What Drives Global Winds

The Coriolis effect deflects wind direction. How does this process impact ocean surface currents?

• The wind deflects the currents to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The wind deflects the currents to the left in the Northern Hemisphere and to the right in the Southern Hemisphere.
• The wind deflects the currents to the left in both hemispheres.
• The wind deflects the currents to the right in both hemispheres.

Ocean currents, prevailing wind patterns, and other atmospheric disturbances are initially caused by which of these?

• differences in the phases of the moon
• gravitational pull of the Sun
• incoming solar radiation
• ozone layer depletion

When air is heated, it will MOST likely

• expand and fall
• expand and rise
• condense and fall
• condense and rise

A sea breeze blows from the ocean toward the shore. Why does this occur?

• High pressure over the land causes a downdraft to occur.
• The tide carries the wind to the shore as it moves back and forth.
• Conduction of heat from the warm water produces wind from the ocean.
• Air over land heats faster than air over water, which causes convection.

Which of the following are narrow belts of strong winds found in the upper troposphere?

• doldrums
• westerlies
• trade winds
• jet streams

Which of these MOST likely causes winds to blow on Earth?

• Earth spins quickly, causing air to blow around.
• The gravity of Earth and the Moon push and pull the air.
• Warm air rises and cool air falls toward Earth's surface.
• Ocean waves push air onto the shore and across Earth's surface.

Which factor causes the motion of surface ocean currents?

• the sun
• the wind
• the moon
• hurricanes

A mass of air under high pressure travels southward from the polar area toward the equator. How will Earth's motion MOST likely affect this air mass?

• The air mass will experience increased pressure.
• The air mass will mix with a low-pressure system.
• The air mass will reverse direction and travel back to the pole.
• The air mass will appear to turn and move in a westerly direction.

Hurricanes are large, powerful storms that form as they travel over warm ocean waters. What do oceans add to make hurricanes so strong?

• salt and water
• wind and tides
• heat and moisture
• waves and flooding

Which of these BEST explains the cause of convection currents in Earth's atmosphere?

• Heat from Earth's core heats the land only at the equator.
• Glaciers moving away from the poles cool Earth unevenly.
• Sunlight is more concentrated in some places on Earth than others.
• The light and heat reflected from the moon varies as the moon changes phases.