Wind Energy Multiple Choice Questions on “Origin of Winds – 1”.
1. Which of the following provides energy for winds to blow naturally?
a) Sun
b) Water
c) Man
d) Food
Answer: a
Clarification: The energy that drives winds originates from the sun’s heat received along with sunlight. The heat creates areas of low pressure and high pressure, thereby causing winds to blow. Wind is abiotic and does not need food. Any wind blowing due to man is artificial. Water aids in magnifying a low or high pressure area but does not cause winds.
2. Wind flows from _______ pressure area to ________ pressure area.
a) high, high
b) high, low
c) low, high
d) low, low
Answer: b
Clarification: Wind always flows from a high pressure area to a low pressure area. The difference in pressures causes wind to flow from in a direction. Winds originate from the heat received by sun which heat’s the earth’s surface unevenly resulting in a pressure difference.
3. What is a gust?
a) No change in wind speed
b) A brief decrease in wind speed for a very long period of time
c) A brief increase in wind speed for a very short period of time
d) A brief increase in wind speed for a very long period of time
Answer: c
Clarification: A gust or a wind gust is a brief increase in wind speed for a very short period of time, typically less than 20 seconds and has a transient characteristic unlike a squall.
4. What is a squall?
a) A sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting for a few hours
b) A sudden, sharp decrease in wind speed lasting for a few minutes
c) A sudden, sharp decrease in wind speed lasting for a few hours
d) A sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting for a few minutes
Answer: d
Clarification: A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed lasting for a few minutes. Squalls occur during rain showers, thunderstorms or heavy snow fall.
5. A windstorm _______
a) is strong enough to cause property damage
b) is not stronger than gust
c) does not exist
d) is not strong enough to cause property damage
Answer: a
Clarification: A windstorm consists of winds strong enough to cause property damage like uprooting of trees and damaging erected buildings. Wind speed in a typical windstorm exceeds 55km/s and can be extremely detrimental.
6. What are planetary or prevailing winds?
a) Winds not blowing from one latitude to another
b) Winds blowing from one latitude to another
c) Gusts
d) Winds that do not cover large areas of earth
Answer: b
Clarification: Planetary winds are winds that blow from one latitude to another throughout the year due to latitudinal differences in air pressure. They cover large areas of earth.
7. Which of the following are the two most important planetary winds?
a) Hosting
b) Trades and economics
c) Trade winds and westerly winds
d) Deployment
Answer: c
Clarification: Trade winds and westerly winds are the two most important planetary or prevailing winds. Other options – trade and economics, hosting and deployment are not related to winds.
8. What are trade winds?
a) Winds blowing from equatorial low pressure areas to sub-tropical high pressure areas
b) Winds that trade with each other
c) Winds blowing from equatorial high pressure areas to sub-tropical low pressure areas
d) Winds blowing from sub-tropical high pressure areas to equatorial low pressure areas
Answer: d
Clarification: Trade winds are extremely steady winds blowing from sub-tropical high pressure areas to equatorial low pressure areas. They maintain a constant direction throughout their course.
9. How does Coriolis effect trade winds in Northern Hemisphere?
a) Coriolis effect deflects trade winds to the right
b) Coriolis effect deflects trade winds to the left
c) Coriolis effect does not affect the trade winds in Northern Hemisphere
d) Coriolis effect only affects the trade winds in Southern Hemisphere
Answer: a
Clarification: Coriolis effect and Ferrel’s law disrupt the flow of trade winds from north to south and deflect them towards right in the Northern Hemisphere. Thus, they blow in a north east direction in the Northern Hemisphere.
10. How does Coriolis effect trade winds in Southern Hemisphere?
a) Coriolis effect deflects trade winds to the right
b) Coriolis effect deflects trade winds to the left
c) Coriolis effect does not affect the trade winds in Southern Hemisphere
d) Coriolis effect only affects the trade winds in Northern Hemisphere
Answer: b
Clarification: Coriolis effect and Ferrel’s law disrupt the flow of trade winds flowing from north to south and deflect them towards left in the Southern Hemisphere. Thus, they blow in a south east direction in the Southern Hemisphere.
11. Trade winds ______
a) do not maintain a constant direction but blow steadily
b) maintain a constant direction but do not blow steadily
c) maintain a constant direction and blow steadily
d) shrinking technique
Answer: c
Clarification: Trade winds are also called as tropical easterlies. They maintain the same direction and blow steadily in that direction. Shrinking technique is not related to winds.