Meteorology Today, Ahrens Chap 8

Question 1

What does a millibar describe

Answer 1

atmospheric pressure, equal to 100 pascals

Question 2

What is Hg describe

Answer 2

inches of mercury, describes atmospheric pressure

Question 3

What is a pascal

Answer 3

is the force of 1 newton acting on a surface area of 1 square
meter.

Question 4

what are hectopascals

Answer 4

equal to 1 millibar or 100 pascals, used more commonly than millibars

Question 5

Rate at which atmospheric pressure decreases with elevation

Answer 5

10 millibars per 1000 meters

Question 6

What are contour lines

Answer 6

LInes that connect points of equal elevation

Question 7

Southern and Northern parts of the US have very different elevations for the same pressure, tell me how

Answer 7

Northern air is colder, lower altitude needed to reach certain pressures and Southern Air is warmer, higher altitudes needed to reach certain pressures

Question 8

What are ridges on pressure maps

Answer 8

elongated highs of pressure, where air is warm

Question 9

What are troughs on pressure maps

Answer 9

elongated lows of pressure, where air is cold

Question 10

How to calculate pressure gradient force

Answer 10

difference in pressure / distance

Question 11

Direction of pressure gradient force

Answer 11

higher-lower at right angles to the isobars

Question 12

3 forces that determine wind

Answer 12

pressure gradient force, coriolis force, and friction

Question 13

If the pressure gradient force were the only force controlling wind, how would it look

Answer 13

wind goes directly from high to low pressures

Question 14

Coriolis force in comparison to wind speed

Answer 14

Faster the wind, the more the deflection

Question 15

direction coriolis force acts

Answer 15

right angles

Question 16

How does wind aloft blow

Answer 16

parallel to isobars, as the coriolis effect deflects it to a right angle. this only occurs with wind aloft, as there is no friction acting upon it

Question 17

What is geostrophic winds

Answer 17

wind that blows parallel to isobars

Question 18

what direction does the wind blow in cyclones in the northern and southern

Answer 18

Counterclockwise northern and Clockwise southern

Question 19

what direction does the wind blow in anticyclones in the northern and southern

Answer 19

Clockwise northern and Counterclockwise southern

Question 20

why does surface wind not flow like geostrophic wind

Answer 20

friction with the ground causes wind speed to reduce and the coriolis effect to diminish