meteorology- synoptic systems

Question 1

What is atmospheric pressure due to

Answer 1

the column of air above the point considered and the force of gravity
attracting the air toward the earth.

Question 2

What does air density vary with

Answer 2

Altitude

Question 3

50% of the mass of the atmosphere lies below where

Answer 3

5km

Question 4

What is the unit of pressure

Answer 4

Pascal (Pa)

Question 5

Meteorologists use what measure of pressure

Answer 5

hectoPascal (hPa)

Question 6

What is the standard pressure at the surface

Answer 6

1013.25 hPa

Question 7

Pressure varies directly as what

Answer 7

the density and depth of the fluid causing it

Question 8

Density of air varies inversely to what

Answer 8

as its temp

Question 9

Depth may vary due to processes doing what

Answer 9

bringing air to an area or moving away from it

Question 10

What is the pressure gradient

Answer 10

is the rate of change of pressure with distance, measured perpendicular to the
isobars.

Question 11

What is an isobar

Answer 11

a line on a weather chart connecting places having the same atmospheric pressure

Question 12

What is the pressure tendency

Answer 12

is the rate of change of atmospheric pressure with time, standardised as the
change in pressure over three hours

Question 13

Pressure varies through the day in a regular cycle due what?

Answer 13

to tidal effects caused by heating of the upper atmosphere.

Question 14

Wind is the horizontal component of what

Answer 14

air movement

Question 15

What does pgf stand for

Answer 15

pressure gradient force

Question 16

What is pgf

Answer 16

is the force exerted on air particles due to the pressure gradient at a place.

Question 17

Any moving body on the surface of a rotating planet experiences a deflection to one side of its direction
of movement except at the

Answer 17

equator

Question 18

Coriolis Force varies as the sine of latitude from zero at the equator to maximum at the

Answer 18

poles

Question 19

Coriolis Force acts perpendicularly to the direction of

Answer 19

movement

Question 20

Coriolis Force acts perpendicularly to the direction of movement, to the ____ of the direction of
movement in the northern hemisphere and to the ____ in the southern hemisphere.

Answer 20

right
left

Question 21

The magnitude of the coriolis force varies directly as what?

Answer 21

latitude

Question 22

In low Latitude ________ speed is required to generate the balancing Coriolis Force than in high Latitude.
The speed of the Geostrophic Wind is therefore _______ in low Latitude than in high Latitude for the same Pressure Gradient.

Answer 22

greater
greater

Question 23

The Gradient Wind is the wind flowing in an area with curved isobars.
Air flowing parallel to curved isobars will follow a curved path.
The force causing the deflection to a curved path is the what?

Answer 23

Centripetal force

Question 24

Air flowing around an anticyclone must increase speed in order to generate increased Coriolis Force
toward the centre of the system to achieve a what?

Answer 24

curved path

Question 25

Air flowing around a depression must _________ speed in order to __________ Coriolis Force away from the centre of the system and achieve a curved path.

Answer 25

decrease
decrease

Question 26

Gradient wind is super-geostrophic where isobars are curved _____________ and sub-geostrophic where
isobars are curved __________.

Answer 26

anticyclonically
cyclonically

Question 27

The amount of modification of the geostrophic wind speed depends on ________ _________, ________ and
____ _______.

Answer 27

isobar curvature
latitude
wind speed

Question 28

Friction close to the surface reduces what?

Answer 28

Wind speed
Which reduces coriolis effect

Question 29

Pressure Gradient Force acts from ____ toward ___ pressure, ____________ to the Isobars.

Answer 29

high
low
perpendicular

Question 30

What does air move in response to

Answer 30

The pressure gradient force

Question 31

Coriolis Force deflects flow to the ______ in the Northern Hemisphere, ______ in the Southern Hemisphere,

Answer 31

right
left

Question 32

Gradient wind describes

Answer 32

flow along curved Isobars, higher than Geostrophic if anticyclonically curved,
lower if cyclonically curved.

Question 33

Surface Wind flows in toward ___ pressure, crossing the Isobars at the Angle of Indraft.

Answer 33

low

Question 34

Buys-Ballot’s Law states:

Answer 34

Face the wind.

Lower pressure is to the right in the northern hemisphere (left in the southern hemisphere).
The Angle of Indraft should be taken into account.
The direction of the Pressure Gradient will be 90° plus the Angle of Indraft from the wind direction.
The direction of the centre of low pressure will depend on the isobar pattern.

Question 35

The Gradient Wind Graph is calculated for Latitude __°.
It is useable over the range __° to __° Latitude

The theoretical maximum anticyclonic gradient wind is twice the geostrophic wind.

Answer 35

50
40
80

Question 36

The wind speed around anticyclonically curved isobars may be up to ______ the speed that would be
expected from the isobar spacing.

Answer 36

twice

Question 37

Cyclostrophic wind speed is an approximation to gradient wind speed that ignores, what?

Answer 37

Coriolis force