Exploration and Wind Patterns Quiz

What direction did the prevailing winds carry Columbus's ships across the Atlantic?

• East

• North

• West

• South

At what latitude did Columbus find dependable winds for his journey?

• 10° north

• 20° north

• 30° north

• 40° north

What causes differences in atmospheric pressure between tropical and polar regions?

• Earth's rotation

• Energy from the sun

• Ocean currents

• Mountain ranges

What happens to air heated at the surface in the lower latitudes?

• It sinks and becomes denser

• It remains stationary

• It is lifted and replaced by cooler air

• It moves towards the poles

If the Earth did not rotate, how would planetary atmospheric circulation be affected?

• It would be more complex

• It would be relatively simple

• It would not exist

• It would be faster

What causes winds to be deflected to the right or the left as they flow from high pressure to low pressure?

• Coriolis effect

• Gravity

• Magnetic fields

• Ocean currents

At what latitudes are high-pressure zones referred to as sub-tropical highs?

• 30° north and south

• 60° north and south

• 0° and 90°

• 45° north and south

What determines the direction of prevailing winds?

• Rising air near the Equator
• Calm areas at the edge of the Tropics
• Latitude and the Earth's movement
• Diagonal movement of air

The rotation of the Earth causes winds to bend due to the...

• coriolis effect

• doldrums

• trade winds

• westerlies

At what degrees latitude are the pressures low?

• Equator and Horse latitudes

• 30 degress and 60 degrees latitude

• Equator and 60 degrees latitude

• Horse latitudes and the polar high at 90 degrees