To review:
The best route for sailing from the east coast of North America to Europe across the Atlantic Ocean.
Given:
Figure 1 shows the wind pattern across the earth’s surface, which results from the rotation of the earth and atmospheric circulation. The wind direction changes with the rotational speed and across various latitudes of the earth.
Figure 1: Global wind pattern over the surface of the earth.
Figure 2 shows the direction of water current in all the major oceans of the world. This variation is obtained due to the rotation of the earth, changing wind direction, and position of the continents. Other minor contributing factors may include the anthropogenic activities, which affect the water in a particular region so as to cause a change in the temperature and thus, change in the direction of the water current. The red arrows in Figure 2 depict the warm ocean current whereas, the blue ones show cold water currents.
Figure 2: The oceanic current pattern across the globe.
Introduction:
Prevailing winds are the winds, which blow from a particular direction during a particular time period over the earth’s surface. This establishes a circulation, which is created by the rotational force of the earth. These prevailing winds have a critical role in distributing the earth’s heat by ushering warm air toward the higher latitudes, whereas the cooler air toward the equator.
Want to see the full answer?
Check out a sample textbook solutionChapter 53 Solutions
Life: The Science of Biology
- Outline three characteristics of exosphere.arrow_forwardWhich of the following statements could explain why sometimes when there are clouds in the sky there is no water falling from the clouds? Group of answer choices a. Sometimes the water droplets in the clouds are not heavy enough to fall from the clouds. b. Sometimes the cloud is not in the right location to release rain. c. Sometimes clouds do not have any water in them. d. Sometimes there is not enough wind to release the water droplets from the clouds.arrow_forwardExplain how fog forms off the San Francisco coast. For a complete answer, you need to use the following terms (this list is not complete): evaporation, dew point, particles, air density, California current, wind, air temperature. Why it's foggier in the summer in San Francisco?arrow_forward
- Imagine that humans have significantly reduced the amount of greenhouse gas emissions on Earth, but the planet is still warming due to past emissions. How might solar radiation management be implemented to rapidly cool the planet and prevent further impacts of climate change? a. aerosols can be removed from clouds to decrease the amount of cloud condensation nuclei b. sulfur dioxide can be injected into the stratosphere to decrease albedo c. sulfur dioxide can be injected into the atmosphere to increase albedo d. shipping can be regulated to reduce the cloud condensation nuclei of ship tracksarrow_forwardExplain why there the area around the pacific plate in the Pacific Ocean is called the ring of fire ? What is occurring there and why ?arrow_forwardIf there are many greenhouse gases, why is only carbon dioxide considered a cause of global warming?a. The other gases do not cause global warming.b. It isn’t. Scientists are concerned about other causes; for example, release of methane from melting permafrost could have significant effects on global warming.c. Other gases occur in such low quantities that they have little effect on the climate.d. Carbon dioxide is the only gas that absorbs long-wavelength infrared radiation.arrow_forward
- Describe one way in which changes in the biosphere can cause changes in the climate system. Next, suggest one way in which the biosphere is affected by changes in some other part of the climate system. Finally indicate one way in which the biosphere records changes in the climate system. Reference page 409 in atmosphere an intro toarrow_forwardOutline three characteristics of Stratosphere and two benefits of the mentioned characteristics to manarrow_forwardWhich statement is the correct explanation for the seasonality of climate over much of the earth? Group of answer choices a. he tilt of the earth on its axis changes angle over the year b. the sun gets hotter and colder over the year c. the earth is tilted and it moves closer and further from the sun over the year d. the earth rotates more slowly in the summer e. the earth is tilted and its orientation to the sun changes over the yeararrow_forward
- We know that hurricanes form above warm ocean water. And it's thought that warmer water can lead to stronger hurricanes. The Earth warmed one degree Fahrenheit over the 20th Century. Warming is causing sea surface temperatures to climb. Has the warming climate had an impact on hurricanes? This is an area of active research. One way that scientists are trying to answer this question is by looking at the history of hurricanes. The graph below on the left shows the total number of hurricanes that happened in each region during three time periods. The graph on the right shows the number of very strong hurricanes that happened over the same three time periods. Total Number of Hurricanes Number of Strong Hurricanes (Category 4 and 5 storms) 250 200 s0 150 40 100 30 20 50 10 East Pacific West Pacific Ocean North Soutwestern North Indian South Indian East Pacific West Pacific Ocean North Soutwestern North Indian South Indian Осean Atlantic Pacific Осеan Осean Ocean Atlantic Pacific Осеan Ocean…arrow_forwardThe angle of the Earth Equinox September 22 Earth's orbit When the Southern When the Northern Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, it is Hemisphere is tilted toward the Sun, it is summer there and winter in the Northern summer there and winter in the Southern Hemisphere. Hemisphere. 23.5 Solstice December 21 Solstice June 21 North Pole Equinox March 20 After C. D. Ahrens. 2005. Essentials of Meteorology: An Invitation to the Atmosphere. Brooks/Cole, Cengage Learning: USA. LIFE: THE SCIENCE OF BIOLOGY 12e, Figure 52.8 O 2020 Oxford University Pressarrow_forwardThis graph shows the change in seawater pH as well as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere and in seawater. Make a claim about how oceans are changing. Identify TWO trends you notice in the data that support your claim. How is a disruption in the ocean pH likely to affect the homeostasis of ocean organisms?arrow_forward
- Human Anatomy & Physiology (11th Edition)BiologyISBN:9780134580999Author:Elaine N. Marieb, Katja N. HoehnPublisher:PEARSONBiology 2eBiologyISBN:9781947172517Author:Matthew Douglas, Jung Choi, Mary Ann ClarkPublisher:OpenStaxAnatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781259398629Author:McKinley, Michael P., O'loughlin, Valerie Dean, Bidle, Theresa StouterPublisher:Mcgraw Hill Education,
- Molecular Biology of the Cell (Sixth Edition)BiologyISBN:9780815344322Author:Bruce Alberts, Alexander D. Johnson, Julian Lewis, David Morgan, Martin Raff, Keith Roberts, Peter WalterPublisher:W. W. Norton & CompanyLaboratory Manual For Human Anatomy & PhysiologyBiologyISBN:9781260159363Author:Martin, Terry R., Prentice-craver, CynthiaPublisher:McGraw-Hill Publishing Co.Inquiry Into Life (16th Edition)BiologyISBN:9781260231700Author:Sylvia S. Mader, Michael WindelspechtPublisher:McGraw Hill Education