American Meteorological Society Certification Atmospheric Dynamics 3

Question 1

What is the primary balance in the tropics that replaces geostrophic balance?

Accepted Answer

Cyclostrophic balance

Answer

Hydrostatic balance

Answer

Gradient wind balance

Answer

Anelastic balance

Question 2

The hydrostatic equation relates pressure change to which atmospheric quantity?

Accepted Answer

Air density and gravity

Answer

Wind speed

Answer

Temperature gradient

Answer

Relative humidity

Question 3

Which scale of motion is characterized by horizontal scales of 2–2000 km?

Accepted Answer

Mesoscale

Answer

Microscale

Answer

Synoptic scale

Answer

Planetary scale

Question 4

What does PVU (potential vorticity unit) measure?

Accepted Answer

Isentropic potential vorticity

Answer

Precipitation rate

Answer

Surface pressure anomaly

Answer

Wind gust factor

Question 5

In a barotropic atmosphere, how do pressure surfaces relate to density surfaces?

Accepted Answer

They are parallel (no solenoids)

Answer

They intersect at right angles

Answer

They are unrelated

Answer

They always slope eastward

Question 6

What is the f-plane approximation in dynamic meteorology?

Accepted Answer

Treating the Coriolis parameter as constant with latitude

Answer

Treating Earth as flat with constant gravity

Answer

Ignoring vertical motion entirely

Answer

Assuming frictionless flow near the surface