From Breezes to Blizzards: Wind Formation Quiz

If the Sun heats the Earth unevenly, then some areas of air become warmer and less dense than others. If air has different densities, it creates differences in air pressure. Therefore, air moves from high to low pressure to balance out, creating wind.

If an area has high pressure, it has a "surplus" of air molecules packed together. If an area has low pressure, it has a "deficit" or space. Therefore, the air naturally rushes from the crowded area to the empty space, just like air escaping a balloon.

If air is heated, its molecules move faster and spread further apart. If the molecules spread out, the air becomes lighter (less dense) and rises. Therefore, as the air lifts off the surface, it leaves behind a "Low" pressure zone.

If the Earth were stationary, wind would blow in a straight line from high to low pressure. Since the Earth rotates, the ground moves under the air as it travels. Therefore, the wind appears to curve due to the Coriolis Effect.

If you move across a spinning object (the Earth), your path appears to curve. Because Earth spins toward the East, any air moving over long distances in the North is pushed sideways. Therefore, the deflection is always toward the right.

If meteorologists want to visualize pressure "hills" and "valleys," they draw lines connecting equal values. "Iso" means equal and "bar" refers to barometric pressure. Therefore, isobars show us the shape of pressure systems.

If isobars are close, it means air pressure changes drastically over a short distance. If there is a steep pressure "slope," the air will fall toward the low pressure area much faster. Therefore, tight isobars equal high wind speeds.

During the day, land heats up faster than water, causing air over land to rise (Low pressure) and cooler air from the sea to rush in. At night, the process reverses as land cools faster. Therefore, a breeze from sea to land is a daytime event.

If air is sinking, it is being compressed by the air above it. If gas is compressed, it warms up. If air warms up, it "evaporates" existing clouds rather than forming new ones. Therefore, high pressure usually brings clear skies.

If you want to know the pressure, you use a barometer; if you want to know the direction, you use a vane. To measure the physical speed of the moving air, you need an anemometer. Therefore, C is the correct tool.

If there is a pressure difference in the atmosphere, the air must move to reach equilibrium. This horizontal movement of air molecules is what we experience as wind.

At the equator, the Sun's heat is so consistent that air is constantly rising straight up. If the air is moving vertically, there is very little horizontal movement at the surface. Therefore, sailors were often stranded in these calm "Doldrums."

If the Earth rotates, the direction of deflection depends on which side of the equator you are on. In the North, the curve is right; in the South, the geometry of rotation results in a leftward curve. Therefore, the spin is reversed.

If the poles are cold and the equator is hot, a massive pressure difference exists across the planet. If this difference exists, air must move to balance it. Therefore, global winds are just large-scale versions of pressure-driven wind.

If there is a huge temperature and pressure difference between polar air and tropical air high in the sky, a narrow band of very fast wind forms. Because these winds "stream" along at high speeds, they are called Jet Streams.

At night, land cools faster than the sea, creating high pressure over the land. If air moves from high to low, it will move from the cool land toward the warmer water. Therefore, it is called a land breeze.

If pressure difference (gradient) starts the movement and Coriolis curves it, friction from the ground slows it down. While humidity affects density, these three forces primarily dictate the path and speed on a weather map.

If the center is "Low," it means air is lifting away from the surface. As air lifts, surface air from the surroundings must rush in (converge) to fill the void. Therefore, Lows are characterized by rising, converging air.

If wind blows over mountains, trees, or buildings, those objects create resistance. If resistance increases, the air slows down. Therefore, wind speeds are generally higher over the flat ocean than over a jagged forest.

If you have a large difference in pressure over a short distance, the "slope" is steep. This physical difference that forces air to move is technically known as the pressure gradient.