Chapter 5

Question 1

Atmospheric pressure in winds

Answer 1

-atmospheric pressure is influenced by many different factors
-In a gas, either heat or pressure cause greater air pressure.
-Pressure decreases with altitude.
-Gravity causes molecules to more densely packed at surface.
-A barometer measures air pressure.
-Isobars are liners connecting points of equal air pressure.
- Ridge is an elongated area of relatively high pressure.
-Through is an elongated area of relatively low pressure.

Question 2

How can mapping air pressure with isobars help us determine wind speeds?

Answer 2

Normal barometric pressure at sea level is about 29.92 inches of mercury or 1013 millibars. When high pressure moves in, the barometer rises. Low pressure causes the barometer to fall.

Question 3

Nature of wind

Answer 3

Wind direction/movement is always determined by the pressure gradient between gradient between high and lows.
Other factors: the Coriollis Effect and friction with the Earth’s surface.

Question 4

What causes a Sea Breeze?

Answer 4

Sea breeze is durig the day, it blows from sea to land.
Land breeze and Sea breeze are caused by the differential warming of land and water surface.

Question 5

What causes a a Land Breeze?

Answer 5

Land breeze is during the night, it blows from land to sea.

Question 6

Know wind pattern differences between cyclones (low pressure) and anticyclones (high pressure)

Answer 6

Cyclones wind movements is said to be cyclonic. In a cyclone air converges and rises.
Anticyclones:in an anticyclone air descends and diverges.

Question 7

In the northern hemisphere at Earth’s surface:

Answer 7

-air spirals counter clockwise inward and upward toward a cyclone (low)
- air spirals clockwise outward and downward away from and anticyclone (high)

Question 8

What is the hypothetical pattern of wind on a non roating Earth?

Answer 8

Wind circulation would be simple if Earth’s surface were uniform (no distinction between continents and oceans) and if the planet did not rotate. High pressure at the poles and low pressure at the equator would produce northerly surface winds in the northern Hemisphere and southerly surface winds in the Southern Hemisphere.

Question 9

Hadley cells

Answer 9

Are vertical convective circulation cells, with warm air rising at the ITCZ

Question 10

Seven Components of the General Circulation

Answer 10

1. Intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ)
2. Trade winds
3. Subtropical highs
4. Westerlies
5. Polar front (sub-polar lows)
6. Polar easterlies
7. Polar highs

Question 11

Where are the subtropical highs?

Answer 11

They are generally located over oceans basins at latitudes about 30 degrees N and S-called