Q&A Hero

Q: Discuss how and why Torricelli developed the mercury barometer, along with an explanation of the barometer itself and the physical processes behind its function. Also discuss how an aneroid barometer works.

Q: Examine the 1991 eruption of Mount Pinatubo with a focus on its atmospheric impacts and the dispersal of its emissions by winds.

Q: Unusually strong monsoonal flow has been linked to La Nia.

Q: Asian air pollution has been attributed to higher monsoonal wind flow and increased rainfall.

Q: Melting sea ice may weaken the jet stream and result in colder conditions in Europe and the United States.

Q: The North Atlantic Oscillation is associated with strengthening of the pressure differences between the Icelandic Low and Azores high.

Q: During an ENSO event, a low pressure system develops over Tahiti, while a high pressure system develops over Darwin, Australia.

Q: Cooler than normal surface waters in the central and eastern Pacific are associated with La Nia events.

Q: During an El Nio, upwelling of cool waters along the west coast of South America is intensified.

Q: Upwelling brings cool, nutrient rich water to the surface.

Q: Wind is a non-renewable resource shown to have adverse effects on human health.

Q: The European Union has a goal of 20% of all energy from renewable resources by 2020.

Q: Most nations have shown relatively little interest in harnessing the power of wind for energy.

Q: Santa Ana winds are hot and dry and often contribute to wildfire conditions.

Q: Katabatic winds typically occur in relatively flat (e.g. the Great Plains) terrain.

Q: Thermohaline currents travel at greater speeds than wind-driven currents.

Q: Temperature and salinity are important to the flow of deep ocean currents.

Q: Transport of marine debris (e.g. rubber toys from a damaged cargo ship) demonstrate the movements of currents around the Pacific Gyre.

Q: Surface currents are mainly driven by temperature and salinity differences.

Q: Trade winds cause the piling up of water along the eastern shores of continents.

Q: Ocean currents play a relatively small role in regulating climate.

Q: Sometimes the polar jet stream and the subtropical jet stream merge for brief episodes.

Q: The polar high is characterized by cold, dry air.

Q: Hadley cells are associated with the subpolar low and the polar high.

Q: The doldrums are associated with the subtropical pressure belt, and the horse latitudes are associated with the equatorial belt.

Q: The two dynamic pressure areas are the subpolar lows and subtropical highs.

Q: During the day, mountain valleys heat more rapidly than mountain slopes.

Q: Sea breezes and land breezes are caused by the differential heating of land and water.

Q: A monsoon is a seasonal reversal of winds.

Q: Subtropical high-pressure systems migrate with the summer Sun, fluctuating about 5 - 10 in latitude.

Q: Subtropical high-pressure systems generate both the trade winds and the westerlies.

Q: Deserts are often associated with the ITCZ.

Q: The intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) shifts as far north as the Persian Gulf region in July.

Q: A primary low-pressure area occurs from 20 to 35 north latitude and south latitude.

Q: An area of high pressure circulates counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and is called an anticyclone.

Q: The effect of surface friction extends to a height of about 500 m (1600 ft.) although it may vary with wind speed, season, time of day, and pressure patterns.

Q: Low pressure areas are associated with converging, ascending air.

Q: The pressure gradient force and the friction force together produce geostrophic winds along Earth's surface.

Q: A line connecting points of equal pressure on a weather map is called an isobar.

Q: The forces that control the wind include gravity, the pressure gradient force, Coriolis force, and friction force.

Q: Geostrophic winds flow at right angles to isobars.

Q: Friction greatest influence on the wind occurs at altitudes above 500 m.

Q: The Coriolis force is greatest at the equator and weakest towards the poles.

Q: In the Southern Hemisphere, the deflection from the Coriolis force is towards the right.

Q: The Coriolis force makes wind traveling in a straight path appear to be deflected in relationship to the Earth's rotation.

Q: The Coriolis force is responsible for the direction water rotates when flowing into a drain.

Q: The pressure gradient force drives air from areas of higher pressure to areas of lower pressure.

Q: Winds are named for the direction in which they are blowing.

Q: Wind speed is measured with an anemometer.

Q: Hurricane Wilma set a new record for low barometric pressure in the Atlantic basin.

Q: Normal sea level pressure has a standard value of 1013.2 mb (29.92 in.) of Hg.

Q: An aneroid barometer measures air pressure using mercury or other liquids.

Q: A barometer is a device used for the measurement of air pressure.

Q: The global spread of low-level radioactive contamination for Japan's Fukushima power plant in 2011 illustrates transboundary issues associated with atmospheric circulation.

Q: The eruption of Mt. Pinatubo in 1991 produced few atmospheric effects.

Q: Scientists think that melting Arctic Sea ice may have the following consequences exceptA) A weakening of the jet stream.B) Warmer conditions in the United States and Europe.C) High pressure conditions over Greenland.D) Larger meanders in the jet stream.

Q: Which natural oscillation in global circulation is associated with shifts in patterns of sea surface temperatures, air pressure, and winds between the northern and tropical western Pacific? A) El Nio-Southern Oscillation B) La Nia C) Pacific Decadal Oscillation D) North Atlantic Oscillation

Q: Which of the following is associated with an ENSO event? A) Enhanced upwelling in the Huboldt (Peru) current. B) Increased thermocline in the eastern Pacific. C) Cooler than normal sea surface temperatures along the western South American coast. D) Higher pressure over the western Pacific and lower pressure over the eastern Pacific.

Q: The El Nio-Southern Oscillation is associated with the following except A) drought in South Africa, southern India, Australia, and the Philippines. B) flooding in the southwest United States, Bolivia, Cuba, Ecuador, and Peru. C) cooler than normal ocean along the west coast of South America. D) higher pressure than normal over the western Pacific and lower pressure over the eastern Pacific.

Q: The El Nio-Southern Oscillation A) occurs every year around Christmas time in the southern Pacific Ocean. B) is a periodic shift of high and low pressure zones over the western and eastern Pacific, respectively, usually occurring every 2 to 12 years. C) is a pattern of sea surface, air pressure, and wind shifts between the northern and tropical western Pacific. D) A north-south fluctuation of high and low pressure zones in the North Atlantic Ocean.

Q: In the Northern Hemisphere, ocean currents move ________ about high-pressure cells; in the Southern Hemisphere ocean currents move ________ about high-pressure cells. A) counterclockwise; clockwise B) parallel; perpendicular C) clockwise; counterclockwise D) perpendicular.; parallel

Q: The great circulations in the ocean basins occur around the ________ pressure systems and are known as ________. A) subpolar low; ocean streams B) subtropical high; ocean streams C) subpolar low; gyres D) subtropical high; gyres

Q: As of 2012, which country had the highest installed wind energy capacity? A) Germany B) The United States C) Ethiopia D) China E) El Salvador

Q: Which of the following is not true about electricity generated by wind? A) It is cost-competitive with electricity generated by coal, oil, and nuclear. B) Turbines have been installed in over 81 countries. C) It could help reduce carbon dioxide emissions. D) There are numerous economic and social benefits associated with wind energy. E) it is non-renewable and has been linked to adverse human health effects.

Q: Within the United States, the areas best suited for wind energy development based on predicted average wind speeds is A) the West Coast. B) the East Coast. C) the South, particular along the Florida peninsula. D) the Great Plains (central U.S.). E) the Appalachian Mountains.

Q: Which of the following is true of thermohaline circulation? A) They travel at greater speeds than surface currents. B) They are largely wind driven. C) They are deep currents caused by differences in temperature and salinity. D) Due to t heir depths, they carry limited volumes of water.

Q: The western intensification causes water to pile up ________, forcing water to flow ________ in strong currents. A) against eastern shore of continents; northward and southward B) at the equator; eastward and westward C) along western shores of continents; downward, then eastward D) around the subtropical highs; in all directions

Q: The equatorial currents are driven by A) the upper-level easterlies. B) the trade winds. C) salinity differences in the ocean. D) monsoon winds.

Q: Trade winds drive ocean surface waters A) northward. B) southward. C) eastward. D) westward.

Q: Which of the following is not important in shaping ocean currents? A) the frictional drag of winds B) the Coriolis force and water density differences C) land-sea breezes D) configuration of continents and the ocean floor

Q: Santa ana winds A) bring cool, moisture-laden air from the east to the southern California coast. B) are not associated with pressure gradients in the way other winds are. C) flows from lower to higher elevation, expanding and cooling in the process. D) create wildfire conditions by bringing heat and dryness as they flow southwest.

Q: Which of the following is true of India's weather patterns? A) Monsoonal rains are heaviest in winter from December to February. B) The shifting of the intertropical convergence zone and upper air circulation brings heavy precipitation in summer from June to September. C) Dry winds desiccate the land during each summer. D) They are characterized by an even distribution of precipitation throughout the year.

Q: A monsoon climate is characterized by ________ summers and ________ winters. A) dry; dry B) dry; wet C) wet; dry D) wet; wet

Q: During the day along the coast, the wind tends to blow toward the ________ because ________. A) land; land heats more rapidly than water B) land; land heats more slowly than water C) water; water heats more slowly than land D) water; water heats more rapidly than land

Q: Sea-breezes A) result from water heating and cooling faster than land surfaces. B) form because of higher pressure over the land than the sea. C) involve onshore (toward the land) air flows that develop in the afternoon. D) occur because warmer air is denser and settles to the surface of the land.

Q: Which of the following is false regarding the jet streams? A) The highest velocities occur toward the core of the jet streams. B) They weaken during each of the hemisphere's summer and strengthen during its winter. C) They occur above the subtropics and the polar front. D) They have no known effect on surface weather systems.

Q: Which of the following is incorrect regarding the subpolar low-pressure cells? A) They are known as the Aleutian and Icelandic lows. B) They develop more strongly over the ocean than over land. C) In the Northern Hemisphere, they are generally stronger in summer than in winter. D) They are associated with the polar front.

Q: During the winter, the Bermuda high migrates to the ________ and becomes the ________. A) east; Aleutian low B) west; Pacific high C) west; Aleutian low D) west; Azores high E) east; Azores high

Q: The most prominent movement in the upper-level westerly geostrophic wind flows are the A) Rossby waves. B) jet streams. C) cyclones. D) anticyclones.

Q: The western side of subtropical high pressure cells tend to be A) cool and moist. B) warm, moist, and unstable. C) dry, stable, and warm, with cooler ocean currents. D) generally in the same position all year; i.e., they do not migrate with the high Sun.