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Worksheets18-1 Air Pressure and Wind
Total questions: 39
Worksheet time: 20mins
The pressure exerted by the weight of air above.
Air pressure
Mercury barometer
Aneroid barometer
Barograph
Isobars
A device used to measure air pressure that uses a partially evacuated.
Air pressure
Mercury barometer
Aneroid barometer
Barograph
Isobars
An instrument that provides a continuous record of pressure changes with the passage of time.
Air pressure
Mercury barometer
Aneroid barometer
Barograph
Isobars
Lines on a map that connect places of equal air pressure.
Air pressure
Mercury barometer
Aneroid barometer
Barograph
Isobars
When air moves horizontally.
Wind
Pressure gradient
coriolis effect
Geostrophic winds
Jet Stream
The spacing of isobars indicates the amount of pressure change occurring over a given distance and is expressed as the:
Wind
Pressure gradient
coriolis effect
Geostrophic winds
Jet Stream
States that all free-moving objects or fluids are deflected by the Earth’s rotation.
Wind
Pressure gradient
coriolis effect
Geostrophic winds
Jet Stream
Upper-air winds that blow parallel to the isobars.
Wind
Pressure gradient
coriolis effect
Geostrophic winds
Jet Stream
Which of these are standard air pressure measurements at sea level?
998.3 millibars
29.92 inches of mercury
14.7 pounds per square inch
1 kilogram per square centimeter
1 atmosphere
Which units of air pressure will you see in weather reports in the US?
Millibars
Inches of mercury
Pounds per square inch
Atmospheres
How does an aneroid barometer work?
The chamber in the barometer expands when the air pressure decreases, and contracts when the air pressure increases
The mercury is forced up the tube when the air pressure increases, and the mercury falls when air pressure decreases
When the temperature drops, that means the air pressure will drop as well
Air pressure increases with an increase in cloud cover, so the barometer measures the amount of sunlight reaching the instrument
How is a barograph better than an aneroid barometer?
It connects to a computer so the readings are more accurate
It measures changes in air pressure over time, so you can monitor if the pressure is increasing or decreasing
A barograph measures humidity as well as air pressure, so you can tell if precipitation is likely
A barograph will work at any altitude so it is more useful than an aneroid barometer
Use the following air pressures recorded throughout the day to decide what is likely to happen with the weather: 1012 mb at 9am, 1003 mb at 12pm, 998 mb at 3pm, 991 mb at 6pm, 887 mb at 9pm
Most likely clear skies and fair weather are moving in
Most likely warm temperatures are moving in
Most likely clouds and precipitation are moving in
Most likely the weather will be unchanging
What causes wind?
Air flowing from areas of high pressure to areas of low pressure
Air flowing from areas of low pressure to areas of high pressure
Air flowing from areas of high altitude to areas of low altitude because of gravity
Air flowing from areas of low altitude to areas of high altitude because of heat differences in the lower atmosphere verses the higher atmosphere
The ultimate energy source for wind.
The Sun
Geothermal energy
Plutonium
The Moon
Zeus
Which of these are forces that control wind?
The pressure gradient force
The Coriolis Effect
Friction
Ocean currents
The Moon's gravitational pull
If isobars are closely spaced that would create:
Faster winds
Slower winds
Winds that blow toward the North
Winds that blow toward the South
Which way are the winds deflected in the Northern Hemisphere due to the Coriolis Effect?
To the right
To the left
To the North
To the South
If no other force acts on the winds, which way will they flow with respect to isobars?
Perpendicular to the isobars
Parallel to the isobars
At a 45⁰ angle to the isobars
At a 120⁰ angle to the isobars
Why do jet streams tend to move faster than surface winds?
There is very little friction acting on them
They are at higher altitudes so there is less gravity acting on them
Because they are at higher altitudes the temperatures are lower, and colder winds blow faster
The higher layers of atmosphere rotate faster than the lower layers as the Earth spins
Identify Item #1 in the picture below:
Isobars
Isotherms
Contours
Coriolis
Which of the following correctly describes Air #1:
Warm air, less dense, rising and expanding
Cool air, less dense, rising and expanding
Warm air, more dense, sinking and condensing
Cool air, more dense, sinking and condensing
Which of the following correctly describes Air #2:
Warm air, less dense, rising and expanding
Cool air, less dense, rising and expanding
Warm air, more dense, sinking and condensing
Cool air, more dense, sinking and condensing
Which of the following correctly describes the movement of air due to pressure differences:
air will always move from high pressure to low pressure
air will always move from low pressure to high pressure
Air does not move due to differences in pressure
Air will always move from hot areas to cold areas
In the image below, which way will the air be moving?
To the right
To the left
Straight up into space
Down into the water
Jet stream air can reach speeds over:
200 mph
800 mph
1000 mph
1200 mph
Which force cause the air to move to the right in the Northern hemisphere due to Earth's rotation?
Coriolis effect
Pressure gradient
Atmospheric pressure
Surface friction
Which direction do the jet streams flow around the planet Earth?
East to West
West to East
South to North
North to South
The jet stream is stronger:
in winter
in summer
in spring
in fall
In the Northern Hemisphere, the polar front jet tends to be further_____________in the winter.
North
South
East
West
In an effort to save on fuel, Southwest airlines would like utilize which of the following strategies:
Fly in the jet stream when travelling from West to East
Fly in the jet stream when travelling from East to West
Flying at low altitude, in the prevailing winds
Using barometers to find areas of low pressure in which to fly through
Flying in geostrophic winds when travelling from East to West
Hot air rises, creating an area of low pressure. Adjacent areas with higher air pressure will adjust and move air molecules to the low pressure area. What is the primary energy source that drives this cycle?
Ocean currents
The Sun
The Moon
Geothermal energy
Air in the atmosphere continuously moves by convection. At the equator, air rises; at the poles, it sinks. This occurs because:
The Earth's ozone layer is thinner at the equator than at the poles
The Earth's magnetic field is stronger at the poles than at the equator
Warm air can hold less water vapor than can cold air
Warm air is less dense than cold air
Rain is in the forecast for later in the day in Lockport. Which of the following sets of barometric pressure readings would you expect to see:
9 AM: 1010 mb / 10AM: 1000 mb / 11 AM: 990 mb / 12 PM: 980 mb
9 AM: 980 mb / 10AM: 990 mb / 11 AM: 1000 mb / 12 PM: 1010 mb
9 AM: 940 mb / 10AM: 945 mb / 11 AM: 940 mb / 12 PM: 945 mb
9 AM: 1010 mb / 10AM: 1011 mb / 11 AM: 1011 mb / 12 PM: 1012 mb
Which of the following best explains why the pressure inside a high-flying airplane must be controlled?
At high altitudes there is greater atmospheric pressure than on the surface of the Earth.
At high altitudes there is lower atmospheric pressure than on the surface of the Earth.
If the cabin is not pressurized, ozone and other upper atmospheric gases will enter the airplane.
If the cabin is not pressurized, carbon dioxide will escape from the airplane.
Based on the barometer, what type of weather would you expect in the next 12 to 24 hours?
Heavy rain
Cloudless, sunny skies
Blizzard
Very hot, humid, and cloudy
Define air pressure:
a force exerted by the weight of air above a given point.
the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.
the measurement of how fast molecules are moving in a substance.
the amount of water vapor in the air.
the temperature at which the air is saturated (relative humidity is 100%)
Air molecules moving from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure
Wind
Pressure gradient
coriolis effect
Geostrophic winds
Jet Stream
Define wind:
a force exerted by the weight of air above a given point.
the movement of air from an area of high pressure to an area of low pressure.
the measurement of how fast molecules are moving in a substance.
the amount of water vapor in the air.
the temperature at which the air is saturated (relative humidity is 100%)
