Geology 104--Earth Science
Exam #4 Study Guide
Describe the lifting mechanisms that allow atmospheric water vapor to adiabatically cool and condense.
What is the Coriolis effect? What causes it? How does it influence wind direction in the northern and southern hemispheres?
Be able to describe the forces acting on a moving air mass (i.e., blowing wind). Which forces control the speed and direction of the wind? Be able to describe local winds, including land & sea breezes, mountain & valley breezes, and Santa Ana winds.
Be able to draw an idealized, global model of Earth’s belted pressure zones and wind patterns, including polar highs, subtropical highs, subpolar lows & polar fronts, equatorial low, NE & SE trades, westerlies, polar easterlies, intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ), and Hadley cells.
Be able to compare and contrast mid-latitude cyclones and tropical cyclones (hurricanes) in terms of shape, size, associated fronts, spin, horizontal movement, and energy sources.
Be able to describe (and draw) gyre circulation in the northern and southern hemispheres.
Understand how high and low tides are generated on planet Earth.
Important Vocabulary (not exhaustive):
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mid-latitue (extra-tropical) cyclone |
gyre circulation |
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hurricane (tropical cyclone) |
high vs low tide |
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warn front |
spring vs neap tide |
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cold front |
orographic vs convective vs convergent vs frontal lifting mechanisms |
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cyclonic vs anti-cyclonic spin |
polar high/subtropical high/subpolar low/polar front/equatorial low/ NE & SE trades/westerlies/polar easterlies/ITCZ/Hadley cells |
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Corolis “force”/ effect |
frictional force |
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pressure gradient force |
Santa Ana winds |
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land vs sea breezes |
cold front vs warm front |
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high vs low tide |
spring vs neap tide |