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Ch. 8 & 9 Study Guide (Air Sea Interaction)

Total questions: 41

Worksheet time: 31mins

Name
Class
Date
1.

The circular flow in each ocean basin is called a gyre.

a)

True

b)

False

2.

Western boundary currents flow more quickly than eastern boundary currents partly because the trade winds pile water on the western ocean boundary.

a)

True

b)

False

3.

Although different water layers move in different directions in an Ekman spiral, the overall effect of Ekman transport is to move a current directly in line with the wind.

a)

True

b)

False

4.

Both upwellings and downwellings can result from a wind parallel to shore.

a)

True

b)

False

5.

The general pattern of thermohaline circulation is that of redistributing heat through the sinking of dense water, which causes deep water to rise and eventually enter the surface currents.

a)

True

b)

False

6.

The Coriolis effect is the tendency for the path of a moving object to shift to the right in the Northern Hemisphere and to the left in the Southern Hemisphere.

a)

True

b)

False

7.

An atmospheric circulation cell is a distinct air mass that has the same airflow pattern as all other cells, but different weather.

a)

True

b)

False

8.

Air circulates counterclockwise in a Northern Hemisphere cyclone because the low pressure that draws in the winds is stronger than the Coriolis effect.

a)

True

b)

False

9.

The primary forces that provide energy for surface ocean currents include

a)

wind.

b)

Coriolis effect.

c)

Ekman spiral.

d)

ocean gyres.

10.

There are ____ gyres found in ____.

a)

five, each major ocean basin

b)

two, equatorial regions

c)

two, polar regions

d)

five, the North Atlantic

11.

Currents tend to flow around the periphery of an ocean basin because

a)

the edge of the basin is deeper.

b)

of the elevated surface level in the center and the Coriolis effect.

c)

the edge of the basin is more shallow.

d)

of the lower surface level in the center and the Coriolis effect.

12.

Gyres are called ____ currents. They tend to flow ____.

a)

geostrophic, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere counterclockwise the Southern Hemisphere

b)

equatorial, quickly

c)

geostrophic, only clockwise

d)

equatorial, clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Southern Hemisphere

13.

A countercurrent runs ____ an adjacent current.

a)

opposite to

b)

beneath

c)

both options are correct

14.

A countercurrent is thought to be formed by water ____ a basin faster than it ____.

a)

entering, exits

b)

exiting, evaporates

c)

entering, evaporates

d)

evaporates, exits

15.

An undercurrent runs ____ an adjacent current. The reason why it forms is ____.

a)

beneath, unclear

b)

perpendicular to, the same as for a countercurrent

c)

perpendicular to, unclear

d)

beneath, the same as for a countercurrent

16.

Without currents, the world’s climates would be

a)

more extreme.

b)

more moderate.

c)

no different.

17.

During a warm-phase ENSO event (El Nino), warm water ____. This event causes ____.

a)

accumulates in the Western Pacific, stable weather

b)

accumulates in the Western Pacific, dramatic weather changes

c)

accumulates in the Eastern Pacific, stable weather

d)

accumulates in the Eastern Pacific, dramatic weather changes

18.

Thermohaline circulation is water movement caused by

a)

water density differences.

b)

the wind.

c)

pelagic organisms.

19.

Based on density stratification, the primary water mass classifications include

a)

central water, intermediate water, and deep water.

b)

surface water, deep water, and photic water.

c)

intermediate water, deep water, and photic water.

d)

photic water, surface water, and bottom water.

20.

The primary source of deep and bottom water is from

a)

high latitudes due to freezing and cooling raising the salinity and density.

b)

the equator due to evaporation raising the salinity and density.

c)

high latitudes due to evaporation raising the salinity and density.

d)

the equator due to freezing and cooling raising the salinity and density.

21.

The ocean conveyor belt is important because

a)

it redistributes heat and moderates the Earth’s climate.

b)

it is the primary method fishermen have to process what they catch.

c)

it keeps the Coriolis Effect going

d)

none of the answer choices

22.

The ____ method studies currents by traveling with their flow. The ____ method studies currents by measuring the water that flows by a fixed point.

a)

Lagrangian, Eulerian

b)

Eulerian, Lagrangian

c)

Eulerian, Doppler

d)

drogue, Lagrangian

23.

Examples of instruments or methods used to study currents include

a)

flow meters and drogues.

b)

Argo float.

c)

Doppler Acoustic Current Meters.

d)

All of the answer choices

24.

Air is about ____ % nitrogen.

a)

78

b)

75

c)

21

d)

0.03

25.

The layer of the atmosphere next to the ground is the ____. The layer that extends into space is the ____.

a)

none of the answer choices

b)

thermosphere, troposphere

c)

troposphere, mesosphere

d)

stratosphere, thermosphere

26.

As the amount of water vapor in air increases, the air’s density

a)

decreases

b)

increases

c)

doesn't change

27.

____ can result when an air mass rapidly cools, causing water vapor to condense.

a)

Rain or snow

b)

Thunder

c)

A wave front

d)

none of the answer choices

28.

About ____% of the sunlight that reaches the atmosphere makes it to the Earth’s surface.

a)

50

b)

75

c)

66

d)

25

29.

The sun heats the Earth unevenly because

a)

the Earth is a sphere.

b)

the Earth is in an elliptical orbit.

c)

the Earth is tilted on its axis.

d)

all of the answer choices

30.

If the Earth consistently absorbed more energy from the sun than it radiated to space,

a)

the Earth would grow hotter and hotter.

b)

there would be no noticeable effect.

c)

the Earth would grow colder and colder

31.

Convection is caused by

a)

changes in the wind.

b)

warm air rising and cool air flowing in to replace it.

c)

large flocks of migrating birds.

d)

all of the answer choices

32.

The Coriolis effect is caused by

a)

the rotation of the Earth.

b)

the influence of a point in space.

c)

the Earth’s currents.

d)

none of the answer choices

33.

The Coriolis effect tends to influence the wind by giving it a(n) ____.

a)

unpredictable flow pattern.

b)

circular flow pattern.

c)

north-south flow pattern.

d)

none of the answer choices

34.

The trade winds are found between approximately ____, and blow ____.

a)

0° and 30° latitude, toward the equator

b)

30° and 60° latitude, toward the poles

c)

0° and 30° latitude, toward the poles

d)

30° and 60° latitude, toward the equator

35.

The westerlies are found between approximately ____, and blow ____.

a)

0° and 30° latitude, toward the equator

b)

30° and 60° latitude, toward the poles

c)

0° and 30° latitude, toward the poles

d)

30° and 60° latitude, toward the equator

36.

The ____ equator is 0º latitude. The ____ equator is an imaginary line marking the temperature equilibrium between the hemispheres.

a)

ITCZ/meteorological, geographic

b)

geographic, ITCZ/meteorological

37.

Most of the Earth’s major deserts occur

a)

at about 30º latitude.

b)

all of the answer choices

c)

where the vertical airflow is downward.

d)

where the Hadley and Ferrel cells meet.

38.

You would expect the ocean near a desert to have ____ salinity compared to the average ocean salinity.

a)

at about 30º latitude.

b)

higher

c)

lower

d)

the answer cannot be determined from the question

39.

A monsoon is

a)

a local seasonal weather pattern that causes summers to be very dry.

b)

a local seasonal weather pattern that causes winters to be very dry.

c)

a large rotating storm.

d)

none of the answer choices

40.

A(n) ____ forms within a single atmospheric cell, whereas a ____ forms where Polar and Ferrel cells meet.

a)

extratropical cyclone, monsoon

b)

none of the answer choices

c)

monsoon, tropical cyclone

d)

tropical cyclone, monsoon

41.

Cyclones form where

a)

high-pressure air pushes wind away, causing a drain effect.

b)

wind gets drawn into a low pressure area at the Earth’s surface, forming a spiral pattern.

c)

two air masses meet head on and roll backwards, causing a typhoon and a hurricane.

d)

all of the answer choices