coast of northwest Africa North Atlantic Drift - A warm current that brings warmth and energy to northwestern Europe
Which of the following are true about maps displaying air pressure?
H and L on the map indicate high- and low-pressure areas, respectively. Lines of equal pressure are called isobars.
Which are characteristics of a rain forest?
Has high annual rainfall and no freezing temperatures Has greatest species diversity of any land ecosystem May be either tropical or temperate
In the South Pacific along the western coast of South America, the ___________ Current brings cold water to the north.
Humboldt
Match the storm name with its location of formation, as shown on the image.
Hurricane - C Typhoon - A Cyclone - B
What is the acronym for the line along the equator where the northeast and southeast trade winds converge, creating a low-pressure zone with a large amount of rainfall that shifts by season?
ITCZ
The Mozambique Current, the Western Australian Current, and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current make up the surface circulation in the southern part of the ______ Ocean.
Indian
The Mozambique Current, the Western Australian Current, and the Antarctic Circumpolar Current make up the surface circulation in the southern part of the __________ Ocean.
Indian
Match oceans to their descriptions.
Indian Ocean - Most of it lies south of the equator and contains the Mozambique Current, the Western Australian Current, and parts of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current. Western Pacific Ocean - It is the largest ocean basin with one large gyre in each hemisphere centered in the subtropics. Its currents include the Kuroshio and East Australian currents. Artic Ocean - Surface waters flow into this ocean via the Bering, Labrador, and Greenland currents and out of it via the North Atlantic Drift. Southeastern Pacific Ocean - In this ocean, cold water flows north in the Humboldt Current before flowing west in the South Equatorial Current. Southern Atlantic Ocean - This ocean lies between South America and Africa and contains the cold Benguela Current and the warm Brazil Current.
Which of the following are true regarding atmospheric pressure?
May be measured by a barometer Is recorded in bars or millibars Is lower in the thermosphere than in the stratosphere Is caused by the weight of gas molecules, creating a force on Earth's surface
What is the primary cause of greater air pressure?
More molecular collisions
Of the surface currents in the Arctic Ocean, which is the only inflowing current?
North Atlantic Drift Reason: It is also the only warm current listed.
The Gulf Stream and the Canary Current are surface currents in the _________ _________ Ocean.
Northern Atlantic
The East Australian Current is a warm water surface current in the Southwestern __________ Ocean.
Pacific
Which are true of supercell thunderstorms?
Rare compared to regular thunderstorms Have a strong, rotating updraft Can generate powerful tornadoes Have anvil-shaped clouds
Which of the following factors influence the formation of precipitation?
Temperature Pressure Humidity
When warm surface currents flow past a landmass, and winds blow toward the land from the water, what happens to the climate of the land?
The climate of the land becomes warmer and wetter, as the wind takes heat and moisture from the warm current toward the landmass.
Which of the following accurately explain a sea breeze (the wind is blowing onshore)?
The land has warmed faster than the sea; it is likely daytime.
Which of the following are dangers associated with hurricanes?
The storm surge may cause flooding ahead of the storm. Very high-velocity winds exist. They can last for days and damage different regions.
Which of the following are true regarding hurricanes?
They are driven by energy from warm ocean water. They form in zones of low atmospheric pressure. Dry air flows down the center of a hurricane. They spiral counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere.
Which of the following statements accurately describe the importance of rain forests?
They contain at least 5 million species of plants and animals. They are responsible for about 30% of the photosynthetic activity on Earth and take in a lot of carbon dioxide.
Match the type of storm with its appropriate description.
Tornado - Violently rotating, funnel-shaped column of air that extends down to the ground; winds typically hundreds of kilometers per hour Hurricane - Tropical circulating mass of warm, moist air located over water; winds in excess of 117 kph Supercell - A column of turbulent, moist air with lightning rain, hail, and strong wind; a violent thunderstorm
True or false: Antarctica is a desert.
True
Which of the following factors directly influence the wind?
Unequal solar heating Heat absorbed by the evaporation of water Heat released by the condensation of water
Match the rain forest action with its importance to ecology.
Uptake of carbon dioxide - About 30% of photosynthetic activity is in rain forests; rain forests act as a buffer against climate change. Provide lush environments - At least 5 million species of plants and animals live in rain forests; they are the genetic storehouse for the world's ecology. Local climate - Rain forests take in solar energy that would otherwise strike the ground; they provide shade to keep the land cooler.
Which of the following are true about the surface currents in the world's oceans?
Warm and cold currents link up to form oval-shaped circulation patterns called gyres. Ocean currents transfer large amounts of energy around the surface of Earth.
Vapor
Water molecules escape from liquid water through evaporation; air sinks and warms, causing some water droplets to evaporate.
Match the occurrence with the appropriate height/temperature conditions.
Water vapor condenses to form microdrops - Water moves from greater height in the atmosphere to lower height Larger drops form, flatten due to wind resistance, and some break apart. - Both low and high in the atmosphere, water exists in the atmosphere under cold temperature Microdrops join together as water moves from higher in the atmosphere to lower in the atmosphere, under warm temperature conditions
Of the three surface currents listed for the Indian Ocean, which is a cool current that moves northward?
Western Australian Current
A hailstone is a ______.
ball of ice that forms within a cloud as updrafts and downdrafts keep ice aloft until it grows large enough to fall
Air that rises at the equator flows north and south aloft and then sinks at approximately 30° north and south, respectively, in a ____________ cell.
flow
The overall ______ of a region may be directly affected by latitude, elevation, ocean currents, prevailing wind directions, and other factors.
climate
As a cold air mass advances in on a warm air mass, a _________ front is created and is represented on a weather map by a _________ (color) line, whereas a __________ front is represented on a weather map by a __________ (color) line and is developed as a warm air mass advances on a cooler air mass.
cold; blue; warm; red
Immense seasonal storms that form in the Indian Ocean are called ___________, whereas if they form in the Atlantic, they are called __________, and if they form in the Pacific_________, they are called .
cyclones; hurricanes; typhoons
An arid region that receives less than 25 cm (10 in) rainfall per year is a(n) __________.
desert
Differences in the thermal responses of land and the sea influence the ______.
direction the wind blows
An extended period of below-average precipitation caused by changes in wind directions, weather patterns, or ocean currents is called ______.
drought
What lies behind nearly all destruction of rain forests, whether for subsidence farming or access to natural resources, are _________ pressures.
economic OR monetary
The primary contributor of water vapor to the atmosphere is ______.
evaporation at the ocean's surface
In the image, A represents the process of ______, whereas B shows the process of ______.
evaporation; condensation
When individual water molecules escape as a gas from liquid water, the process is called ________. When water vapor molecules in air bind together to form liquid water droplets, __________ occurs.
evaporation; condensation
The vertical movements of air are called ______.
updrafts and downdrafts
As a warm air mass advances on a cooler air mass, a ______ front is developed. If the opposite occurs, then a(n) ______ front is created instead.
warm; cold
The temperature, pressure, and precipitation conditions of the atmosphere for a specific place on a given day is called ____________, whereas a longer term view of these same factors, typically taken over a period of many years, is called __________.
weather; climate
The climate of eastern Australia is ______ due to the flow of winds across the ______ Current. In Europe, winds blow across the ______ to make the climate ______.
wetter; East Australian; Gulf Stream; more moderate
Surface ocean currents are mostly driven by ______, whereas deep-ocean currents are driven by ______.
wind; temperature and salinity
