GEOS 218 Exam 3 Review
Where do most of the world's tornadoes occur?
"Tornado Alley" or Central US
Why are there Easterly winds in the Tropics in both hemispheres?
-Direct heating in the tropics causes air to rise -This air flow poleward aloft and descends around 30°N and 30°S -Air flows at the ground from north and south of the equator toward the equator to replace the rising air -Flow from the north in the northern hemisphere is turned to the right by the Coriolis force - toward the west or in an easterly direction -Flow from the south in the southern hemisphere is turned to the left by the Coriolis force - toward the west or in an easterly direction
Name 3 ways that heat is carried from the tropics to the poles on Earth by the atmosphere and ocean
-Warm air moving from tropics to poles, cooling and releasing heat -Warm water moving from tropics to poles, cooling and releasing heat -Evaporation from heating in tropics stores energy as vapor in air. Air transports vapor to poles where it cools and condenses into clouds/rain and releases the stored heat
Compared to today, sea level during the last ice age was: -120m lower -There is no way to tell 1About the same -120m higher
120m lower
How much warning time is typical before a tornado strikes?
13 minutes
What fraction is sea water on average is salt? -50% -10.1% -35% -3.5%
3.5%
Roughly what fraction of the world's tornadoes occur in the U.S.?
3/4
At which latitudes are there deserts on Earth? -0° (the equator) -30°N and 30°S -60°N and 60°S -All of these
30°N and 30°S
Roughly what fraction of the world's tornadoes occur in the U.S.?
70%
What fraction of the earth's surface is covered by oceans? -10% -50% -70% -30%
70%
How warm does the ocean need to be to form or sustain a hurricane?
79 OF
Which is NOT needed for a hurricane to form? -Very warm surface water -The Coriolis force -A cold front -Weak upper-level winds
A cold front
What is the large, main cloud structure that forms before a tornado called?
A wall cloud
How much lead time does a typical tornado warning give?
About 15 minutes
How many people die per year (on average) in the U.S. from severe weather? -Less than 10 -About 100 -About 500 -More than 1000
About 500
in the How many people die per year U.S. from severe weather? -Less than 10 -About 100 -About 500 -About 1000 -More than 10,000
About 500
What fraction of the world's tornadoes occur in the United States? -About 33% -About 10% -About 70% -All of them
About 70%
Which of the following is NOT associated with rain? -Cold fronts -Air flowing downward off of a mountain -Air flowing upward over a mountain -Warm fronts
Air flowing downward off of a mountain
Which of the three transport mechanisms above moves the most heat?
Air moving vapor around
New Orleans is particularly vulnerable to hurricanes because: -The city is mostly below sea level -The city and the delta it is built on are slowly subsiding -Hurricanes have historically hit the city about once a decade over the past hundred years -Sea level is rising which adds to effects of storm surge -All of the above
All of the above
Low pressure is generally associated with: -Rainy conditions -Rising air -Converging air flow -All of these
All of these
Thunderstorms can be formed when: -A cold front runs into a warm front -The ground is heated rapidly -Two separate warm air masses collide -All of these
All of these
Thunderstorms can be formed when: -A cold front runs into a warm front -The ground is heated rapidly -Two separate warm air masses collide -All of these
All of these
What is the definition of an air mass?
An air mass is a large body of air fairly similar to temperature and humidity.
A rogue wave is defined as: -Any wave over 40 feet tall -There is no definition, since they don't really exist - Awave caused by an earthquake -Any wave that is more than twice as big as the average wave in the area
Any wave that is more than twice as big as the average wave in the area
On what parameter are hurricanes classified (e.g. rainfall, storm surge, wind speed)
By their current maximum windspeeds, divided up into 5 categories
Which is true about climate and weather? -Weather can change, but the earth's climate is constant -Climate is long-term average, and weather is day-to-day changes -Weather is long-term average, and climate is day-to-day changes -Weather and climate are interchangeable terms
Climate is long-term average, and weather is day-to-day changes
Which of the following is NOT associated with thunderstorms? -Cold fronts -Lightning -Warm fronts -Hail
Cold fronts
Which of the following is NOT usually associated with hurricanes? -High winds -Storm surge -Intense rainfall -Cold fronts
Cold fronts
What aspect of tornadoes does this scale rank them on?
Damages (speed is hard to measure accurately)
The number of annual deaths from tornadoes is: -Increasing -Staying the same -Decreasing
Decreasing
Which of the following is NOT caused by rising air? -Adiabatic cooling -Deserts -Increasing humidity -Thunderstorms
Deserts
The equator is warmer than the poles because: -It is closer to the sun -Direct sunlight at the equator -Indirect sunlight at the equator -Geothermal heating
Direct sunlight at the equator
Sea level is rising today -Due to both warming and ice melt -Due to warming -Due to melting land ice -Sea is not rising, it is getting lower
Due to both warming and ice melt
What is the name of the scale we use to rank tornadoes?
EF scale
Which process stores the most heat? -Raising air from sea level to a mountain top -Evaporating 1 gram of water into vapor -Melting 1 gram of ice into water -Condensing 1 gram of vapor into water
Evaporating 1 gram of water into vapor
Most lightning deaths occur in: -Arizona -Florida -Техas -Washington
Florida
The state with the highest incidence of thunderstorms in the US is: -Arizona -Washington -Massachusetts -Florida
Florida
What is the name of the scale on which tornadoes are ranked?
Fujita or Enhanced Fujita
Sinking air will _____. -Get warmer due to adiabatic compression -Get warmer due to adiabatic expansion -Get colder due to adiabatic expansion -Have increasing relative humidity
Get warmer due to adiabatic compression
Where does the warm, moist air come from?
Gulf of Mexico
The name for the circulation of air in the tropics- rising at the equator, flow toward the pole aloft, sinking at 30° and flow back toward the equator at the ground- is known as the _____ cell. -Hadley -Solar -Thermal -Tropical
Hadley
Most weather related deaths in the US annually are associated with: -Heat -Hurricanes -Tornadoes -Cold/Winter storm
Heat
Which form of severe weather kills the most people in the U.S. in the average year? -Heat -Winter Storm/Cold -Lightning -Tornado
Heat
Which form of severe weather kills the most people in the U.S.? -Heat -Winter -Storm/Cold -Flood -Hurricane -Lightning -Tornado
Heat
Rising air is NOT associated with: -High pressure -The passage of a cold front -Convection -Rainfall
High pressure
How does air behave at a cold front?
In cold front the warm moist air is lifted upward which may result in thunderstorms.
Most hurricanes occur: -In the late summer -In the deep winter -During El Ninos -In the South Atlantic
In the late summer
Hurricane Sandy was especially damaging because: -We had no warning about where it would made landfall -It was an especially large storm (-1000m across) -It had especially strong winds (> 180mph) -It dumped an unusually large amount of rain (> 30in)
It was an especially large storm (-1000m across)
Hurricane Sandy was unique because _____. -It was an especially large storm (1000 miles across) -It had especially strong winds (above 200 miles per hour) -It generated hundreds of tornadoes -It made landfall in New Jersey
It was an especially large storm (1000 miles across)
Which of the following statements about Hurricane Katrina is true? -It was a surprise because all the levees held and there was no flooding -It was not a surprise because hurricanes hit New Orleans every few years -It was a surprise because it was predicted to hit Southern Texas and changed direction at the last minute -It was a a surprise because New Orleans had never been hit by a hurricane before
It was not a surprise because hurricanes hit New Orleans every few years
Monsoons happen because: -The equator is warmer than the poles -The earths axis is tilted and we have seasons -Land and Ocean heat up and cool down at different rates -Global warming is occurring
Land and Ocean heat up and cool down at different rates
Tornadoes are most common in _____. -Mid-winter -Late spring -Late summer -October
Late spring
What are the differences between a tropical storm, a hurricane and a typhoon?
Location- Large tropical storms are names hurricanes in the Atlantic while typhoons are in the pacific.
Sea level does NOT depend on: -Melting of glaciers and ice caps -Melting of Arctic sea ice -Temperature of the ocean -Shape of the ocean basins
Melting of Arctic sea ice
Wind waves in the open ocean -Move in the opposite direction of the wind -Don't move the water below 10 feet down -Move the water long distances -Move energy through the water, but the water itself stays at roughly the same place
Move energy through the water, but the water itself stays at roughly the same place
The most common gas in our atmosphere is: -Water -Oxygen -Carbon Dioxide -Nitrogen
Nitrogen
In order from most to least, the major gases in our atmosphere are: -Carbon dioxide, methane, water, oxygen -Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide -Radon, krypton, chlorine, natural gas -Oxygen, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium
Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, carbon dioxide
Which season (winter, spring, summer or fall) has the highest hurricane activity in the Atlantic?
SUMMER
What is the difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane?
Same form but TS has wind speeds 39-73mph and Hurricanes have speeds>-74 mph
What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon?
Same storm, but different locations: Hurricanes in Atlantic, Typhoons in Pacific
The equator is warmer than the poles because: -Solar energy is more concentrated at the poles -The Coriolis force is strongest at the equator -Solar energy is more concentrated at the equator -The equator is closer to the sun than the poles are
Solar energy is more concentrated at the equator
Hurricane season: August, September, October: What controls this timing?
Solar energy maximum in summer
How does total energy received from the sun (solar) compare to the energy escaping from inside the earth (geothermal)? -Geothermal is much greater than solar -Solar is much greater than geothermal -We don't know as both are nearly impossible to measure -Geothermal is about the same as solar
Solar is much greater than geothermal
Weather and climate are primarily driven by what source of energy? -Earth's core -Earth's internal heat -Solar radiation -Tidal forces
Solar radiation
What are the three main ways that hurricanes cause damage to people and property?
Strong winds, flooding and storm surges
Tornadoes are most closely associated with the formation of: -Thunderstorms -Supercells -Hurricanes -Warm fronts
Supercells
The Fujita and Enhanced Fujita tornado scales rank tornadoes based on: -The amount of damage that occurs -Measured wind speed from radar -The width of the tornado -Measured pressure drop inside the tornado
The amount of damage that occurs
The number of tornado deaths per year is generally decreasing because: -The number of tornadoes is decreasing due to global warming -We build structures that can withstand all but the strongest tornadoes -The amount of lead time between the warning and the tornado's arrival has increased -The number of tornado deaths is actually rising
The amount of lead time between the warning and the tornado's arrival has increased
Which of the following is true about hurricanes? -They always form right on the equator -The wind speeds in a hurricane are at least 120 mph -The can only form over water warmer than 79°F - A typhoon refers to a small storm with wind speeds less than 50mph
The can only form over water warmer than 79°F
Which of these does NOT affect the size of wind-driven waves? -The area over which the wind blows -The wind speed -The length of time the wind blows -The temperature of the wind and the water
The temperature of the wind and the water
Which is NOT true about tornadoes? -They are generally formed from supercells -They are generally 100's of miles wide -They can produce the fastest winds of any weather phenomenon -The highest concentration of tornadoes in the world is in the central US
They are generally 100's of miles wide
Which is true about hurricanes? -The always have wind speeds over 120mph -They always form over land -They are high pressure systems -They spin clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the North
They spin clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the North
What is the area with the most tornadoes annually called, and where is it located?
Tornado Alley
Which of the following was not associated with Hurricane Katrina? -Massive storm surge -Tornado activity -Very strong winds -Very heavy rainfall
Tornado activity
The above map shows the annual frequency of ______. -Hurricanes -Lightning -Tornadoes -Warm fronts
Tornadoes
Explain in a few words why the tropics are warmer than the poles.
Tropics receive direct sunlight (more concentrated) while poles receive indirect sunlight- slanted so more spread out
Tropical storms called hurricanes in the Atlantic are called what in the Western Pacific? -Cyclones -Depressions -Typhoons -Hurricanes
Typhoons
Jet streams are _____. -Strong currents in the ocean -Upper level bands of high-velocity air flowing from east to west over the equator -Upper level bands of high-velocity air flowing from west to east in the mid-latitudes -Vapor trails from commercial airlines
Upper level bands of high-velocity air flowing from west to east in the mid-latitudes
What aspect of hurricanes does the Saffir-Simpson scale rank them on?
WIND SPEED
What happens at a warm front? -Cold air rises over the warm air to form clouds and rain -Cold air pushes warm air rapidly upward which cools to form clouds and rain and thunderstorms -Warm air falls to form rain -Warm air rises gently to form clouds and rain and drizzle
Warm air rises gently to form clouds and rain and drizzle
Which of these is NOT associated with typical hurricanes? -Strong wind -Water spouts -Storm surge -Heavy rain fall
Water spouts
Surface ocean currents generally move... -With the wind -Against the wind -At right angles to the wind -It is random
With the wind
With global warming, we expect hurricanes to: -Increase in number, but not in strength -Increase in strength, but not in number -Increase in both number and strength -Decrease in number and strength -a, b, or c (but not d): we don't have enough evidence to say yet
a, b, or c (but not d): we don't have enough evidence to say yet
The greenhouse effect is _____. -solely due to human activity and has only been around since the Industrial Revolution -entirely natural and is responsible for keeping the Earth's surface habitable -the increase in carbon dioxide in the atmosphere -what causes the seasons
entirely natural and is responsible for keeping the Earth's surface habitable
As air rises, it will: -expand and cool -compress and warm -expand and warm -compress and cool
expand and cool
The strongest winds in a (Northern Hemisphere) hurricane are _____. -in the eye -in the eye wall -typically about 100 miles away from the eye -on the left-hand side of the storm (looking in the direction the hurricane is moving)
in the eye wall
Hurricanes around a central core in the Southern Hemisphere. -rotate in a clockwise direction -rotate in a counterclockwise direction -move in a back and forth motion -move in a random pattern
rotate in a clockwise direction
Which of the following has the highest albedo? -snow -ocean -forest -sand
snow
The Coriolis force occurs because ______. -the moon is pulling on the Earth -the Earth is revolving around the sun -the velocity of Earth's rotation varies by latitude -all of the above
the velocity of Earth's rotation varies by latitude
Where in the atmosphere does weather happen? -stratosphere -weather zone -ozone layer -troposphere
troposphere
Hurricanes are _____ and tornadoes are _____. -created in supercells; created over very warm ocean water -common in winter; also common in winter -usually 100's of miles across; usually less than 1 mile across -found in the Western Pacific; found in the Atlantic, but both are the same
usually 100's of miles across; usually less than 1 mile across
The difference between weather and climate is _____. -weather is local, climate is regional -weather is a day-to-day phenomenon, climate is a long-term average -weather is just the non-scientific term for climate -there is no difference between the two-the terms are interchangeable
weather is a day-to-day phenomenon, climate is a long-term average
The uneven distribution of solar radiation, the pull of gravity and the rotation of the Earth combine to produce _______. -earthquakes and volcanic eruptions -mass extinctions -the greenhouse effect -winds and ocean currents
winds and ocean currents
