OCEANOGRAPHY 6

1. Earth's surface winds are caused by air moving from a region of ______ to a region of ________.

C. high pressure; low pressure

2. Air becomes less dense and rises when

air warms, water vapor increases, atmosphere pressure decreases

3. The Coriolis effect arises primarily from the

rotation of the earth around its axis

4. The Coriolis effect

deflects to the right in the Northern Hemisphere, deflects to the left in the Southern Hemisphere, and has no effect at the equator.

5. The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is

water vapor

6. The westerlies lie between which latitudes?

30 degrees and 60 degrees N and S

7. The doldrums are found

between the northeast trade winds and the southeast trade winds

8. The wind band between the horse latitudes and the doldrums is called the ________ in the Southern Hemisphere.

southeast trade winds

9. Which reservoir stores the largest amount of CO2?

the oceans

10. The effect of ozone destruction is most severe

polar latitudes

11. Ozone destruction appears to be related to increasing levels of _________ in the atmosphere.

chlorine

12. Clouds ___________ radiation.

absorb shortwave, reflect shortwave,intercept longwave, radiate longwave

13. Hurricanes derive their energy from _______ pressure zones in the ______ latitudes.

low; tropical

14. Approximately what percentage of incoming solar radiation is absorbed by the surface of the Earth?

47%

15. On December 15th, which of the following locations will receive the highest value of solar radiation?

30 degrees S

16. Atmospheric pressure is be greatest in the

troposphere

17. The greatest concentration of ozone is in the

stratosphere

18. The coriolis effect deflects objects in the Northern Hemisphere to the _________ relative to their direction of motion.

east

19. Wind belts that blow from east to west over most of the areas between 30� north and 30� south are called

trade winds

20. The low pressure area near the equator is known as the

inter-tropical convergence zone

21) The wind belt that corresponds to the doldrums is

equator (5)

22) The westerlies wind belt is the area corresponding to:

between 30degrees S and 60degrees S (2)

23) The area of the globe (latitude) that is characterized by falling air masses and little precipitation is:

polar area (6)

24) The strongest winds on Earth are:

3 & 4.

25) The doldrums refer to the same region as the:

intertropical convergence zone (3 & 4)

26) Low pressure zone is where air density is lower than in surrounding areas because the air is

warmer or has higher moisture content

27) High pressure zone is where air pressure is higher than in surrounding areas because the air

cooler or has lower moisture content

28) The geostrophic flow is due to the balance of

pressure gradient and coriolis deflection

29) The Ekman spiral is driven by:

wind and coriolis effect

30) In the southern hemisphere, the direction of Ekman transport is:

to the left of the wind direction

31) Thermohaline circulation is

generated by differences in salinity and temperature

32) Thermohaline circulation is driven by:

density

34) The Tropic of Capricorn is located at:

23.5 degree S latitude

35) As a result of the Coriolis effect in the northern hemisphere, winds are deflected:

to the east of the original direction

36) The deflection of air masses to the right or left (depending on latitude) as they move from one latitude to another is called the:

coriolis effect

37) Dry air is .................than moist air:

less dense

38) Cold air is ................than warm air:

more dense

39) Winds blowing from the north in the southern hemisphere will appear to :

be deflected toward the east