Atmospheric Cells I
0˚ low
30˚ high
60˚ low
90˚ high
Low pressure air usually ______ while high pressure air usually ________.
low pressure air rises
high pressure air falls
What direction does air deflect if it moves toward the equator?
West (backwards)
Contrast convective vs. convergent uplift.
Convective uplift is when heat causes air to expand then rise.
Convergent uplift is when two air bodies collide and force air to rise.
The amount of energy needed to increase the temperature of a substance.
Why is air at 0˚ low pressure?
Because air rises due to direct sunlight causing convection/expansion.
Define uplift and what its effects are
What direction does air travel if it is moving toward the poles?
East (moves ahead)
Describe orographic uplift.
Continental.
Why is air at 30˚ a high pressure region? Elaborate.
Air that rises at 0˚ eventually diverges and falls on 30˚, compressing the air from above.
Which of the following latitudes likely experiences the most uplift?
58˚
28˚
45˚
80˚
58˚
Air between 30˚ N and 0˚ travels ______
Northeast
Northwest
Southeast
Southwest
Southwest
What causes one side of a mountain to be green and wet if it experiences orographic uplift?
Why are continents hotter than oceans in the summer?
They heat up much more rapidly, causing air over them to expand.
Why is air at 90˚ a high pressure region?
Air is coldest at the poles, meaning it is the most dense.
Why are high pressure regions considered deserts?
They are regions of falling air, meaning air is not able to uplift.
A plane departs north from Mount Everest. If Mount Everest is located at 28˚ N, what is the apparent pathway of the plane?
Northeast
Northwest
Southeast
Southwest
Northeast
What causes the other side of a mountain to be dry when it experiences orographic uplift?
On the side receiving the wind, H2O has condensed with altitude. The air that is left to descend the mountain is dry.
Why is maritime (oceanic) air warmer than continental air during the winter?
Continents cool down quickly but oceans retain whatever heat the gained from the day.
High pressure air from 90˚ and 30˚ meet in the middle and are forced to rise out of the region.
Why does H2O condense at high altitudes in the troposphere?
As altitude increases, temperature decreases, causing water vapor particles to slow down enough to bond into a liquid.
Draw the correct wind pattern and humid vs. dry areas on the map on the board.
Teacher discretion.
Why does frontal wedging cause uplift?
Cold air is more dense and sinks under warm air. Warm air is forced to rise over a wedge of cold air.
More heating causes which type of air?
A. High pressure air
B. Low pressure air
Low pressure air