Earth Science, 13e (Tarbuck) Chapter 18 Air Pressure and Wind 1) Standard sea level pressure in millibars is A) 750 mb B) 890 mb C) 1013 mb D) 1143 mb Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Remembering 2) Standard sea level pressure in inches of mercury is A) 7.52 inches B) 14.70 inches C) 28.70 inches D) 29.92 inches Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Remembering 3) The mercurial barometer was invented by A) Torricelli B) Galileo C) Newton D) Watt Answer: A Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Remembering 4) Which of these instruments is NOT used to measure air pressure? A) mercurial barometer B) aneroid barometer C) barograph D) anemometer Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 5) An altimeter is an adaptation of the A) mercurial barometer B) aneroid barometer C) barograph D) anemometer Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Remembering 6) The force that generates wind is A) Coriolis force B) gravity force C) centrifugal force D) pressure gradient force Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 7) Which of these factors influence the magnitude of the Coriolis force? A) wind speed B) latitude C) wind direction D) both wind speed and latitude Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 8) Lines on a weather map connecting places of equal air pressure are called A) isovectors B) isobars C) isotherms D) isogrids Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 9) Closely spaced isobars often indicate A) high winds B) variable winds C) light winds D) cyclonic winds Answer: A Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 10) A steep pressure gradient A) would be depicted by widely spaced isobars B) produces strong winds C) is only possible in the tropics D) produces light winds Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 11) Widely spaced isobars often indicate A) high winds B) variable winds C) light winds D) cyclonic winds Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 12) The Coriolis effect influences A) only wind speed B) only wind direction C) both wind speed and wind direction D) neither wind speed nor wind direction Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 13) In the Northern Hemisphere, the winds associated with a low pressure system (cyclone) blow A) clockwise and toward the center B) counterclockwise and toward the center C) clockwise and outward from the center D) counterclockwise and outward from the center Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering 14) In the Northern Hemisphere, winds associated with a high pressure system blow A) clockwise and toward the center B) counterclockwise and toward the center C) clockwise and outward from the center D) counterclockwise and outward from the center Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering 15) If Earth were not rotating A) it would lose its atmosphere B) air would move directly from high to low pressure C) all air would move in one direction only D) friction would be eliminated Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering 16) Upper air winds A) are generally faster than surface winds B) are unaffected by the Coriolis force C) are greatly influenced by friction D) both A and B Answer: A Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 17) High air pressure systems are usually associated with A) diverging winds B) descending air C) clear weather D) all of these Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 18) Low air pressure systems are usually associated with A) diverging winds B) descending air C) precipitation D) clear weather Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 19) In the Southern Hemisphere, the winds associated with a low pressure system blow A) clockwise and toward the center B) counterclockwise and toward the center C) clockwise and outward from the center D) counterclockwise and outward from the center Answer: A Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 20) If "fair" weather were approaching, the pressure tendency would probably be A) steady B) rising C) falling D) none of these Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 21) If stormy weather were approaching, the pressure tendency would probably be A) steady B) rising C) falling D) none of these Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering 22) Most of the United States is situated in which zone of prevailing winds? A) trade winds B) subpolar easterlies C) westerlies D) doldrums Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Remembering 23) Another name for the area of equatorial lows is the A) subpolar easterlies B) westerlies C) doldrums D) horse latitudes Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Remembering 24) The Sahara and Australian deserts (among others) are associated with the A) subtropical high B) equatorial low C) subpolar low D) polar high Answer: A Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 25) This pressure zone is associated with abundant precipitation and warm temperatures A) subtropical high B) equatorial low C) subpolar low D) polar high Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Remembering 26) The subpolar low (polar front) is A) a zone where the trade winds meet B) the forward edge of the Antarctic ice cap C) a zone where the polar easterlies and the westerlies converge D) the boundary between frozen and liquid Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Remembering 27) When are upper air winds fastest? A) in summer B) in winter C) whenever the temperature gradient is weak D) These winds maintain roughly the same speeds throughout the year Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Remembering 28) A Santa Ana (or Chinook or Foehn) wind is a A) wind associated with a blizzard B) cold, damp wind blowing off a snow field C) wind that is common to the world's deserts D) very dry, warm wind flowing down a mountain slope Answer: D Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 29) A sea breeze usually originates during the A) evening and flows toward the land B) day and flows toward the land C) evening and flows toward the water D) day and flows toward the water Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Remembering 30) A land breeze usually originates during the A) evening and flows toward the land B) day and flows toward the land C) evening and flows toward the water D) day and flows toward the water Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Remembering 31) Fast moving currents of air found near the top of the troposphere are called A) mesocyclones B) chinooks C) jet streams D) El Niño Answer: C Diff: Topic: 18.8 El Nino and La Nina Bloom's: Remembering 32) What is the technical name for a high pressure center? A) cyclone B) anticyclone C) front D) doldrums Answer: B Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Remembering Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc Word Analysis Examine the words and/or phrases for each question below and determine the relationship among the majority of words/phrases Choose the option which does not fit the pattern 33) trade winds westerlies Answer: chinook Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding Chinook 34) equatorial low trade winds Answer: trade winds Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding polar front 35) Coriolis effect jet stream Answer: jet stream Diff: Topic: 18.8 El Nino and La Nina Bloom's: Understanding friction 36) sea breeze Chinook winds Answer: Chinook winds Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding polar easterlies valley breeze subtropical high pressure gradient force trade winds 37) Low pressure systems are usually associated with clear weather Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding 38) High pressure systems are usually associated with stormy weather Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding 39) Cyclones are usually associated with stormy weather Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 40) If the barometer indicated 1020 millibars, air pressure would be considered high Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 41) Standard sea level air pressure is 1013 millibars Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 42) Standard sea level air pressure is 29.92 inches of mercury Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 43) The Coriolis effect is strongest at the equator and diminishes in strength poleward Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 44) The Coriolis effect influences wind speed but not wind direction Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 45) The pressure gradient force is the driving force behind wind Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 46) A southwest wind blows toward the northeast Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 47) An isobar is a line connecting places of equal humidity Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 10 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 48) Anticyclones characteristically have winds blowing out from their centers Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Understanding 49) The ultimate cause of a sea breeze is the unequal heating of land and water Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 50) Of the various elements of weather, changes in air pressure are probably the most obvious Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 51) Horizontal movement of air is called wind Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 52) Torricelli invented the mercurial barometer Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 53) A mountain breeze is best developed in the hottest part of the day Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 54) The existence of jet streams was first determined by Ben Franklin as a result of his kite experiments Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.8 El Nino and La Nina Bloom's: Understanding 11 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 55) The region where the trade winds meet is also called the doldrums Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Understanding 56) Most of the people living in the United States are under the influence of the wind belt known as the westerlies Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 57) Closely spaced isobars indicate high wind speeds Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 58) In the Northern Hemisphere, winds blow clockwise and outward from the center of anticyclones Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Understanding 59) Upper air winds are generally faster than the surface winds directly below Answer: TRUE Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 60) Standard sea level pressure is inches of mercury Answer: 29.92 Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 61) The force that generates wind is known as the force Answer: pressure gradient Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 12 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 62) Fast moving currents of air found near the top of the troposphere are called Answer: jet streams Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Understanding 63) A north wind blows from the to the Answer: north, south Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding 64) An isobar is a line on a weather map connecting places of equal Answer: barometric pressure Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 65) Horizontal movement of air is called Answer: wind Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 66) The first instrument to measure air pressure was the barometer Answer: mercurial Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 67) When winds blow parallel to the isobars, which is usually the case for winds aloft, they are called winds Answer: geostrophic Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Understanding 68) A low pressure center is called a(n) Answer: cyclone Diff: Topic: 18.4 Highs and Lows Bloom's: Understanding 13 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 69) Warm winds that move down the leeward side of mountains are known as Answer: chinook, foehn, or Santa Ana Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 70) An instrument that measures air pressure using a partially evacuated chamber is called a(n) barometer Answer: aneroid Diff: Topic: 18.2 Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 71) An instrument that measures wind speed is called a(n) Answer: anemometer Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding 72) The surface wind zones that flow from the subtropics toward the equator are called the winds Answer: trade Diff: Topic: 18.7 Measuring Wind Bloom's: Understanding Critical Thinking and Discussion Use complete sentences, correct spelling, and the information presented in Chapter 18 to answer the questions below 73) "Perhaps more than any other single measurement, atmospheric pressure is the best indicator of current and changing weather conditions." Briefly discuss why this statement is correct Answer: Inches of mercury are easy to understand When air pressure increases, the mercury in the tube rises Conversely, when air pressure decreases, so does the height of the mercury column Diff: Topic: 18.8 El Nino and La Nina Bloom's: Understanding 14 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 74) Why are coastal and mountainous regions often much more windy than other locations at similar latitudes? Also, from this and earlier chapters on meteorology, are there other weather characteristics that are perhaps unique or different for these areas? Answer: In coastal areas during the warm summer months, the land surface is heated more intensely during the daylight hours than is the adjacent body of water As a result, the air above the land surface heats, expands, and rises, creating an area of lower pressure A sea breeze then develops, because cooler air over the water (higher pressure) moves toward the warmer land (lower pressure) A daily wind similar to land and sea breezes occurs in many mountainous regions During daylight hours, the air along the slopes of the mountains is heated more intensely than the air at the same elevation over the valley floor Because this warmer air is less dense, it glides up along the slope and generates a valley breeze After sunset, the pattern may reverse Rapid radiation cooling along the mountain slopes produces a layer of cooler air next to the ground Because cool air is denser than warm air, it drains downslope into the valley Such a movement of air is called a mountain breeze Diff: Topic: 18.9 Global Distributions of Precipitation Bloom's: Understanding 75) Considering the theory of plate tectonics and the movement of landmasses over geologic time, would you expect atmospheric circulation of the past to be the same as we see today? Why or why not? Consider the factors that determine global wind patterns and whether they have changed over time Answer: Regions influenced by high pressure, with its associated subsidence and diverging winds, experience relatively dry conditions On the other hand, regions under the influence of low pressure and its converging winds and ascending air receive ample precipitation Heavy rainfall tends to exist along equatorial regions with meager precipitation in high latitude areas In addition to latitudinal variations in precipitation, the distribution of land and water complicates the precipitation pattern Large landmasses in the middle latitudes commonly experience decreased precipitation toward their interiors Diff: Topic: 18.8 El Nino and La Nina Bloom's: Understanding 15 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 76) What is the name of the lines on the weather map below? Answer: isobars Diff: Topic: 18.3 Factors Affecting Wind Bloom's: Applying 16 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc 77) On the diagram below, label the Subtropical high, Equatorial low, and the Trade Winds Answer: See Figure 18.16 in Chapter 18 of Earth Science, 13e Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Applying 78) What type of local wind pattern is illustrated in the diagram below? Answer: sea breeze Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Applying 17 Copyright © 2012 Pearson Education, Inc  ... Subtropical high, Equatorial low, and the Trade Winds Answer: See Figure 18.16 in Chapter 18 of Earth Science, 13e Diff: Topic: 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Applying 78) What... 18.5 General Circulation of the Atmosphere Bloom's: Remembering 27) When are upper air winds fastest? A) in summer B) in winter C) whenever the temperature gradient is weak D) These winds maintain... Measuring Air Pressure Bloom's: Understanding 53) A mountain breeze is best developed in the hottest part of the day Answer: FALSE Diff: Topic: 18.6 Local Winds Bloom's: Understanding 54) The