unit 5, exam 2

Question 1

forces that act on atmosphere

Answer 1

pressure gradient
coriolis
friction

Question 2

geostrophic wind

Answer 2

forces are balanced
upper atmosphere
pressure gradient force and Coriolis balance each other out.
wind then flows perpendicular to isobars
going counter/clockwise within perspective hemisphere

Question 3

gradient wind

Answer 3

geostrophic flow includes centripedal that maintains parallel flow around isobars

Question 4

force

Answer 4

push or pull on an object with a vector quantity both in magnitude and direction

Question 5

forces not balanced

Answer 5

near the surface friction slows, reduces the coriolis and allows pressure gradient forces to dominate which causes convergence in L pressures and divergence at H pressures

Question 6

one cell model

Answer 6

hadley cell
18th century scientist
proposal for trade winds
single cell of air movement
assumes:  no land, sun directly over equator, no rotation

Question 7

wind

Answer 7

the movement of air in response to temperature and pressure gradients

Question 8

wind is light

Answer 8

pressure gradient is weak

widely spaced isobars

Question 9

wind is sstrong

Answer 9

pressure gradient steep

closely spaced isobars

Question 10

large gradient

Answer 10

fast winds

Question 11

small gradient

Answer 11

slow winds

Question 12

pressure gradient

Answer 12

change in air pressure over a distance

always present vertically(large gradient) and horizontally (much smaller gradient)

Question 13

pressure gradient FORCE

Answer 13

a response to horizontal air pressure gradients, the wind blows form high pressure to low pressure, orienting perpendicular to isobars

Question 14

H-pressure system

Answer 14

anticyclone, brings fair weather

Question 15

L-pressure system

Answer 15

cyclone, brings stormy weather

Question 16

isobars

Answer 16

lines that join areas with the same air pressure

Question 17

newtons first law of motion

Answer 17

a moving object remains in constant, straight line motion unless acted upon

Question 18

coriolis force

Answer 18

apparent force derived to describe the coriolis effects magnitude and direction of wind
-only effects direction, not wind speed

Question 19

friction

Answer 19

resistance that an object or medium encounters as it moves in contact with another object of medium.

Question 20

molecular viscosity

Answer 20

the random motion of molecules composing a liquid or gas, a type of fluid friction

Question 21

eddy viscosity

Answer 21

fluid friction that arises from eddies, large irregular motions that develop with fluids.

Question 22

synergistic forcing

Answer 22

forces operating in the atmosphere act together in governing both wind speed and direction

Question 23

three cell model

Answer 23

accounts for the rotation of the earth
hadley(tropics)
ferrel(mid-latitudes)
polar cell

Question 24

ITCZ

Answer 24

intertropical convergence zone

low pressure around the equator at meeting hadley cells

Question 25

horse latitudes

Answer 25

calm air between trade winds and westerlies.
Hadley and ferrel. 30-35 degrees
ships had to drop weight by throwing livestock overboard.

Question 26

polar front

Answer 26

boundary between polar cell and ferrel cell