CHAPTER 6
GLOBAL ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION
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MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS
1. __________ is the movement of air measured relative to the Earth's surface.
a. Gravity
b. The pressure gradient force
*c. Wind
d. The Coriolis Effect
e. The centripetal force
2. Air is
a. incompressible.
*b. highly compressible.
3. Due to the air pressure gradient alone, a parcel of air is accelerated
*a. toward low pressure and perpendicular to isobars.
b. toward low pressure and parallel to isobars.
c. toward high pressure and parallel to isobars.
d. toward high pressure and perpendicular to isobars.
e. None of the above is correct.
4. Air density varies inversely with
a. temperature.
b. humidity.
*c. Both of the above are correct.
5. A(n) __________ often brings stormy weather.
*a. cyclone
b. anticyclone
6. The centripetal force confines an object to a __________ path.
a. straight
*b. curved
7. __________ arises from the fact that Earth rotates.
a. The pressure gradient force
*b. The Coriolis Effect
c. Friction
d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
8. The Coriolis Effect produces its maximum deflection of moving air at the
*a. poles.
b. equator.
c. 45 degree latitude circles.
d. 60 degree latitude circles.
e. Tropic of Capricorn.
9. The Coriolis Effect is present but relatively unimportant in
a. planetary-scale winds.
b. cyclones.
c. anticyclones.
d. All of these are correct.
*e. None of these is correct.
10. The Coriolis Effect deflects moving air and water to the __________ of the direction of
motion in the Northern Hemisphere and to the __________ in the Southern Hemisphere.
a. right…..right
*b. right…..left
c. left…..left
d. left…..right
11. The Coriolis Effect
a. is a force that arises from use of a coordinate system that rotates with Earth.
b. increases in magnitude with wind speed.
c. increases in magnitude with latitude.
*d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
12. Friction significantly affects horizontal winds
*a. in the atmospheric boundary layer.
b. at the 500-mb level.
c. at the 300-mb level.
d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
13. Friction always acts __________ the wind direction.
a. in the same direction as
*b. opposite to
c. at a 45 degree angle to
d. at a 90 degree angle to
14. Gravity __________ modify the horizontal wind.
a. does
*b. does not
15. In the geostrophic wind, the Coriolis Effect is balanced by
a. gravity.
*b. the horizontal pressure gradient force.
c. friction.
d. the centripetal force.
e. eddy viscosity.
16. The geostrophic wind is blowing directly from west to east. The highest air pressure is
located to the
a. north.
b. east.
*c. south.
d. west.
17. The geostropic wind follows a __________ path and the gradient wind blows in a
__________ path.
a. straight…..straight
*b. straight…..curved
c. curved…..curved
d. curved….straight
18. The gradient wind is
a. horizontal.
b. curved.
c. a model of the actual wind.
d. frictionless.
*e. All of these are correct.
19. Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds about a high blow
a. clockwise and inward.
*b. clockwise and outward.
c. counterclockwise and inward.
d. counterclockwise and outward.
e. None of these is correct.
20. Viewed from above in the Southern Hemisphere, surface winds about a low blow
*a. clockwise and inward.
b. clockwise and outward.
c. counterclockwise and inward.
d. counterclockwise and outward.
e. None of these is correct.
21. The horizontal pressure gradient force and wind speed decrease as the spacing between
isobars
a. decreases.
*b. increases.
c. stays the same.
22. Average horizontal wind speed __________ with altitude within the troposphere.
a. decreases
b. does not change
*c. increases
23. Continuity of wind causes a cyclone to have
*a. rising air and horizontal divergence aloft.
b. rising air and horizontal convergence aloft.
c. sinking air and horizontal divergence aloft.
24. Wind direction is always designated as the direction __________ the wind blows.
a. toward which
*b. from which
25. The anemometer that is based on the effect of wind on the propagation of sound waves is the
a. cup anemometer
b. hot-wire anemometer
*c. sonic anemometer
d. scatterometer
26. The type of satellite sensor used to monitor near-surface ocean wind speeds is the
a. cup anemometer
b. hot-wire anemometer
c. sonic anemometer
*d. scatterometer
27. The Coriolis Effect is most important in
*a. synoptic- and planetary-scale circulation systems.
b. micro- and meso-scale circulation systems.
28. Which boundary condition shapes the atmosphere’s planetary-scale circulation?
a. variation of incoming solar radiation with latitude
b. Earth’s rotation on its axis
c. physical properties of Earth’s surface
*d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
29. The world’s major deserts are located under the __________ flanks of the subtropical
anticyclones.
*a. eastern
b. western
c. equatorward
d. poleward
30. Moist climates are located under the __________ flanks of the subtropical anticyclones.
a. eastern
*b. western
c. equatorward
d. poleward
31. The trade winds blow out of the __________ flanks of the subtropical anticyclones.
a. eastern
b. western
*c. equatorward
d. poleward
32. The midlatitude westerlies blow out of the __________ flanks of the subtropical
anticyclones.
a. eastern
b. western
c. equatorward
*d. poleward
33. The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) is usually located where Earth’s mean annual
surface temperature
a. is the lowest.
*b. is the highest.
34. The trade winds
a. converge at the equator.
b. are very persistent in direction.
c. blow from the southeast in the Southern Hemisphere.
*d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
35. The polar front is well defined when the temperature gradient is the
*a. strongest.
b. weakest.
36. Hadley cell circulation causes air to __________ in the ITCZ and __________ in the
subtropical anticyclones.
a. sink……rise
*b. rise…..sink
37. The trade wind inversion
*a. limits the vertical development of convective clouds and rainfall.
b. promotes tropical cyclone formation.
c. enhances orographic precipitation.
d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
38. The subpolar lows are strongest in the
a. summer.
*b. winter.
39. Mediterranean climates exhibit __________ due to the seasonal shift in location of
subtropical anticyclones.
*a. dry summers and wet winters
b. wet summers and dry winters
c. dry weather year round
d. wet weather year round
40. The middle latitude westerlies flow from
a. east to west.
*b. west to east.
41. Atmospheric scientists describe the westerlies in terms of
a. wavelength.
b. amplitude.
c. number of waves encircling the hemisphere.
*d. All of the above are correct.
e. None of the above is correct.
42. During which Rossby wave pattern would record high and low temperatures most likely
occur?
a. zonal flow pattern
*b. meridional flow pattern
43. The north-south exchange of air masses is minimal during a
*a. zonal flow pattern
b. meridional flow pattern
44. On a typical day, __________ Rossby long-waves encircle the globe.
a. 1 to 2
*b. 2 to 5
c. 7
d. 10 to 15
e. more than 100
45. A blocking pressure system is associated with a __________flow pattern in the westerlies.
a. zonal
*b. meridional
46. In the Midwest, which circulation pattern in the westerlies is most likely to cause drought?
a. weak zonal
b. strong zonal
c. weak meridional
*d. blocking
47. Viewed from above, the subtropical gyres rotate __________ in the Northern Hemisphere
and __________ in the Southern Hemisphere.
a. counterclockwise…..clockwise
b. counterclockwise…..counterclockwise
*c. clockwise…..counterclockwise
d. clockwise…..clockwise
48. Which ocean current transports heat northward?
a. Gulf Stream
b. Kuroshio Current
c. California Current
d. All of the above are correct.
*e. Only a and b are correct.
49. In which hemisphere are sub-polar gyres found?
*a. Northern Hemisphere
b. Southern Hemisphere
50. The atmosphere’s planetary-scale circulation __________ surface ocean currents.
a. has little influence on
*b. drives