atmosphere & climatology section 3 MCQ Questions & Answers Detailed Explanation

Answer: (c)

A tornado is a violently rotating column of air that is in contact with both the surface of the earth and a cumulonimbus cloud or, in rare cases, the base of a cumulus cloud. They are often referred to as twisters or cyclones, although the word cyclone is used in meteorology, in a wider sense, to name any closed low-pressure circulation.

Tornadoes come in many shapes and sizes, but they are typically in the form of a visible condensation funnel, whose narrow end touches the earth and is often encircled by a cloud of debris and dust.

Most tornadoes have wind speeds less than 110 miles per hour (177 km/h), are about 250 feet (76 m) across, and travel a few miles (several kilometres) before dissipating.

The most extreme tornadoes can attain wind speeds of more than 300 miles per hour (483 km/h), stretch more than two miles (3.2 km) across, and stay on the ground for dozens of miles (more than 100 km).

Answer: (a)

Answer: (b)

The first statement is correct as we all know. One major factor affecting the distribution of the temperature of Earth is the distribution of Land and Oceans.

Since there is more land in Northern Hemisphere and more waters in the Southern hemisphere and there is a big difference between the specific heat of land and water; the loss of heat from the continents is bigger than the oceans.

The continents get heated faster and get cooled faster in comparison to the Oceans. This is the reason that the temperatures of the Oceans are moderate while that of continents is extreme.

The moderating effect on the temperature of the land due to the proximity of the seas is called Maritime influence. The increasing effect on the temperature of the land in the interior of the continents is called Continental Influence.

Answer: (d)

A typhoon is the name of a strong tropical cyclone whose development is common in the Western North Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea.

The vast majority of tornadoes occur in the Tornado Alley region of the United States although they can occur nearly anywhere in North America. Willy willies is a severe tropical cyclone in Australia.

Formation of anticyclone results in calm and settled weather.

Answer: (a)

In most circumstances, atmospheric pressure is closely approximated by the hydrostatic pressure caused by the mass of air above the measurement point. Low-pressure areas have a less atmospheric mass above their location, whereas high-pressure areas have more atmospheric mass above their location.

Likewise, as elevation increases, there is less overlying atmospheric mass, so that pressure decreases with increasing elevation.

Answer: (b)