Dynamics Exam 2 Review

Question 1

Coriolis Acceleration

Answer 1

-dependent on Earth’s rotation (Omega does not equal 0)
-only present in motion relative to Earth’s exits (v does not equal 0)
-force acts only at right angles to the velocity therefore can only change direction not speed

Question 2

An ________ in the _________ direction due to the Coriolis Force can occur when motion _____ to earth occurs in the _________ or ________ directions

Answer 2

Acceleration, zonal, relative, meridional, vertical

Question 3

East ward motion (u>0) generates _______ centrifugal force relative to that due to earths _______ alone. This leads to an upward an _________ acceleration (dw/dt)>0 and (dv/dt)<0 we label this as an effect of the __________. Likewise, with ______ motion (u<0) results in an overall ______ of the centrifugal force causing a ______ and poleward acceleration.

Answer 3

Excess, rotation, equatorward, Coriolis force, westward, deficit, downward

Question 4

How is the flow in Inertia circles?

Answer 4

Completely Horizontal

Question 5

What is the only force present in inertia circles?

Answer 5

Coriolis Force

Question 6

Will get _______ nearly circular motion not exactly a circle

Answer 6

Anticyclonic (CW)

Question 7

The faster you go the greater the__________

Answer 7

Distance travelled

Question 8

Pressure Gradient Force (P.G.F)

Answer 8

-Driving force for the winds
- a force that acts from high pressure regions towards low pressure regions in the atmosphere

Question 9

PGF qualities (more in depth)

Answer 9

A vector quantity with a preferred direction
-atm pressure itself is a scalar quantity; in fact, atm pressure is isotopic in all directions at a point in space

Question 10

Horizontal and vertical pressure _______ generate a ______ which when acting by itself accelerate air parcels from _______ to _______ pressure regions

Answer 10

Difference, force, high, low

Question 11

Higher ______ weaker ______

Answer 11

Density, pgf

Question 12

Lower______ stronger _____

Answer 12

Density, pgf

Question 13

Force of Friction

Answer 13

Acts to resist motion; represente in vector form; acts opposite to the flow

Question 14

Friction due to molecular “viscosity” of the air

Answer 14

Important only at the surface

Question 15

Friction due to “turbulence”

Answer 15

Sheared flow, and convective motion due to uneven heating

Question 16

Sheared flow

Answer 16

Turbulent motion mixes momentum eliminating the shear

Question 17

Convective motion due to uneven heating

Answer 17

Convective turbulence

Question 18

Turbulent motion typically occurs in the _______________________

Answer 18

Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) only

Question 19

Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)

Answer 19

The part of the troposphere that is directly influenced by the presence of the Earth’s surface

Question 20

Eulerian system of equations

Answer 20

-equations are formulated in terms of partial (local) time derivatives
-changes due to advection explicitly appear on the right hand side of the equation

Question 21

Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) model is an example of what type of system of equations?

Answer 21

Eulerian

Question 22

Lagrangian System of Equations

Answer 22

-equations are formulated in terms of total time derivatives
-isolating an air parcel, examining changes as parcels moving through space

Question 23

Air Pollution Trajectory Model is an example of what type of system of equations?

Answer 23

Lagrangian

Question 24

Hydrostatic Balance

Answer 24

-vertical component of the pgf balancing the gravitational force

Question 25

Geostrophic Balance

Answer 25

-horizontal component of the PGF balancing the horizontal component of the Coriolis Force

Question 26

Divergence is associated with the _______ part of the flow

Answer 26

Ageostrophic

Question 27

Gradient Balance

Answer 27

A force “balance” between the pressure gradient force and a centrifugal force

Question 28

Gradient Wind

Answer 28

Theoretical wind that results from gradient balance; a wind that flows parallel to curved isobars at a constant speed; direction changing therefore accelerated flow

Question 29

Cyclostrophic Balance

Answer 29

A balance between the horizontal pressure gradient force and the centrifugal force; representative of small scale curved flow associated with high wind speeds an phenomenon at low latitudes (tornadoes, dust devils, eye-wall circulation of hurricanes)

Question 30

Rossby Number

Answer 30

The ratio of the acceleration due to the centrifugal force to that due to the Coriolis force