Atmospheric Currents

A student wants to model the Coriolis effect. She spins a globe and then uses a marker to draw a line on it while it spins. She begins drawing near the North Pole and moves her hand directly toward the Equator.

Which diagram best represents the line drawn on the globe?

• Z

• W

• Y

• X

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In the United States, weather patterns generally move in which direction?

• south to north

• east to west

• west to east

• north to south

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In general, air masses along the southern U.S. tend to be made up of high-pressure air. Air closer to the north pole tends to be low pressure air.

Why does the high pressure air from the south not blow straight to the north?

• Because the Earth's rotation turns the wind's path to the west.

• Because the Earth's rotation turns the wind's path to the east.

• Because winds blow from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure.

• Because the Earth's surface is heated evenly, canceling out any pressure differences.

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A sample of water evaporates from the Earth's surface and becomes a gas. The gas expands and rises high into the atmosphere. Eventually, the gas condenses and falls back to the ground as rain.

The water's movement through the atmosphere is an example of _______, which is driven by the Sun's _______.

• conduction; heat

• convection; heat

• conduction; gravity

• convection; gravity

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The diagram shows the general pattern of air circulation in the atmosphere.

Many of the world's deserts are located at latitudes slightly below 30° N. This includes the region marked with an X on the map. Which of the following statements best explains this?

• Most of the moisture is removed from the air before it rises into the upper atmosphere.

• Air near the equator moves quickly as Earth rotates, so it cannot carry much moisture.

• The descending cooled air from the upper atmosphere contains very little moisture.

• Moist air near the equator tends to flow away from land and toward the oceans.

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Ocean currents and global wind patterns, which are caused by convection currents, most strongly affect a region's...

• day length.

• latitude.

• climate.

• population size.

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Convection currents, which affect weather and climate, are created by

• slow, constant tectonic movement.

• mining of the seafloor.

• erosion of ocean beaches.

• the uneven heating of the Earth.

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Which of the following factors drives all the weather on Earth, including large-scale storms and local weather systems?

• The Coriolis effect curves the motion of wind due to the Earth's rotation.

• The Sun heats up the air at different rates, and the atmosphere undergoes changes to equalize temperatures and pressures.

• The ocean holds thermal energy more efficiently than land.

• The greenhouse effect ensures that some thermal energy will always be trapped near the Earth's surface.

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The atmosphere is heated both by the Sun and by the Earth's surface. Water radiates heat differently than land, so the air temperature over the ocean is usually different than the air temperature over land.

The difference in air temperature over land compared to over water causes convection currents in the atmosphere. How would a person at the beach experience these convection currents?

• They would feel that the sand is hot.

• They would feel the heat of the Sun.

• They would feel that the water is cold.

• They would feel wind as the air moves.

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As the Earth rotates, winds are created that blow in a single direction over a specific area. These winds are responsible for moving clouds around the Earth and creating patterns of weather in different locations around the world.

What are these winds that move in a single direction over a specific area called?

• hurricane force winds

• local winds

• sea breezes

• prevailing winds

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