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CHAPTER 3

PRESSURE

UGHhhh!

TABLE OF CONTENTS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Pressure Measuring instruments

Units of measure
U.S. Standard values
Pressure variation, vertically, horizontally
Sea Level pressure
Pressure patterns/Definitions
Isobar
3

TABLE OF CONTENTS,
CONTD
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.

Cyclonic/Anti-Cyclonic circulation
Buys-Ballots Law
Universal Time Coordinates
Surface pressure analysis
Weather correlation
4

PRESSURE
1.
2.
3.

Atmospheric pressure is closely related to both

temperature AND moisture.
We identify weather systems by the pressure
patterns formed by them.
By tracking these pressure patterns, reliable
forecasting schemes have been developed.

PRESSURE MEASURING
INSTRUMENTS
TWO TYPES OF BAROMETERS
1. MERCURIAL
2. ANEROID
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MERCURIAL BAROMETER
29.92Hg
ATMOSPHERE

OPEN PAN OF
MERCURY

ATMOSPHERE

ANEROID BAROMETER

UNITS OF MEASURE
1.

MILLIBARS.

2.

INCHES OF MERCURY (Hg)

3.

MILLIMETERS

4.

POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH

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DEFINITION OF PRESSURE
PRESSURE =

AIR
COLUMN

FORCE PER
UNIT AREA

6000FT
3000FT

P = F/A

1,000FT.

Earths surface
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CONVERTING TO SEA LEVEL

PRESSURE VALUES

11

SURFACE WEATHER MAP

12

PRESSURE CONVERSION

13

BUYS-BALLOTS LAW

L
14

SEA LEVEL PRESSURES

SUMMER

15

SEA LEVEL PRESSURES

WINTER

16

TIME
1.

TIME ZONES

2.

LOCAL TIME

3.

UNIVERSAL TIME
17

UNIVERSAL-LOCAL TIME
COORDIANTESCONVERSIONS

18

REVIEW QUESTIONS
1. Atmospheric pressure always _____ with
increasing height.

a. increases
b. decreases
c. remains the same
d. contracts
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
2. At normal sea level pressure, the mercury in a
barometer will register about_______ in. Hg.
a. 14.7
b.29.92
c. 760
d.1013.2
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
3. Standard sea level pressure may also be
expressed as________.
a. 1013.2 mb
b. 760 in.Hg
c. 14.7 cm
d. 29.92 mm Hg
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
4. As air becomes warmer it will________.
a. contract
b. sink
c. expand
d. become more dense
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
5. Buys-Ballotts Law states that if you stand with
your back to the wind (in the northern
hemisphere), the low pressure center is _______.
a. to your right
b. ahead of you
c. behind you
d. to your left

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REVIEW QUESTIONS
6. A center of pressure surrounded on all sides
by higher pressure is called a ______.
a. ridge
b. high
c. low
d. trof
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
7. A center of pressure surrounded on all
sides by lower pressure is called a _______.
a. high
b. trof
c. ridge
d. low
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
8. An elongated area of lower pressure with the
lowest pressure along a line marking the
maximum cyclonic curvature is a ______.
a. ridge
b. trof
c. low
d. high
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
9. An elongated area of higher pressure with the
highest pressure along a line marking the
maximum anti-cyclonic curvature is called a
______.
a. ridge
b. trof
c. high
d. low

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REVIEW QUESTIONS
10. Anti-cyclonic wind flow is found in the
vicinity of a pressure________.
a. trof
b. Low
c. ridge
d. col
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REVIEW QUESTIONS
11. Differences in _______ create
differences in pressure.
a.
b.
c.
d.

wind
temperature
moisture
circulation

END OF REVIEW QUESTIONS

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