OCE1001 Ch. 6

Why does air tend to rise in equatorial regions?

Equatorial regions recieve more direct sunlight than other areas

A maritime polar air mass is likely to be dry and cold

False

An iceberg is a variety of sea ice

False

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

Saffir-simpson scaled

Which way would wind travel in the region between 30 and 60 degrees latitude if Earth stopped rotating?

South in the southern hemisphere and north in the northern hemisphere

what determines whether a front is called a cold or warm front?

The type of front is determined by which air mass is moving.

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

The angle at which direct sunlight strikes the ocean's surface is important in determining the amount of solar energy that is absorbed.

True

The large atmospheric circulation cells that occur between the equator and 30 latitude in each hemisphere are called Hadley Cells

True

The saffir-simpson scale rates the relative intensity of tropical cyclones

True

Warm air can hold more water vapor than cold air

True

Which of the following names mean "tropical cyclone"

Typhoon Cyclone Hurricane

Winds blowing out of the north toward the south in the Southern Hemisphere will appear to

be deflected toward the east

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

cold, dry sinking air in the polar high regions produce little precipitation

Most abundant greenhouse gas that also influences air density

water vapor

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

Which direction would an airplane deflect if flying across South Africa from the west coast to the east coast?

toward the north

Which way would an airplace deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?

toward the right

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the North Pole toward the equator?

toward the west

The wind belts with strong, reliable, generally easterly winds are the

trade winds

The oceanic climate regions where the majority of strong tropical cyclonic storms are produced is

tropical

the boundary between the tropsphere and the stratosphere

tropopause

Where are Hadley cells found?

in the atmosphere near the equator

Tropic of Cancer

located 23.5 N latitude

Polar easterlies

prevailing wind pattern at polar latitudes

why does rain occur near a warm front?

rising warm air cools, resulting in cloud formation and rain

The two factors that are most important in determing 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

Of the following characteristics or features, which is/are associated with middle latitude storms, such as those that originate in the North Pacific Ocean between 40 and 60 degrees latitude? A) the prevailing westerlies B) the jet stream C) the polar front D) movement from east to west E) contrasting air masses

A) the prevailing westerlies

Of the following statements about the doldrums, which is/are true? A)This is also known as the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). B) The doldrums are the boundary between the northeast trade winds and the southeast trade winds. C)The doldrums are found as a global belt along the equator. D) There is usually little wind but a lot of rain associated with the doldrums. E)The doldrums are an area of low atmospheric pressure.

A)This is also known as the intertropical convergence zone B) The doldrums are the boundary between the NE and SE trade winds D) There is usually little wind but a lot of rain associated with doldrums C) The doldrums are found as a global belt along the equator E) THe doldrums are an area of low atmospheric pressure

Describe the difference between cyclonic and anti-cyclonic flow and show how the Coriolis effect is important in producing both clockwise and counterclockwise flow patterns

As air moves away from high-pressure regions and toward low-pressure regions, the Coriolis effect modifies its direction. In the Northern Hemisphere, air moving from high to low pressure curves to the right and results in a counterclockwise (cyclonic) flow of air around low-pressure cells. Similarly, as air leaves the high-pressure region and curves to the right, it establishes a clockwise (anti-cyclonic) flow of air around high-pressure cells

Why is heavy rain associated with hurricane formation

Rising moist air cools. As air cools, water condenses and eventually falls

Why does rain occur near a cold front?

Rising warm air cools, resulting in cloud formation and rain

The intensity of tropical cyclones is measured by meterologists using the _____ scale

Saffir-Simpson

The Coriolis effect describes how moving objects on Earth appear to follow curved paths due to Earth's rotation.

True

What is an end moraine

a ridge of debris deposited at the end of the glacier

Why are anticyclones not generally associated with clouds and rain?

air in anti-cyclones unduergoes warming as the air descends

Why are cyclones generally associated with clouds and rain?

air in cyclones undergoes cooling as it rises

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

albedo

Inter-tropical Convergence Zone

area where warm, moist air rises close to the equator

Which areas of Earth experience the most precipitation?

areas near the ITCZ

Which way does air move in an anticyclone in the Northern Hemisphere?

down, and in a clockwise direction

Which way does air move in an anticyclone in the Southern Hemisphere?

down, and in a counterclockwise direction

When would you expect the low-pressure cell over the North Pole to be most developed?

during the northern hemisphere winter

When ice forms from water, the remaining seawater will have a

higher salinity

which way does air converge in the southern hemisphere?

in a clockwise direction

Which was does air converge on a cyclone in the northern hemisphere?

in a counterclockwise direction

Where do glaciers form

in places where more snow falls in the winter than melts away in the summer

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

summer solstice

What is a front?

the boundary between two air masses of different temperatures

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 is the snowline

the elevation above which snow persists throughout the year

The average albedo of Earth's surface is a bout

30%

How big can the diameter of a hurricane become?

500 miles

Variable winds that result in generally clear, dry and fair conditions with cold temperatures and minimal precipitation are labeled

6

How many wind and pressure systems are contained within Earth's atmosphere

7

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern. A. nitrogen B. albedo C. oxygen D. troposphere E. water vapor

B. albedo

Where are tropical cyclones found?

Lower and middle latitudes

How does an end moraine form?

Pieces of rock are transported to the front of a glacier as ice within the glacier moves

Where does rain occur in a cold front?

Rain occurs along and behind a cold front

Where does rain occur in a warm front

Rain occurs along and in front of a warm front

How does the location of the ITCZ chance over time?

The ITCZ migrates south of the equator in Northern Hemisphere winter and north of the equator in Northern Hemisphere summer.

What is the air that sinks at latitudes of 30 degrees north and south like?

The air is cool and dry

Describe the physical properties of the atmosphere, including its composition, temperature, density, water vapor content, pressure, and movement

The atmosphere is composed almost entirely of nitrogen and oxygen. The lowest portion of the atmosphere is the troposphere, which is the area where temperature gets cooler with altitude. Warm air is less dense and so it rises. Cold air is denser, so it sinks. Warm air can also hold more water vapor than cold air because the air molecules are moving more quickly and encounter more water vapor. Atmospheric pressure is 14.7 pounds per square inch at sea level and decreases with increasing altitude. Air always moves from high-pressure regions toward low-pressure regions.

Will plucking occur if a glacier is not advancing?

Yes, because glacial ice is still moving inside the glacier even if the glacier's front is not advancing.

what is an anticyclone?

a center of high atmospheric pressure

What is a cyclone

a center of low atmospheric pressure

What is a tropical cyclone?

a low pressure disturbance that develops over warm, tropical waters

The temperate regions are characterized by

westerly winds

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

Examine the five words and/or phrases and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases. Choose the one option that does not fit the pattern. A. maximum sustained winds B. minimum central pressure C. sea surface salinity D. storm surge E. storm diameter

C. sea surface salinity

Why does wind between the equator and 30 degrees south come out of the southeast?

Cooled air moves north toward equator and is deflected west by the coriolosis effect

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

What term is used to describe the effect on air movement produced by Earth's rotation?

Coriolis effect

Which of the following are valid names of boundaries between global wind belts or at the poles? A) the jet stream B) the ozone layer C) the polar front D) the horse latitudes E) the doldrums F) the polar high

D) the horse latitudes

Describe the types of destruction caused by hurricanes. Which one causes the majority of fatalities and destruction?

Destruction from hurricanes is caused by high winds and flooding from intense rainfall. Storm surge, however, causes the majority of a hurricane's coastal destruction and loss of life. In fact, storm surge is responsible for 90% of the deaths associated with hurricanes.

Trade winds can be found between 30 and 60 N and S latitudes

False

A zone of high atomspheric pressure results when there is relatively _____ air aloft

cool, dry

Low pressure regions in the northern hemisphere rotate

counterclockwise

Within the trophosphere, the atmosphere gets warmer with increasing altitude

false

the autumnal equinox occurs when the sun is directly overhead along the equator in march

false

What drives Hadley cell circulation

heating from the sun

How does air move near the top of the cyclone

in the same direction as air in the upper atmopshere

Which of the following are influenced by Coriolis effect. Select all that apply. rainbow ocean currents helicopter, on a flight baseball, when hit by a bat by someone located on the equator

ocean currents helicopter

How are rain patterns different near warm and cold fronts?

rain near a cold front occurs over a smaller spatial area and is more intense than near a warm front

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

sea breeze

What two features are many of Earth's deserts associated with?

the subtropical highs and cool ocean currents found along the west coasts of continents

Which way would an airplane deflect if flying from the South Pole toward the equator?

toward the left

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

troposphere

Under what conditions will the front of a glacier remain stationary?

when melting and snow accumulation are equal