Brainscape's Knowledge GenomeTM


Top Flashcards (Certified)
All Flashcards

Physical Geography 1000 > Atmospheric and ocean circulations > Flashcards

Atmospheric and ocean circulations Flashcards

(95 cards)

Start Studying
1
Q

one of the most important outputs of the Earth-atmosphere energy system

A

global circulation of winds and ocean currents

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

true or false
our atmosphere is shared by all humanity

A

true

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

air pressure

A

the weight of the atmosphere described as force per area

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

air pressure is due to the

A

weight of the air above us

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

air pressure is key to understand

A

wind

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

air pressure makes _____

A

gradients

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

_____ and _____ decrease with altitude in the atmosphere

A

density and pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

what affects density

A

water vapour in the air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

moist air is ______

A

lighter

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

why is moist air lighter

A

the molecular weight of water is less than that of the molecules making up dry air

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

warm, humid air is associated with

A

low pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

cold, dry air is associated with

A

high pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

a ______ is used to measure atmospheric pressure

A

barometer

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

how does a barometer measure atmospheric pressure

A

using liquid mercury because mercury reacts to changes in pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

an ______ barometer is used to measure pressure without liquid

A

aneroid

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

how is atmospheric pressure measured today

A

by electronic sensors that provide continuous measurements over time

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
17
Q

how to compare pressure conditions from place to place

A

pressure measurements are adjusted and compared to a standard of normal-sea level pressure

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
18
Q

standard atmosphere and pressure at sea level

A

temp = 15 degrees Celcius
pressure = 101.325 kPa
density = 1.23 kg/m3

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
19
Q

what scales are used to measure pressure

A
  1. millibars
  2. inches of mercury
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
20
Q

what is the normal range for air pressure

A

980 to 1050 mb

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
21
Q

wind

A

the generally horizontal motion of air across earth’s surface

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
22
Q

anemometer

A

measures wind speed

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
23
Q

wind vane

A

determines wind direction

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
24
Q

winds are named for the

A

direction from which they originate

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
25
wind is Lethbridge is often moving
westerly (west to east)
26
four forces that determine both the speed and direction of wind
1. gravitational force 2. pressure gradient force (PGF) 3. Coriolis effect 4. friction force
27
PGF
drives air from areas of higher barometric pressure to areas of lower
28
gradient
rate of change in some property over distance
29
can there be wind without a pressure gradient force
NO
30
does air motion have to be horizontal to create pressure gradients
NO, it can also be vertical
31
at higher pressure there are ____ winds
lighter
32
low pressure there is _____ winds
strong
33
why is the flow of wind a vector
it has speed and direction
34
thermal circulation system
occur with horizontal PG created by contrasting thermal environments
35
Aloft
what is above us
36
at a higher pressure the air is _____ (cold or warm)
cold
37
at a low pressure the air is _____ (cold or warm)
warm
38
what is used to balance the imbalance in pressure
wind to move matter
39
what develops in warm air
air rises which creates a low pressure at the surface
40
what develops in cold air
air falls and an area of high pressure develops at the surface
41
why would a be warmer than b
based on a different surface (one that absorbs more heat)
42
why is the warm pressure higher
air in A is warmer and it expands thus it rises and more air is above this pressure. It also is less dense which means there is less to move through
43
how can the air pressure be equalized
by the physical transfer of matter from the high pressure to the low pressure with the development of a wind pattern
44
what is found at the surface of A and the surface of B
A- surface pressure falls (low pressure) B- surface pressure rises (high pressure)
45
isobar
isoline plotted on a weather map that connects points of equal pressure
46
_____ of isobars shows intensity of the pressure difference
spacing between them
47
the steep gradient of isobars causes
faster air movement from high to low pressure
48
wider spaced isobars mark a _____ pressure change
gradual
49
Coriolis force
makes wind travelling in a straight path appear to be deflected in relation to earth's rotating surface
50
Coriolis force is an apparent force that affects
the direction of moving objects
51
Coriolis force in the Northern Hemisphere
deflection is to the right according to the original motion
52
Coriolis force in the Southern Hemisphere
deflection is to the left according to the original motion
53
where is Coriolis force maximized
in areas with max rotation per unit area (more polewards)
54
what can Coriolis force deflect
1. wind 2. artillery 3. airplanes
55
the strength of Coriolis force is proportional to
wind speed
56
where does the Coriolis force strengthen more
poleward
57
how to figure out which vector shows the most Coriolis force
the one the most poleward (70 Latitude has more Coriolis force than 60 latitude)
58
Coriolis force is dependent on
latitude
59
Coriolis force at the equator
translational movement of the surface
60
what value is Coriolis force at the equator
zero
61
what is Coriolis force at the poles
rotational movement
62
where is friction found
in the boundary layer (where atmosphere and surface meet)
63
what does friction cause
drag as the wind moves across the surface
64
friction ____ with height
decreases
65
why does friction decrease with height
there is no friction aloft because there is nothing to impose friction
66
what happens to surface winds without friction
they would move parallel to isobars at high speeds
67
_____ air winds are NOT affected by friction forces
upper
68
_____ surfaces produce more friction
rougher
69
geostrophic winds occurs were
friction is minor (not existent)
70
geostrophic winds are located
above the planetary boundary layer
71
geostrophic winds are the balance
between PGF and Coriolis force
72
_____ winds are reduced by friction
surface
73
what type of wind has a weaker Coriolis force
surface winds
74
how do surface winds cross the isobars
at an angle
75
surface winds spirals into ___
cyclones
76
surface winds spiral out of _____
anticyclones
77
what happens if the friction force increases
the angle the wind crosses the isobar gets bigger
78
how do geostrophic winds cross the isobars
parallel
79
surface winds have a CF and PGF force _____
no longer perpendicular
80
surface winds are a _____ of forces
three-way balance
81
why do local winds have pressure differences
linked to temp differences that occur due to variations in surface or terrain
82
land and sea breezes are a result of
temp differences in surface properties
83
mountain and valley winds are a result of
temp differences in terrain
84
what direction is the breeze
its a sea breeze from the sea to the land
85
the water has a ____ temp and as such ____ pressure on surface and a ____ pressure aloft
1. cold 2. high pressure 3. low pressure
86
the land has a _____ temp and as such ____ pressure on surface and a ___ pressure aloft
1. warm 2. low pressure 3. high pressure
87
what direction is the breeze
its a land breeze from land to water
88
the water has a _____ temp and as such ____ pressure on surface and a ___ pressure aloft
1. cool 2. Low pressure 3. High pressure
89
the land has a _____ temp and as such ____ pressure on surface and a ___ pressure aloft
1. Cold (more cold than water) 2. High pressure 3. Low pressure
90
is this at day or night
night
91
is this day or night
day
92
air rising up a slope creates a
valley wind
93
what pressure is higher low or high
low
94
cold air falling down a slope creates
mountain wind
95
where is pressure higher
adjacent to the slope than over the valley

Physical Geography 1000 (21 decks)

Brainscape helps you reach your goals faster, through stronger study habits.
© 2025 Bold Learning Solutions. Terms and Conditions