Why are winds blowing over mountains generally stronger than winds blowing at the same level on either side?

What will be the ideal response?


ANSWER: When wind meets a barrier, it exerts a force upon it. If the barrier doesn’t move, the wind moves around, up, and over it. As stable air flows over a ridge, it increases in speed. Thus, winds blowing over mountains tend to be stronger than winds blowing at the same level on either side. In fact, one of the greatest wind speeds ever recorded near the ground occurred at the summit of Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, elevation 1909 m (6262 ft), where the wind gusted to 201 knots (231 mi/hr) on April 12, 1934. A similar increase in wind speed occurs where air accelerates as it funnels through a narrow constriction, such as a low pass or saddle in a mountain crest.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

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What is happening at the molecular level when a polar molecule like water interacts with a typical sodium ion?

A. The polarity of the water molecule is altered making the hydrogens more negatively charged. B. The polarity of the water molecule is altered making the oxygen more positively charged. C. The water molecule aligns such that the hydrogens interact with the sodium. D. The water molecule aligns such that the oxygen interacts with the sodium. E. none of the above

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

The ideological subsystem of a culture is known as its ________.

A. artifacts B. justdafacts C. sociofacts D. mentifacts E. all of these

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

What is meant by the demographic transition? Relate the epidemiologic transition and fertility transition (two elements of demographic transition) to its four phases

What will be an ideal response?

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences

This Gigapan image shows a dark metamorphic rock in contact with a lighter igneous rock (granite). Review the statements below, and determine which are correct about the dark metamorphic rock on the left in the Gigapan image.

A.) The metamorphic rock has undergone high-grade metamorphism. B.) The metamorphic rock shows foliation. C.) The metamorphic rock shows no foliation. D.) The metamorphic rock has undergone low-grade metamorphism.

Environmental & Atmospheric Sciences