Naval Science II, Unit 3, Chapter 3: Wind and Weather

What is the name of the scale that is used to describe the height of waves on a scale of 1 to 9?
1. The Sea Disturbance Scale
2. The Beaufort Scale
3. The Wave Height Table
4. The International Sea State Scale
Which annual Monsoon season typically results in dust to accumulate 4 to 6 inches in Upper Burma around Mandalay?
1. The Winter Monsoon
2. The Summer Monsoon
3. The Southwest Monsoon
4. Monsoons bring rain and not dry periods.
5. The Southeast Monsoon
Which of the following statements is NOT true concerning the formation of winds.
1. Winds blow from low-pressure areas to high-pressure areas.
2. Winds blow because they are attempting to achieve a balance in atmospheric pressure.
3. Unequal distribution of atmospheric pressure is caused by unequal heating of the Earth's surface.
4. The strength of winds depends on the distance between the high and low pressure areas.
5. The strength of winds depends on the difference in pressure between a high pressure and a low pressure area next to it.
What direction do winds follow at all latitudes from about 2 1/2 miles up to the Tropopause level of the atmosphere?
1. West
2. East
3. South
4. North
5. Winds all around the Earth do not blow in only one direction at this altitude.
Where do monsoons generally occur?
1. South and Southeast Asia
2. North America
3. Equatorial Africa
4. Northern Europe
5. Monsoons are found in all parts of the world
Air flowing outward from a high-pressure area is known as what?
1. Divergence
2. Convergence
3. The Doldrums
4. The Polar Front Zone
5. The Prevailing Westerlies
At sea, wind direction is specified according to what?
1. From the compass direction it is coming from.
2. From the compass direction it is blowing to.
3. From the bearing of the ship.
4. From the heading of the ship.
5. Wind direction can be specified by using several different methods.
Wind strength is generally the result of which two factors?
1. The distance of the high pressure from the low and the pressure gradient between the two areas.
2. Time of year and local magnetic variation.
3. Time of year and the local pressure gradient.
4. Percentage of cloud cover and magnetic variation.
5. Latitude and distance between the high and low pressure areas.
Which of the following is an example of a continental high pressure area?
1. The Siberian
2. The Aleutian
3. The Doldrums
4. The Icelandic
5. The Eastern side of the Rocky Mountain Range
What is the name of the wind scale that is used to correlate wind speed to sea state?
1. The Beaufort Scale
2. The Celsius Scale
3. The Anemometric Scale
4. The Wind and Sea State Comparison Scale
5. The Chinook Scale
Which of the following statements concerning inland areas and coastal areas is True?
1. Coastal areas are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
2. Coastal areas are cooler in both the summer and winter.
3. Inland areas are cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter.
4. Inland areas are cooler in the both the summer and winter.
5. Inland areas are warmer in both the summer and winter.
Where is the Tropic of Cancer located?
1. At 23.5 degrees in the northern hemisphere.
2. At 23.5 degrees in the southern hemisphere.
3. At 45 degrees in the southern hemisphere.
4. At 45 degrees in the northern hemisphere.
5. It varies between 23.5 degrees north and 23.5 degrees south latitude depending on the season of the year.
What type of pressure areas exist near the poles?
1. High pressure areas
2. Low pressure areas
3. Areas of unstable pressures
4. Horse Latitudes
5. The Doldrums
In the northern hemisphere, what direction do winds flow around high-pressure areas?
1. Clockwise
2. Counterclockwise
3. Easterly
4. Westerly
5. Toward the center of the high-pressure area
Where is the only permanent low-pressure area on the Earth located?
1. At the Doldrums Belt near the equator
2. At the north pole
3. At the south pole
4. Within the Horse Latitudes
5. Within the Northeast Trades
Most of the airflow over the United States is provided by what bands of winds?
1. The Prevailing Westerlies
2. The Prevailing Easterlies
3. The Northeast Trades
4. The Southeast Trades
5. No one group of winds provides the majority of airflow over the U.S.
The plane that bisects Earth at 23 1/2 degrees north latitude is known as what?
1. The Tropic of Cancer
2. The Tropic of Capricorn
3. The Horse Latitudes
4. The Doldrums
5. The Equator
A permanent high-pressure area can be found around what Country or State?
1. Greenland
2. Iceland
3. Antarctica
4. Alaska
5. Australia
The effect of air flowing toward the center of a low pressure area is known as what?
1. Convergence
2. Divergence
3. Doldrums
4. Coriolis
5. Ecliptic
The Mistral wind system in southern France is an example of what kind of wind pattern?
1. Valley winds
2. Mountain winds
3. Anticyclone
4. Cyclonic
5. Monsoon winds
What country holds the record for the greatest amount of rainfall during a season?
1. India
2. Pakistan
3. Vietnam
4. The United States
5. The Congo
What is the name of the instrument used to measure wind speed?
1. An anemometer
2. A Beaufort Scale
3. A psychrometer
4. An hygrometer
5. A windmill
What is the primary cause of the unequal distribution of atmospheric pressure?
1. The unequal heating of the Earth's surface.
2. High and Low pressure areas.
3. Prevailing winds.
4. The inclination of the Earth's axis of rotation.
5. Global warming has been identified as the primary cause of this unequal distribution.
What direction to Polar Easterlies move in the Southern Hemisphere?
1. Southeasterly
2. Northeasterly
3. Southwesterly
4. Northwesterly
5. They move in a pure easterly direction
According to international agreement, what is the unit of measurement for wind speed?
1. Knots
2. Miles per hour
3. Kilometers per hour
4. There is no accepted standard
5. Anemometers
The Northern Polar Front Zone is called the Arctic Semipermanent Low. What is the Southern Polar Front Zone called?
1. The Antarctic Permanent Low
2. The Antarctic Semipermanent Low
3. The Arctic Permanent Low
4. The Antarctic Permanent High
5. The Southern Semipermanent Low
On which side of a mountain range will low pressure areas frequently form?
1. The leeward side
2. The windward side
3. The northern side
4. The southern side
5. On the windward side in the daytime and the leeward side at night.
A wind speed of 17 - 21 knots is classified as a "Fresh Breeze" on the Beaufort Wind Scale. What sea state description would this match?
1. Moderate
2. Very Rough
3. Phenomenal
4. Smooth
5. Slight
Severe tropical storms tend to begin in what area?
1. The Doldrums
2. The Horse Latitudes
3. The Polar Latitudes
4. The Coriolis Belt
5. The Polar Front Zone
Where are the "Horse Latitudes" located?
1. Between the equator and 30 degrees North and South latitudes.
2. Between 60 degrees North and South latitudes and the poles.
3. Between 30 and 60 degrees North latitude.
4. Between 30 and 60 degrees South latitude.
5. There is no such thing as Horse Latitudes.
A sea state classified as "High" would equate to what wind speed category on the Beaufort Scale?
1. Fresh Gale
2. Strong Breeze
3. Light Air
4. Whole Gale
5. Storm
What is generally the cause of north-south winds on the Earth?
1. The unequal heating of the areas between the equator and the poles.
2. The Coriolis Effect.
3. The Doldrums Effect.
4. The angle of inclination of the Earth's orbit of the Sun.
5. The larger distribution of land masses in the Northern Hemisphere.
Between 30 degrees and 60 degrees in the Northern Hemisphere you will find which band of winds?
1. Prevailing Westerlies
2. Prevailing Easterlies
3. Southeast Trades
4. Northeast Trades
5. Polar Northeasterlies
The plane of the Earth's orbit around the Sun is called the Plane of the ___________.
1. Ecliptic
2. Elliptic
3. Coriolis
4. Doldrums
5. Rotation
What percentage of the Earth's land surface is in the Northern Hemisphere?
1. 75
2. 25
3. 50
4. 38
5. 67
How many wind categories are on the Beaufort Scale?
1. 12
2. 9
3. 15
4. 10
5. 21
This area is defined as an equatorial belt of light and variable converging winds.
1. The Doldrums
2. The Prevailing Westerlies
3. The Polar Southeasterlies
4. The Horse Latitudes
5. The Convergence Zone
Where are the trade winds found?
1. At the pole-ward side of the Doldrums.
2. At the pole-ward side of the Horse Latitudes.
3. At the equator-side of the Horse Latitudes.
4. At the equator-side of the Doldrums.
5. In the extreme polar regions, both north and south.
How did the region known as the "Horse Latitudes" get its name?
1. Because the light winds here becalmed ships, causing horses to die for lack of food and be thrown overboard.
2. Because the Constellation of Equis (The Horse) lies directly overhead.
3. Because the general pattern of this region resembles the outline of a horse.
4. It was named after its discoverer, Sir Alfred Horse.
5. There is no such region.
At what time of the year is the Earth closest to the Sun?
1. During Winter in the Northern Hemisphere
2. During Winter in the Southern Hemisphere
3. During Summer in the Northern Hemisphere
4. During Summer in both Hemispheres
5. During Winter in both Hemispheres
What is the name of the effect that causes wind direction to curve to the right in the Northern Hemisphere?
1. Coriolis
2. Divergence
3. Convergence
4. Doldrums
5. Ecliptic
Which of the following wind patterns is the closest to the equator?
1. Northeast Trades
2. Horse Latitudes
3. Polar Southeasterlies
4. Prevailing Westerlies
5. The Equatorial Doldrums
What is the primary cause of the seasonal variation in weather found around the Earth?
1. The angle at which the Sun's rays strike Earth as it revolves around the Sun.
2. The nearness of the Earth to the Sun at different times of the year.
3. Different heat absorption rates due to the color of foliage.
4. The shift in the pattern of winds within the equatorial belts.
5. The relative size of the hole in the ozone layer.
Which of the winds listed below is an example of a Mountain Wind?
1. All of the listed winds are Mountain Winds
2. None of the listed winds are Mountain Winds
3. The Chinooks of the Rockies
4. The Santa Anas of Southern California
5. The Foehns of the Swiss Alps
Subtropical high-pressure belts are commonly called what?
1. Horse Latitudes
2. Equatorial Doldrums
3. Southeast Trades
4. Northeast Trades
5. Polar Front Zones

Naval Science II, Unit 3, Chapter 3: Wind and Weather

Quiz