Lab for Chapter 6 Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations PDF

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Weekly Homework Assignment with Santos...

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Geography 131: Physical Geography-Weather/Climate + Lab Lab #6 (30 Points) Talya Aasen Chapter 6: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations

1. Use the atmospheric pressure profile graph below.

Atmospheric pressure profile graph—the standard atmosphere—from the surface to 70 km

a) Mount Everest’s summit is 8850 m (29,035 ft) above sea level. What is the barometric pressure there according to the standard atmosphere? (3 points) 400 millibars b) Mount McKinley, 6194 m (20,320 ft); air pressure at the summit? (3 points) 500 millibars c) Mount Whitney, 4418 m (14,494 ft); air pressure at the summit? (3 points) 700 millibars d) Yellowstone Lake, Yellowstone N.P., 2356 m (7731 ft); air pressure? (3 points) 800 millibars e) In a commercial airliner taking you from San Francisco to New York at 12,000 m (39,400 ft), what percentage of atmospheric pressure is below your plane? (3 points)

300 millibars 2. Why does atmospheric pressure decrease so rapidly with altitude? (5 points) The pressure in the atmosphere may be interpreted as the total weight of the air above a unit area at any elevation. At higher elevations, there are less air molecules when compared to a similar surface at lower levels. With less air molecules the pressure decreases with altitude.

3. Use the global barometric pressure maps for January and July below.

a) Using these maps and your textbook explain the patterns of average atmospheric pressure over the landmasses. Are the patterns of high and low pressure caused by thermal or dynamic forces? (5 points) -In January: The air pressure seems to circulate in a centered manner across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. While below the equator, the air pressure appears densely packed. I think the patterns of the air pressure in this case is dynamic. The dynamic forces are complex thus they create a pattern of belts of various pressure. -In July: The air pressure ciruculates off the continents and above the water. While below the equator, the air pressure is not as densely packed. This is due to the thermal force because as the air is heated, it expands, and becomes less dense. b) In south and central Asia, given the pressure patterns you observe on the maps, what wind patterns (direction, velocity) would you expect to find and why? (5 points) -In January: I predict the winds would be eastbound in January as the air pressure circulates in a clockwise manner. The air pressure does not seem as dense so I would conclude that the velocity is low. -In July: I would predict the winds to be northbound in July as there is air pressure coming up from the South. The velocity would be higher in this case as the pressure is densely packed....