Atmospheric Circulation and the Coriolis Effect

According to the video, our atmospheric circulation is split into three cells in each hemisphere. What are the names of these three cells?

• Hadley cell, Ferrel cell, and polar cell

• Jet stream, trade wind, and monsoon

• Equatorial cell, tropical cell, and polar cell

• Westerly cell, easterly cell, and polar cell

What is the Coriolis effect?

• A force that pulls air toward the North and South Poles.

• The reason why air always flows in a straight line.

• The bending of moving air caused by the Earth’s rotation.

• A change in air pressure due to mountains and oceans.

The Earth's surface rotates faster at the equator than at the poles.

• True

• False

Fill in the blank: The spin of the Earth induces an apparent motion to the ______ in the Northern Hemisphere and to the ______ in the Southern Hemisphere.

• right; left

• left; right

• up; down

• north; south

Why does air appear to move in a curved direction as it moves away from the equator?

• The Earth’s magnetic field pulls the air off course.

• Mountains and landforms block the straight path of the wind.

• The Earth’s surface rotates at different speeds at different latitudes.

• Gravity pulls the air toward the poles.

According to the video, is there a physical force causing the deflection of air due to the Coriolis effect?

• No, there is no physical force causing this deflection. It is due to the air flowing from a region that is moving faster to a region that is moving more slowly as the atmosphere rotates with the Earth.

• Yes, the Coriolis effect is caused by a strong magnetic force acting on the air.

• Yes, gravity directly causes the deflection of air due to the Coriolis effect.

• Yes, friction between the Earth's surface and the atmosphere creates the Coriolis effect.

How does this lead to eastward-flowing jet streams and prevailing winds?

• Due to the rotation of the Earth and the Coriolis effect.

• Because of the gravitational pull of the moon.

• As a result of ocean currents only.

• Because of the tilt of the Earth's axis.

According to the video, where does the polar front jet sit?

• boundary between Polar cell and Ferrell cell

• Boundary between Hadley & Ferrell cells

• Boundary between Polar & Hadley cells

What causes the polar front jet to be stronger in the winter than in the summer?

• The stronger temperature contrast across the polar front in winter.

• The increased humidity in the upper atmosphere during winter.

• The longer daylight hours in winter.

• The higher sun angle in winter.

What is the effect of the Coriolis force on the surface flow of the Hadley cells?

• It causes surface winds to blow directly from the equator to the poles.

• It deflects surface winds to the west, forming the trade winds in both hemispheres.

• It stops air from circulating between the equator and the mid-latitudes.

• It causes the formation of polar jet streams at the equator.