Meteorology Quiz 6

A station at an altitude of 300 m (about 1000 feet) above sea level measures an air pressure of 920 mb. Under normal conditions, which of the values below do you think would be the most realistic sea level pressure for this station? 840 mb 950 mb 1020 mb 1830 mb

950 mb

Which statement below is NOT correct concerning the Coriolis force? It causes the winds to deflect to the right in the Northern Hemisphere It is strongest at the equator It can cause winds to change direction, but not to increase or decrease in speed It deflects winds in opposite directions in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres

It is strongest at the equator

A surface low pressure center is generally associated with on an upper level isobaric chart. a trough a ridge zonal flow convergence

a trough

The contour lines drawn on a 500 mb chart are lines of constant: altitude. pressure. density. wind direction.

altitude.

To correctly monitor horizontal changes in air pressure, the most important correction for a mercury barometer measurement is the correction for: temperature. altitude. density. gravity.

altitude.

The pressure gradient force is directed from higher pressure toward lower pressure: only at the equator. at all places on earth except for the equator. only in the Northern Hemisphere. only in the Southern Hemisphere. at all places on earth.

at all places on earth.

Which of the following instruments measures pressure? barometer thermometer radiometer hygrometer densitometer

barometer

Cyclonic flow means __________ in either the Northern or Southern Hemisphere. clockwise wind flow counterclockwise flow circulation around a low pressure center circulation around a high pressure center

circulation around a low pressure center

The wind around a surface high pressure center in the Northern Hemisphere blows: counterclockwise and outward from the center. counterclockwise and inward toward the center. clockwise and outward from the center. clockwise and inward toward the center.

clockwise and outward from the center.

Two air columns extend from sea level up to an altitude of 10 km. If one column is cold and the other is warm, the air pressure in the cold column will __________ the air pressure in the warm column. decrease less rapidly with increasing height than decrease more rapidly with increasing height than increase more rapidly with increasing height than increase at the same rate as

decrease more rapidly with increasing height than

The surface pressures at the bases of warm and cold columns of air are equal. Air pressure in the warm column of air will __________ with increasing height __________ than in the cold column. decrease, more rapidly decrease, more slowly increase, more rapidly increase, more slowly

decrease, more slowly

Which of the following combinations produces the strongest Coriolis force? fast winds and low latitude fast winds and high latitude slow winds and low latitude slow winds and high latitude

fast winds and high latitude

A wind blowing at a constant speed parallel to straight line isobars with the pressure gradient force (PGF) and the Coriolis force in balance is called a: gradient wind. meridional wind. cyclostrophic wind. zonal wind. geostrophic wind.

geostrophic wind.

A wind that blows at a constant speed parallel to curved isobars or contour lines is called a: geostrophic wind. cyclonic wind. convergent wind. gradient wind.

gradient wind.

Which of the following forces does not have a direct effect on horizontal wind motions? pressure gradient force frictional force gravitational force Coriolis force

gravitational force

On an upper-level chart, normally we find warm air associated with __________ pressure, and cold air associated with __________ pressure. high, high low, low high, low low, high

high, low

When the upward-directed pressure gradient force is in balance with the downward pull of gravity, the atmosphere is in: hydrostatic equilibrium. unstable equilibrium. geostrophic balance. isobaric balance.

hydrostatic equilibrium.

If the earth's gravitational force were to increase, atmospheric pressure at the ground would: increase. decrease. remain the same. cause the atmosphere to expand vertically.

increase.

The net force on air moving in a circle at constant speed is: inward toward the center of rotation. zero. in the direction of wind motion. outward from the center of rotation.

inward toward the center of rotation.

Lines connecting points of equal pressure are called: isobars. millibars. contours. isotherms.

isobars.

Pressure changes: more rapidly in the horizontal direction than in the vertical. more rapidly in the vertical direction than in the horizontal. at the same rate in the horizontal and vertical directions. more rapidly in the vertical over land than over the ocean.

more rapidly in the vertical direction than in the horizontal.

On an upper-level chart the wind tends to blow: at right angles to the isobars or contour lines. parallel to the isobars or contours. at an angle between 10 and 30 to the contours and towards lower pressure. at constant speed.

parallel to the isobars or contours.

The force that would cause a stationary parcel of air to begin to move horizontally is called the: Coriolis force. pressure gradient force. centripetal force. frictional force.

pressure gradient force.

The amount of pressure change that occurs over a given horizontal distance is called the: pressure gradient. pressure tendency. Coriolis parameter. potential gradient. slope.

pressure gradient.

Which of the statements below is not correct concerning the pressure gradient force? pressure gradient. the PGF points from high to low pressure in the Northern Hemisphere it can cause the wind to speed up or slow down the PGF points from high to low pressure in the Southern Hemisphere

pressure gradient.

The surface pressures at the bases of warm and cold columns of air are equal. Which of the following statements is NOT correct? the cold air is more dense than the warm air both columns of air contain the same total number of air molecules the weight of each column of air is the same pressure will decrease with increasing height at the same rate in both columns

pressure will decrease with increasing height at the same rate in both columns

The scale on an altimeter indicates altitude, but an altimeter actually measures: temperature. density. pressure. humidity.

pressure.

Low __________ on a constant height chart corresponds to low __________ on a constant pressure chart. pressures, pressures pressures, heights heights, pressures heights, heights

pressures, heights

We can generally expect the air to be __________ above areas of surface low pressure and __________ above areas of surface high pressure. rising, rising sinking, sinking rising, sinking sinking, rising

rising, sinking

The net force acting on air which is blowing parallel to straight contours at constant speed is: in the direction of wind motion. to the right of the wind's motion in the Northern Hemisphere. zero. in a direction opposite the wind's motion.

zero.