TB 07 - Testbank 1 for atmosphere and climate material for university students. This PDF

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Testbank 1 for atmosphere and climate material for university students. This will go over specific questions in each chapter...

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Chapter 7 Atmospheric Circulations Multiple Choice Exam Questions 1.

Which of the following associations is most accurate? a. microscale - chinook wind b. synoptic scale - sea breeze c. mesoscale - land breeze d. planetary scale - lake breeze ANSWER: c

2.

Which below is not true concerning an "air pocket?" a. can form in a downdraft of an eddy b. often form in the atmosphere where the air is too thin to support the wings of an airplane c. often form in regions that exhibit strong vertical wind shear d. can develop in clear air ANSWER: b

3.

Clear Air Turbulence (CAT) can occur a. near a jet stream. b. in areas of mountain waves. c. where strong wind shear exists. d. all of these. ANSWER: d

4.

Which is not a characteristic of a thermal low? a. forms in a region of warm air b. forms in response to variations in surface air temperature c. becomes stronger with increasing height d. lowest pressure is at the center ANSWER: c

5.

Which below is usually not true concerning a sea breeze circulation? a. they mainly occur at night b. they usually occur when the water is cooler than the land c. they occur when the surface wind blows from the water toward the land d. can cause clouds to form over the land ANSWER: a

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6.

A sea breeze circulation will reverse direction and become a land breeze a. once every few days. b. at the beginning and the end of the summer. c. several times per day. d. once per day . ANSWER: d

7.

A sea breeze circulation is caused by a. humidity b. temperature c. altitude d. surface roughness

differences.

ANSWER: b 8.

The nighttime counterpart of the sea breeze circulation is called a a. chinook. b. Santa Ana. c. land breeze. d. night breeze. e. foehn. ANSWER: c

9.

When a sea breeze moving north meets a sea breeze moving south they form a a. land breeze. b. sea breeze convergence zone. c. monsoon depression. d. katabatic wind. e. valley breeze. ANSWER: b

10.

In south Florida the prevailing winds are northeasterly. Because of this, the strongest sea breeze is usually observed on Florida's coast, and the strongest land breeze on Florida's coast. a. east, west b. west, east c. west, west d. east, east ANSWER: a

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11.

Clouds and precipitation are frequently found on the downwind side of a large lake. This would indicate that the air on the downwind side is a. converging and rising. b. converging and sinking. c. diverging and sinking. d. diverging and rising. ANSWER: a

12.

During the summer along the coast, a sea breeze is usually strongest and best developed a. in the afternoon. b. just after sunrise. c. just before sunset. d. just before noon. e. around midnight. ANSWER: a

13.

The summer monsoon in eastern and southern Asia is characterized by a. wet weather and winds blowing from land to sea. b. dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea. c. wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land. d. dry weather and winds blowing from sea to land. ANSWER: c

14.

The winter monsoon in eastern and southern Asia is characterized by a. wet weather and winds blowing from land to sea. b. wet weather and winds blowing from sea to land. c. dry weather and winds blowing from sea to land. d. dry weather and winds blowing from land to sea. ANSWER: d

15.

While fly fishing in a mountain stream, you notice that the wind is blowing upstream. From this you might deduce that the wind is a a. chinook wind. b. valley breeze. c. Santa Ana wind. d. mountain breeze. e. katabatic wind. ANSWER: b

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16.

Surface low pressure becomes best developed over the Asian continent in the a. summer. b. winter. c. fall. d. spring. ANSWER: a

17.

Cumulus clouds that appear above isolated mountain peaks are often the result of a. katabatic winds. b. mountain winds. c. fall winds. d. Santa Ana winds. e. valley breezes. ANSWER: e

18.

A valley breeze would develop its maximum strength a. at sunrise. b. in early afternoon. c. about an hour after sunset. d. about midnight. ANSWER: b

19.

The heat from a chinook wind is generated mainly by a. compressional heating. b. sunlight. c. warm ocean water. d. friction with the ground. e. forest fires. ANSWER: a

20.

On the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains, chinook winds are driest when a. clouds form and precipitation falls on the upwind side of the mountains. b. the air aloft is cold. c. the sun is shining. d. the winds are blowing from the east. e. surface friction is greatest on the downwind side of the mountain. ANSWER: a

21.

Strong Santa Ana winds develop in Los Angeles during the fall when a pressure center forms to the of Los Angeles over the Great Basin. a. high, northeast b. high, southwest c. low, northeast Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology 6e Test Bank

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d. low, southwest ANSWER: a 22.

Which of the following conditions favor the development of dust devils? a. hot, moist days b. hot, dry days c. cold, moist days d. cold, dry days ANSWER: b

23.

The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is a region where a. the polar front meets the subtropical high. b. northeast trades meet the southeast trades. c. northeast trades converge with the subtropical high. d. the Ferrel cell converges with the Hadley cell. e. polar easterlies converge with the air at the doldrums. ANSWER: b

24.

Chicago, Illinois (latitude 42o N) is located in the a. northeast trades. b. southeast trades. c. westerlies. d. doldrums. ANSWER: c

25.

In the three-cell model of the general circulation, areas of surface low pressure should be found at a. the equator and the poles. b. the equator and 30o latitude. c. the equator and 60o latitude. d. 30o latitude and 60o latitude. e. 30o latitude and the poles. ANSWER: c

26.

In Honolulu, Hawaii (latitude 21o N), you would most likely experience winds blowing from the a. northeast. b. south. c. southwest. d. northwest. ANSWER: a

At Barrow, Alaska (latitude 70o N), you would expect the prevailing wind to be a. northerly. Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology 6e Test Bank

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b. easterly. c. southerly. d. westerly. ANSWER: b 28.

Generally, along the polar front one would not expect to observe a. temperatures on one side lower than on the other side. b. an elongated region of lower pressure. c. clouds and precipitation. d. converging surface air. e. sinking air aloft. ANSWER: e

29.

According to the three-cell general circulation model, at the equator we would not expect to find a. the ITCZ. b. a ridge of high pressure. c. cumuliform clouds. d. light winds. e. heavy showers. ANSWER: b

30.

The wind belt observed on the poleward side of the polar front is called the a. polar easterlies. b. prevailing westerlies. c. northeast trades. d. doldrums. ANSWER: a

31.

On a weather map of the Northern Hemisphere, one would observe the westerlies a. north of the subpolar lows. b. south of the tropical highs. c. between the doldrums and the horse latitudes. d. between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs. ANSWER: d

32.

The majority of the United States lies within a a. westerly b. easterly c. northerly d. southerly

wind belt.

ANSWER: a Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology 6e Test Bank

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33.

On a weather map of the Northern Hemisphere, the trade winds would be observed a. north of the polar front. b. between the polar front and the subtropical highs. c. south of the subtropical highs. d. between the subpolar lows and the subtropical highs. ANSWER: c

34.

In terms of the three-cell general circulation model, the driest regions of the earth should be near a. the equator and the polar regions. b. the equator and 30o latitude. c. the equator and 60o latitude. d. 30o latitude and 60o latitude. e. 30o latitude and the polar regions. ANSWER: e

35.

In the 3-cell model, converging surface winds and rising air motions are found at a. the equator and 30o latitude. b. the equator and 60o latitude. c. 30o latitude and 60o latitude. d. 30o latitude and the poles. ANSWER: b

36.

Many of the world's deserts are found near 30o latitude because a. the intertropical convergence zone is located there. b. of sinking air found near the polar front. c. of the convergence of the prevailing westerlies and the Northeast Trades. d. of the sinking air of the subtropical highs. ANSWER: d

37.

Which of the following is the primary cause of the jet stream? a. the Coriolis force is stronger at higher latitude b. there is not frictional force at upper level c. a large pressure gradient is found above the polar front d. land/ocean temperature difference ANSWER: c

38.

In the Northern Hemisphere, the polar jet stream is strongest when a. air north of the polar front is much colder than air south of the polar front. b. air north of the polar front is much warmer than air south of the polar front. c. air temperatures on opposite sides of the polar front are about equal. d. air temperatures on the East Coast of the US are much colder than on the West Coast of the US.

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ANSWER: a 39.

The polar jet stream is strongest and moves furthest south in the a. winter. b. spring. c. summer. d. fall. ANSWER: a

40.

The jet stream blows a. directly from west to east. b. directly from east to west. c. from the equator towards the poles. d. in a wavy pattern from west to east. ANSWER: d

41.

The average winds aloft are strongest in a. summer. b. winter. c. fall. d. spring. ANSWER: b

42.

Upwelling occurs along the northern California coast because a. winds cause surface waters to move away from the coast. b. of seismic activity on the ocean bottom. c. of gravitational attraction between the earth and the moon. d. water flows from the Atlantic ocean into the Pacific because they are at different levels. ANSWER: a

43.

The cold water observed along the northern California coast in summer is due mainly to a. the California current. b. oceanic fronts. c. upwelling. d. cold air moving over the water. e. evaporation. ANSWER: c

44.

In the Northern Hemisphere, ocean currents in the Atlantic and the Pacific move in a generally circular pattern. The direction of this motion is in the Atlantic and in the Pacific. a. clockwise, counterclockwise b. counterclockwise, counterclockwise c. clockwise, clockwise Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology 6e 9 Test Bank

d. counterclockwise, clockwise ANSWER: c 45.

During a major El Niño event a. Peruvian fishermen harvest a record amount of fish near Christmas time. b. extensive ocean warming occurs over the eastern tropical Pacific. c. the Northeast trade winds increase in strength. d. California experiences severe drought conditions. ANSWER: b

46.

The wind's speed generally increases with height above the earth's surface because: a. only the lowest layer of air rotates with the earth b. air temperature normally decreases with height c. wind instruments are not accurate at the earth's surface d. friction with the earth's surface slows the air near the ground e. air parcels expand and become less dense as they rise above the surface ANSWER: d

47.

If huge waves pound against the beach communities of Southern California for several days during clear, calm weather, it is a good bet that: a. the winds are strong somewhere out over the Pacific Ocean b. an earthquake has occurred somewhere on the ocean floor c. it is raining offshore d. it is a period of high tides e. there is a large difference in water density between the shoreline of Southern California and the middle of the Pacific ANSWER: a

48.

Suppose a west wind of 20 knots blows over a coastal region which is densely covered in shrubs. If this same wind moves out over the middle of a large calm lake, its speed and direction would probably be: a. greater than 20 knots and more northwesterly b. less than 20 knots and more northwesterly c. greater than 20 knots and more southwesterly d. less than 20 knots and more southwesterly e. less than 20 knots and westerly ANSWER: a

49.

A jet streak is a place where __________ is often found. a. clear air turbulence b. strong vertical wind speed shear c. very strong winds d. all of these Ahrens Essentials of Meteorology 6e Test Bank

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50.

ANSWER: d If the earth’s surface was homogeneous (either all land or all water), a. the semipermanent highs and lows would be stronger b. the semipermanent highs and lows would be weaker c. the semipermanent highs and lows would disappear altogether d. the semipermanent highs and lows wouldn’t change in intensity ANSWER: c

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True/False Exam Questions 1.

Surface winds and upper-level winds blow in the same direction in a thermal circulation. (ans: FALSE)

2.

Small cumulus clouds forming above a mountain in the early afternoon could indicate a well developed valley breeze. (ans: TRUE)

3.

Compressional heating can warm and lower the humidity in a downslope wind. (ans: TRUE)

4.

Winter temperatures in Great Britain and Norway are warmer than one might expect to find at high latitudes because westerly winds steer the warm Gulf Stream current eastward away from the east coast of North America and toward Europe. (ans: TRUE)

5.

The surface pressure pattern in the 3-cell model largely determines the direction of global surface winds but has very little effect on the global distribution of precipitation. (ans: FALSE)

6.

The trade winds blow from the east and away from the equator. (ans: FALSE)

7.

The polar jet stream is strongest in the winter when surface temperature contrasts are greatest. (ans: TRUE)

8.

A warm northward flowing ocean current is found along the east coast of the United States and a cold southward moving current is found along the west coast. (ans: TRUE)

9.

Surface winds are much too weak and variable to have any appreciable effect on the major ocean currents of the world. (ans: FALSE)

10.

At any given time, only one jet stream can be found in the atmosphere. (ans: FALSE)

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Word Choice Exam Questions 1.

In a thermal circulation, the pressure gradient force is STRONGER than, WEAKER than, the SAME strength as the Coriolis force. (circle one answer) (ans: STRONGER)

2.

Would you expect a thermal LOW or HIGH to develop over the desert southwest region of the US during the summer? (circle one answer) (ans: LOW)

3.

A cold, dry, downslope wind would probably be called a KATABATIC CHINOOK wind. (circle one answer) (ans: KATABATIC)

4.

In the one-cell model of the earth's global circulation we find a large thermal circulation cell in the northern and southern hemispheres. Do the surface winds in this case blow TOWARD or AWAY from the equator? (circle one answer) (ans: TOWARD)

5.

The "roaring 40s" are strong surface winds found near 40oS latitude. Would these be EASTERLY or WESTERLY winds? (circle one answer) (ans: WESTERLY)

6.

Are the TRADE WINDS or the PREVAILING WESTERLIES found just north and south of the equator? Do these winds CONVERGE or DIVERGE at the equator? (choose one word from each pair) (ans: TRADE WINDS, CONVERGE)

7.

The doldrums are a region of HIGH LOW surface pressure and STRONG WEAK surface winds. (choose one word from each pair) (ans: LOW, WEAK)

8.

The term "horse latitudes" refers to a belt of HIGH LOW pressure where winds are STRONG WEAK and precipitation is ABUNDANT SCARCE. (choose one word from each group) (ans: HIGH, WEAK, SCARCE)

9.

The Pacific high moves NORTH SOUTH in the summer. Because of RISING SINKING air along its eastern side, relatively DRY WET conditions prevail along the California coast. (choose one word from each pair) (ans: NORTH, SINKING, DRY)

10.

The Aleutian Islands are found off the EAST WEST coast of North America. (circle one answer) (ans: WEST)

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Short Answer Exam Questions 1.

The highest pressure in a (an) _____________ is found in the center of the circulation. (ans: ANTICYCLONE or HIGH PRESSURE SYSTEM)

2.

Wind (ans: SHEAR)

3.

Differences in (ans: TEMPERATURE)

4.

winds are dry, warm winds that have been referred to as "snow eaters." (ans: CHINOOK)

5.

A is a wind system with a seasonal change in direction. (ans: MONSOON)

6.

A mountain breeze is also called a(n) downhill. (ans: GRAVITY)

7.

The serious brush fires that occur in southern California in autumn are often driven by winds. (ans: SANTA ANA)

8.

The steady surface winds that blow between the equator and 30o S latitude are called the and blow from the . (ans: TRADE WINDS, SOUTHEAST)

9.

Most of the world's deserts are found near what feature in the 3-cell model of the earth's global circulation? (ans: SUBTROPICAL HIGHS)

10.

The polar jet stream is found above what feature in the 3-cell model of the earth's general circulation? (ans: POLAR FRONT or SUBPOLAR LOW)

is an abrupt change in wind direction or wind speed.

create pressure gradients that cause sea and land breezes to blow.

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wind because of the force that drives the wind

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Essay Exam Questions 1.

Why don't katabatic winds form near small hills?

2.

What local wind circulation forms near your town? Explain how it works.

3.

What changes might you expect to see in the earth's general circulation if the earth's rotation were in the opposite direction?

4.

You are hiking on a mountain trail at sunrise when you smell the smoke from cooking bacon. You can't see where the smoke is coming from. Would you expect the camp to be above you or below you on the mountain?

5.

List the scales of atmospheric motion from largest to smallest and give an example of each. From what you know about the various types of wind systems, are the size and duration related?

6.

Draw a sketch to show where eddies can form when air blows rapidly over a mountain range. Show on your sketch where you might expect clouds to form. How would these clouds appear when viewed from the ground?

7.

What is clear air turbule...