Worksheets2.1 The atmosphere operates as a global system
Total questions: 14
Worksheet time: 1hrs 6mins
Match the definition to the correct key term.
The worldwide movement of air which transports heat from tropical to polar latitudes.
Global atmospheric circulation
The distance north or south of the Equator. It is measured in degrees with the maximum being 90ᵒN or 90ᵒS.
Latitude
A continuous, directed movement of ocean water, made from forces acting on the water such as the wind, different temperatures and the Earth’s rotation.
Ocean current
Inter Tropical Convergence Zone - where trade winds meet at the Equator.
ITCZ
A wind that blows steadily from the tropics towards the Equator.
Trade wind
The features of global atmospheric circulation are:
•The transfer of heat from the (a) to the poles.
•There are three circulation cells – (b) , Ferrel and Polar.
•Jet streams impact on the movement of (c) energy.
•The spin of the Earth creates the (d) effect.
How do circulation cells and ocean currents transfer and redistribute heat energy across the Earth?
The Sun heats the Earth unevenly; it heats the Earth ... - (a)
This creates a heat surplus at the Equator and a heat ... - (b)
As the Poles are not getting colder, and the Equator is not getting warmer, there must be ... - (c)
The heat energy is transferred in two ways: circulation cells ... - (d)
Label the circulation cells on to the figure.
Reorder the following to explain what happens at the Hadley Cells
Warm trade winds blow towards the Equator.
Here the warm air from these trade winds rises (due to low pressure at the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone), creating large clouds (rain).
At this point the air now moves away from the Equator and starts to sink as it cools (at about 30°N/S), creating high pressure with cloudless skies (location of deserts).
On return to the ground, some air returns to the Equator, while some moves on to the Ferrel Cells.
Reorder the following to explain what happens at the Ferrel Cells
At 30°N/S, air on the surface of the Earth is pulled towards the poles, collecting moisture as it moves over oceans.
At 60°N/S this air meets cold air coming from the poles. The warm air rises over the cold air as it's less dense, creating low pressure (rain).
Some of the air then returns to the Hadley cells (towards the tropics) and some goes the other direction, joining the Polar cells.
Reorder the following to explain what happens at the Polar cells.
The air sinks over the poles.
This produces high pressure.
The air then flows towards the low pressure at 60°N/S.
Here it meets the warm air of the Ferrel cells.
Jet Streams impact weather systems. Complete the paragraph below that gives information about the two jet streams.
In the upper atmosphere there are bands of extremely fast moving air known as (a) streams.
The Polar Front jet stream is formed when (b) polar air meets warm (c) air between the Polar and (d) cells.
The (e) jet stream is found between the Ferrel and Hadley cells.
Ocean Currents
The oceans transfer approximately what percentage of the total heat that is transferred from the tropics to the poles?
10%
20%
30%
40%
Ocean Currents
Each ocean has a circular pattern of surface currents, known as a (a) . They are produced as masses of water move from one (b) zone to another. The currents of all the oceans are similar because they are created by the surface (c) generated by global (d) circulation.
Ocean Currents
The strongest ocean currents are on what side of oceans?
East
West
Complete the fill in the gaps to describe the impact of ocean currents.
Warm ocean currents transfer (a) from low to high latitudes. In winter months, they warm western sides of continents, raising the (b) . Cold currents have less impact as they are usually (c) (away from (d) ).
Categorise the two ocean currents into warm or cold.
North Atlantic Drift
Labrador Current
Identify one warm ocean current shown in Figure 6a.
California
Labrador
Gulf stream
Peru
