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geo hw 5

Uploaded: 6 years ago
Contributor: peterhogan
Category: Geography
Type: Assignment
Tags: hw
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Filename:   peter_hogan_homework_4.doc (22 kB)
Page Count: 5
Credit Cost: 1
Views: 269
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Transcript
Homework 4: Chapter 4 Peter Hogan Read Chapter 4: Atmospheric and Oceanic Circulations and view the Chapter 4 lectures (found under Course Documents). Answer the following questions. The following are short essay questions – please fully answer each question in complete sentences. The answers should be longer than just a few sentences to fully address the question (I am looking for complete paragraph answers). 1. How does air exert pressure? Describe the basic instrument used to measure air pressure. The constant movement of molecules causes air to exert pressure. This also occurs, because this movement causes objects to work against each other, by way of a pushing force. Air pressure is caused by this force of multiple objects in an given area. Pressure increases as air molecules are gained from denser air and because they move faster in high temperatures. Barometers are used to measure air pressure. It's purpose is to tell us rather air pressure is rising or falling. It measures air pressure in inches of mercury. 2. Define wind. How is it measured? How is its direction determined? Wind is produced when when air moves across the surface of the Earth in an horizontal direction. Turbulence occurs occurs in the surface's boundaries, causing updrafts and downdrafts. Wind is based on two main properties; speed and direction and these properties are measured by the anemometer and the wind vane. The anemometer measures wind speed in kilometers per per hour, miles per hour, meters per second, or knots (nautical miles per hour.) Wind direction is determined from the number of degrees from 360 compass degree readings and is based on its original direction. 3. Describe the effect of the Coriolis force. Explain how it apparently deflects atmospheric and oceanic circulations. The Coriolis effect is regarding the rotation of the Earth and how it effects weather patterns and ocean currents. Because of this, the Coriolis effect causes storms to revolve clockwise in the Southern hemisphere and counterclockwise in the Northern hemisphere. It blocks wind to the right in the Northern hemisphere and to the left in the Southern hemisphere. It deflects atmospheric and oceanic circulations, by deflecting currents and winds in the Northern hemisphere clockwise and counterclockwise in the Southern hemisphere with increasing degrees in higher latitudes. 4. Describe the horizontal and vertical air motions in a high-pressure anticyclone and in a low-pressure cyclone. While in a low pressure system, air motion is in a cyclone and high pressure air means the air is in an anticyclone. When a low pressure system moves towards the center of the surface, it rises and spins high in the troposphere, while descending and spinning out at the surface. The spirals directors are opposite in the northern and southern hemispheres, because of the Coriolis effect. Surface air in the southern hemisphere spins clockwise into lows and counterclockwise into highs. In the northern hemisphere, surface air spins counterclockwise into highs and clockwise into lows. 5. Characterized the belt of subtropical high pressure on Earth: Name the specific cells. Describe the generation of westerlies and trade winds. Discuss sailing conditions. On Earth, the belt of subtropical high pressure is when a strong Coriolis force in accordance to lower latitudes, so the Earth's belt of subtropical high pressure would be closer to the equator than they currently are. The cells associated with this concept are called Hadley cells. Westerlies are the main source for wind flow from the subtropics to high latitudes in both hemispheres. Trade winds are winds coming from the northeast in the northern hemisphere and from the southeast in the southern hemisphere. Sailing conditions are dangerous because winds can be harmful to ships and people due to unpredictability and the factors discussed above, along with air and pressure issues that may arise. 6. What is the relation between wind speed and the spacing of isobars? The relationship between wind speed and the spacing of isobars is the closer the spacing is, the stronger the speed of wind is. Isobar spacing means that pressure is different between two certain isobars. When the isobars are close together, pressure changes are faster over a distance. Air is always in motion because of the constant motion of air. When isobars are far apart, changes in pressure occur more gradually across distances, so wind speed is less. 7. People living along coastlines generally experience variations in winds from day to night. Explain the factors that produce these changing wind patterns. Variations in wind from day to night occur because wind is inconsistent, constantly changing, and strong. Sea breezes occur on shore, during the day and land breezes occur of shore at night. The wind is on shore during the day, due to land being warmer than water. When warm air is over land, it is replaced by cooler air coming from over the water. This phenomenon occurs vise-versa depending on the temperature of the air and water. 8. Describe the seasonal patterns that produce the Asian monsoonal wind and precipitation patterns. Contrast January and July conditions. Seasonal patterns that produce the Asian monsoonal wind and precipitation patterns are dependent on atmospheric pressure and how the ocean moves. In the summer, high pressure oceans move towards land and in the winter, low pressure oceans move towards land. This occurs especially in Asia because of the hot and dry climate. Wind and precipitation is greater in January, because it is somewhat cooler than it is in July. 9. Where on Earth are upwelling currents experienced? What is the nature of these currents? Where are the four areas of downwelling that feed these dense bottom currents? Upwelling currents are experienced off the Pacific coasts of both North and South America and also the west coast of Africa, known to be subtropical and midaltitude. In regions where this phenomena occurs, there is an "build up" of water.Examples are in the western part of the equatorial current, in the Labrador Sea, or on the outskirts of Antarctica, where the extra water moves downward in a diving current. These currents are deep and has a vertical flow along the ocean floor and moves all of the way of the ocean basins, readjusting heat energy and salinity over the Earth. The four areas of downwelling that feed these dense bottom currents are colored dark blue, at high latitudes are where surface water cools, sinks, and feeds the deep circulation. 10. Describe the changes in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure that occur during El Niño and La Niña, the warm and cool phases of the ENSO. What are some of the climatic effects that occur worldwide? During El Nino, temperatures of the sea surface will rise in the east, as the drop in the west. La Nina will be the exact opposite of El Nino, with sea surface temperature rising in the west and dropping in the east. This also causes rises and falls in atmospheric pressure. ENSO is effecting the world, because the things I mention above are effecting climate change, global warming, intense weather, and droughts. Extreme weather events, like hurricanes are happening more frequently and in odd places.

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