3. Dynamics

Forces And Motion — Quiz

Test your understanding of forces and motion with 5 practice questions.

Practice Questions

Question 1

In pure inertial motion of an air parcel in a frictionless, pressure‐gradient‐free environment, which force provides the centripetal acceleration needed to maintain circular motion?

Question 2

In anticyclonic (clockwise in the Northern Hemisphere) curvature around a high‐pressure center, how does the magnitude of the gradient wind speed $v_g$ compare with the geostrophic wind speed $v_{geo}$ for the same pressure gradient and latitude?

Question 3

For a fixed horizontal pressure‐gradient force, how does the geostrophic wind speed $v_{geo}$ vary with latitude $\phi$?

Question 4

Near the Earth's surface in the Northern Hemisphere over open terrain, friction causes the wind to cross isobars at approximately what angle toward lower pressure?

Question 5

At what latitude $\phi$ does the Coriolis parameter $f=2\Omega\sin\phi$ equal half its maximum polar value?