GY 101 Chapter 3

Put the following sentences in order to describe the formation of a Chinook wind

1. Winds push moist air against a mountain. 2. The moist air rises and cools, releasing latent heat. 3. The air flows down the leeward side of the mountain 4. The air dries out and is compressed and heated, as the air descends into the lowlands.

Low pressure at mid-latitudes and the equator contribute to high-pressure systems around ___ degrees latitude.

30 and 90

The mid-latitudes lie between ___ and ___ degrees latitude, which represent the tropics and polar circles.

66.5 and 23.5

The ___ lows are specific examples of subpolar low-pressure systems.

Aleutain and lcelandic

Another name for a valley breeze is an ____ wind.

Anabatic

The inversely proportional relationship between the pressure and volume of a gas with constant temperature is known as ____ law.

Boyle's

Along the west coast of the US, warm, dry winds called ___ winds are common.

Chinook

The ___ effect is the result of the Earth's rotation and causes objects to appear to be deflected from their intended path.

Coriolis

The ____ effect is responsible for the direction of winds and storms, deflecting their movement to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

Coriolis

A lack of friction higher in the atmosphere causes the ___ to be greater.

Coriolis effect

______ air from high-pressure cells is brought to the interior of southeastern Asia during the winter.

Dry and cold

In January, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so the low pressure zone over the ___ moves south.

Equator

True or false: Very high in Earth's atmosphere (mesosphere), temperatures are high and pressure is low.

False

The hypothetical circulation system that is present over mid-latitudes is called the ___ cell.

Ferrel

Pronounced katabatic winds occur in ___ and ___ because they are high central landmasses covered by ice and surrounded by seawater.

Greenland and Antarctica

As the temperature of an air mass increases, its volume ____ and density decreases.

Increases

Determine what happens to the following properties of an atmospheric air body when it is warmed due to insolation by placing them in the correct category.

Increases: temperature and volume Decreases: density and pressure

____ is a measure of the Sun's energy that reaches a given area on Earth, which results in temperature and pressure changes in the atmosphere, leading to the movement of air masses.

Insolation

The stormy equatorial region where the northeast trade winds meet the southeast trade winds is known as the ___.

Intertropical Convergence Zone

Another name for a mountain breeze is a ___ wind.

Katabatic

On air-pressure maps, low-pressure areas are represented by the letter

L

The directness of the Sun's rays varies as a results of ____, resulting in differences in insolation on Earth's surface.

Latitude and seasons

Higher in the atmosphere (in the top of the mesosphere), temperatures are ____; also, gas molecules are sparse, so air pressure is ____.

Low; lower

Two main low-pressure areas exist over the ocean near the ___ Pole, whereas a continuous low-pressure belt is located over the water around the ___ Pole.

North; South

This is a photograph of a cyclone in the ___ Hemisphere.

Northern

Although winds around low-pressure systems flow counterclockwise in the ____ Hemisphere, they flow clockwise in the ___ Hemisphere as a result of difference in the Coriolis effect deflecting to the right or left, depending on the hemisphere.

Northern; Southern

Coriolis effect

Objects appear to be deflected as they move across Earth's surface due to the rotation of Earth

Wind blows away from high-pressure systems at the poles and is deflected west, resulting in the ____.

Polar easterlies

Which of the following are types of jet streams?

Polar front and subtropical

Monsoonal wind patterns affect ___.

Precipitation, flooding and agriculture

____ is a measure of force in a given area

Pressure

The meandering path of jet streams are ___ waves.

Rossby

Trade winds blow from the ___ in the subtropics toward the equator.

Southeast and northeast

What 3 processes have the strongest influence in creating the mid-latitude westerlies?

The Coriolis effect and air circulation patterns in the tropics and polar regions

Frictions

This works against movement as air masses interact with objects or neighboring air masses that are moving in a different direction

The pull of Earth's gravity causes air pressure to be highest in which layer of the atmosphere?

Troposphere

Wind barbs are symbols on maps that show the __ of the wind.

Velocity and direction

___ blow from the west and occur between 30 and 60 degrees latitude.

Westerlies

Pressure-gradient force

Winds blow from high to low pressure

Pressure gradients at low altitudes and the Coriolis effect at higher altitudes work together to create patterns of ___ flow that dominate weather systems.

air

Outward-flowing air around a high-pressure system rotates as a results of the Coriolis effect, resulting in a ___.

anticyclone

In the mid-latitudes, ___ migrate toward the east and equatorward.

anticyclones

On Earth's surface, air flows ____ the poles, creating a high-pressure system, so air aloft moves in to replace it.

away from

Polar easterlies blow ___ the poles and deflect strongly west due to the Coriolis effect

away from

Air pressure is measure with an instrument called a

barometer

If a missile is fired at and along 30 degrees north latitude and is intended to hit a location along the same latitude, it will ____.

be deflected to the right.

Human development can form temperature gradients, resulting in the movement of polluted air from ___ to rural areas.

cities

Air at the surface of the Northern hemisphere polar region is flowing away and deflected by the Coriolis effect so that it rotates in a ____ direction, whereas air aloft flows toward the pole and rotates ____.

clockwise; counterclockwise

Windy areas can be identified on a wind pressure map by ___ spaced isobars, which indicate a steep pressure gradient leading to fast wind speeds.

closely

The rising of warm, moist air and then the cooling of this air causes ___ to form in the tropics.

clouds

Warm, moist air rises and releases latent heart, forming ___.

clouds

The polar front jet streams bring ___ air to the mid-latitudes.

cold

At mid-latitudes, air from the suptropics and poles ____, creating a low-pressure system.

converge

Dynamic forcing describes ____ and ___ air currents that create areas of high and low pressure

converging and diverging

If viewed from above, air around the high-pressure system at the South Pole flows ____ as a result of the Coriolis effect.

counterclockwise

Inward-flowing air around a low-pressure system rotates as a result of the Coriolis effect, resulting in a(n) _______.

cyclone

As temperature decreases, gas molecules ___ in energy, decreasing pressure.

decrease

As you move up in elevation close to Earth's surface, air density and pressure _____.

decrease.

The lack of atmospheric mass overhead at high elevations on Earth's surface results in decreased air ___ and ___.

density and pressure

The ocean's absolute temperature ___ at night due to its high specific heat.

does not change

The destruction from wildfires associated with Santa Ana winds can be exacerbated by ____, an unusually low level of precipitation.

drought

Santa Ana winds bring ___ air from the Mojave Desert, which is located to the northeast of Southern California.

dry and hot

A high-pressure zone around 30 degrees latitude causes surface air to flow toward the ____, where warm tropical air is rising and needs to be replaced.

equator

At the surface, a high pressure zone forms at about 30 degrees latitude, causing air to flow toward the ___ within the Hadley cells.

equator

Because of warm air rising, the tropopause is highest at the _______.

equator

Earth's circumference is largest at the ___.

equator

In January, it is summer in the Southern Hemisphere, so the low-pressure zone over the ___ moves south.

equator

Insolation is highest at the ____ and decreases as you move toward the poles.

equator

The rotation of an object around Earth's ____ has to be faster than anywhere else.

equator

Clockwise circulation around high pressure zones in the Northern Hemisphere subtropics pushes cold air toward the ___ and warm air toward the ___.

equator and poles

When a missile is fired and travels from zero degrees latitude to 30 degrees latitude, it is traveling ___ a similar missile that travels parallel to the line of 30 degrees latitude.

faster than

The ____ of the collisions between has molecules with their container is a gas's pressure.

force

The lowest 1 km of Earth's atmosphere is known as the ___ layer, which resists the flow of air, slowing it down.

friction

While the pressure-gradient force cause the movement of air, ___ opposes it.

friction

Differences in air pressure results in a pressure

gradient.

Air pressure is highest close to Earth's surface because of the pull of Earth's ___ holds has molecules close.

gravity

The Coriolis effect is ____ for an object with greater velocity than an object with less.

greater

A unique property of water is its high specific ___ capacity relative to land.

heat

Engines, street lights, buildings, and roads all emit ____, resulting in an island of greater heat in highly populated urban areas.

heat

Because of a ___-pressure system in the subtropics, surface air flows away toward higher latitudes.

high

The Coriolis effect is strongest at ___ latitudes because the difference in velocity of Earth is changing most rapidly.

high

Air moves from areas of ____ pressure to areas of ____ pressure

high to low

Winds rotate in toward a ______-pressure system and in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the right by the Coriolis effect, resulting in ______ flow.

high; clockwise

____ pressure zones are associated with the sinking of cold air, whereas ___ pressure zones are associated with the rising of warm air.

high; low

Because of water's relatively high specific heat, high-pressure regions in the subtropics are ____ over water than over land.

higher

Near 30 degrees north and south latitude are the ___ latitudes; they can have weeks without wind, resulting in dangerous shipping conditions.

horse

The hypothetical circulation system that we call the Ferrell cell is located ___.

in the mid-latitudes

According to the Ideal Gas Law, as the temperature of a gas remains constant and its pressure increase, its density will ____.

increase

Friction is greatest at Earth's surface compare to aloft, causing air speed to ___ with increasing altitude.

increase

Converging air currents ____ air pressure, whereas diverging air currents ___ air pressure. The force created by such currents is referred to as dynamic forcing.

increase; decrease

Because the Coriolis effect is proportional to wind speed, it ___ higher in the atmosphere as the effect of friction decreases.

increases

Changing in latitude and season lead to differences in the angle and intensity of the Sun's rays, resulting directly in differences in ___.

insolation

Contour lines that connect constant heights where a given amount of pressure is reached are called:

isohypses

Fast moving narrow wind currents at mid-latitudes are known as ___ streams

jet

Wind speed can be expressed in ____.

knots and miles or kilometers per hour

Due to its lack of ___, the area around Southern Hemisphere mid-latitude lows can be extremely windy and stormy.

land

Deflection occurs due to the Coriolis effect along and between lines of ___ on Earth's surface.

latitude

Wind flows up the windward side of a mountain and back down the ___ side.

leeward

At night a ___-pressure system over the water forms as a results of its relatively high specific heat and therefore warmer temperature relative to the land, resulting in an offshore breeze.

low

High insolation at the equator causes warm air to rise, creating a ___-pressure area.

low

In the northern Atlantic, during the winer, ___-pressure systems typically form.

low

In the northern Atlantic, during the winter, ___-pressure systems typically form.

low

Land a relatively ___ specific heat when compared to the adjacent ocean, creating a high-pressure area over the land at night as the air above it cool relatively quickly.

low

The low specific heat of land created a ___ -pressure area during the day because the land is warm compared to the adjacent sea.

low

Winds rotate in toward a ______-pressure system and in the Northern Hemisphere are deflected to the right by the Coriolis effect, resulting in ______ flow.

low; counterclockwise

Hadley cell circulation is a result of air rising at the equatorial ___-pressure zone and descending at the subtropical ____-pressure zone.

low; high

Hadley cell circulation is the results of air rising at the equatorial ___-pressure zone and descending at the subtropical ___-pressure zone.

low; high

Because of land's relatively low specific heat, low-pressure regions at the equator and mid-latitudes are ____ over land than over water.

lower

The ____ latitudes are located between the tropics and polar circles.

mid-

Air pressure is measured in ___.

millibars and bars

During summer in southeastern Asia, a low-pressure system over the Asian landmass brings ___ air to the region.

moist and warm

A seasonally reversing wind is called a ____.

monsoon

Differential heating causes differences in air pressure and density, which is a result in air ___.

movement

Friction resists the ___ of air.

movement

In the Northern Hemisphere summer, the ITCZ and both Hadley cells migrate ____.

north

A northwest wind blows from the ___.

northeast

The steam-powered ship changed ocean travel because people were no longer reliant on ___ to plan their trips.

ocean currents and wind

During the day the land is warmer than the sea, so air rises and moves aloft ___.

offshore

As air flows ____ from a high pressure system, it is replaces by incoming air.

outward

The geostrophic level is the level at which wind flows ___ the pressure gradient as the result of Coriolis deflection; it occurs where air pressure is about half that at the surface.

parallel to

Cold air is brought to the center of North American by the ___ front jet stream.

polar

Surface air flows away from the poles, resulting in a low-pressure system between 45 and 60 degrees latitude, contributing to the circulation of the ____ cell.

polar

Surface air flows aways from the poles, resulting in a low-pressure system between 45 and 60 degrees latitude, contributing to the circulation of the ___ cell.

polar

Warm air on the subtropical side of mid-latitudes should be rising and cold air on the polar side should be sinking, but the action of the neighboring ___ and ____ cells goes against this movement, resulting in a near lack of a circulation cell in this region.

polar and Hadley

Leif Erickson likely visited North America before Christopher Columbus, traveling westward on the ____.

polar easterlies

The polar jet streams bend toward the ___ at a ridge and in the opposite direction at a trough.

pole

An object located at one of Earth's ___ does not travel any distance as Earth spins.

poles

The subpolar lows are formed by surface air moving away from the ____, setting up circulation of the polar cell.

poles

Cities surrounded by tall mountains will suffer from air ____ because the daytime valley breeze is unable to push the air over the ridge before the mountain breeze dominates at night.

pollution

A barometer measures the ___ of the air.

pressure

Air initially starts moving as a direct result of differences in ____.

pressure

Isobars connect areas of equal ____.

pressure

Difference in air ___ and ___ directly cause air movement, an indirect result of differential insolation.

pressure and density

Differences in air ___ and ___ directly cause air movement, indirect result of differential insolation.

pressure and density

The lack of atmospheric mass overhead at high elevation on Earth's surface results in decreased air ___ and ____.

pressure and density

The ____ starts air moving.

pressure gradient

Geostrophic wind, which flows parallel to isobars, occurs when only the ___ force and ___ are directing the wind's flow.

pressure-gradient and the Coriolis effect

An elongated area of high pressure is called a ____.

ridge

As a result of the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere, winds always are deflected:

right

A(n) ____ breeze is a cool one that moves from high pressure over the ocean toward low pressure over land.

sea

The ___ trade between Africa and the southeastern US relied heavily on the trade winds and was important for the agricultural productivity of the southeastern US.

slave

During the Northern Hemisphere winter, the low pressure zone over the equator moves ___.

south

Monsoon circulations are apparent in ____.

southwestern US, West Africa, northern Australia, and southeastern Asia

Friction can be the result of internal differences in the ___ and ___ of adjacent air masses.

speed and direction

When a missile is launched from the equator toward the pole in the Northern Hemisphere, relative to a fixed reference point in space, its travels ___.

straight

Insolation directly results in changes in the ___ of a gas, which then results in changes in pressure, leading to motion in the atmosphere.

temperature

The Ideal Gas Law equation multiples ___ and ___ by a constant represented by R.

temperature and density

The Ideal Gas Law relates a gas's pressure to its ___.

temperature and density

Geostrophic wind, which flows parallel to isobars, occurs when only the ___ force and ____ are directing the wind's flow.

the Coriolis effect and pressure-gradient

Air is more ____ at Earth's surface due to the frictional effect of hills, mountains, valleys, and buildings.

turbulent

A local, upward flow of air in the atmosphere is called a(n) ____, whereas a local downward flow is a(n) ____.

updraft; downdraft

The temperature of a gas is directly proportional to its ____.

volume

Chinook winds are ____.

warm and dry

High pressure areas over the poles make oceans ___ adjacent land.

warmer than

Changes in the patterns on air-pressure maps show changes in ____.

weather

The Sun is the main source of energy for ____.

weather, climate, and atmospheric motion

Patterns of air circulation largely determine a region's ____.

weather, winds, and climate

Because of the Coriolis effect, objects moving from higher to lower latitudes appear to be deflected ___.

west

Winds in southern California normally blow from ___, but Santa Ana winds blow in the opposite direction.

west to east

Friction decrease with altitude, so the upper-level ____ winds at mid-latitudes are quite strong.

westerly

The roaring forties are especially strong ____ winds in the Southern Hemisphere.

westerly

Santa Ana winds often cause ____, resulting in the burning of thousands of homes.

wildfires

Movement of air as a result of pressure gradients is called:

wind

The movement of air relative to Earth's surface is called ___.

wind

The term "monsoon" refers to changes in ___ patterns depending on the season.

wind

The ___ side of a mountain or island is the side toward which the wind is blowing

windward

The path around Earth is longest at ___ degrees latitude.

zero