Earth Science
Study Guide, Ch. 19 QUIZ
General Info to Know: Study worksheets, notes, vocab. (these specifically): isotherm,
convection, specific humidity, relative humidity, dew point, saturation, condensation,
evaporation, precipitation, condensation nuclei, air pressure, isobar, barometer, high-pressure
area, low-pressure area, pressure gradient, Coriolis effect, jet stream, ITCZ (doldrums), threecelled circulation model, land breeze, sea breeze
Topics:
Water vs. land- specific heat capacity, impact on temp., pressure and wind
Isotherm vs. isobar (diagram interpretation of isolines)
Relative humidity vs. specific humidity (be able to compare with temp. and know
what happens as warm air rises)
Where precipitation occurs, especially on three-celled circulation model (windward
side of mtn, at low pressure latitudes- 0 and 60 degrees N and S latitude)
Dew point Lab
Meteorologist and tools (barometer, anemometer, wind vane, psychrometer)
Air pressure- how changes with temperature, elevation, humidity
Pressure gradient (HL pressure is how wind is formed)
Coriolis effect (deflects wind, water to RIGHT in N Hemisphere; greatest near
poles, least near equator)
Mvmt of air around H and L pressure
Weather associated with high and low pressure
General direction of weather mvmt in continental USA and why
Three-celled circulation model (be able to label H/L pressure, polar easterlies,
westerlies, trade winds, and the doldrums (ITCZ), wet vs. dry, convection cells
Sea-breeze vs. land breeze- be able to draw convection cells, label relative pressure
and temp.
Winds named for direction they come from
Practice Questions
1.In what direction(s) is/are air pressure exerted?
2. As elevation increases, air pressure _____________
3. As humidity increases, air pressure _____________
4. As temperature increases, air pressure ______________
5. Instrument used to measure air pressure
6. Decreasing air pressure signals what kind of weather?
7. Increasing air pressure signals what kind of weather?
8. What do closely spaced isobars on a weather map indicate?
9. What causes wind?
10. What causes pressure differences?
11. Instrument used to measure wind speed?
12. Instrument used to determine wind direction?
13. How is a wind named?
14. Where is Coriolis effect the greatest?
15. Does the Coriolis effect depend on an object’s direction of movement?
16. In what direction does weather move across the United States?
17. Sketch the three-celled circulation model. Label high and low pressure
latitudes, whether they are wet or dry, and sketch in the circulation … what type of
heat transfer is this? Label the winds.
18. Assume it is a hot day early in the summer. Sketch the circulation pattern
during the day and label it as a land or sea breeze. Then sketch and label the
pattern for that evening, assuming it cools off.