Agricultural Meteorology-2

By Skumar

 

Agricultural Meteorology-2


1) Atmospheric Pressure & Its Variation with Height

  • Atmospheric pressure is the weight of a column of air per unit area extending from the Earth’s surface to the top of the atmosphere.

  • At sea level, standard atmospheric pressure is about 1013.25 mb.

  • As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure decreases rapidly because fewer air molecules are present at higher levels. Sathee

2) Wind and Wind Types

Wind is the horizontal movement of air from regions of high pressure to low pressure.
Types of winds based on scale and behavior include:

  1. Planetary / Prevailing Winds (trade winds, westerlies, polar easterlies)

  2. Seasonal Winds (e.g., monsoon)

  3. Local / Periodic winds (land & sea breeze, valley & mountain breeze)

  4. Special winds (loo, chinook, mistral etc.) NCERT MCQ

3) Daily and Seasonal Variation of Wind Speed

  • Daily variation: Local winds like sea breeze (day) and land breeze (night) occur due to diurnal heating differences between land and water.

  • Seasonal variation: Winds like monsoon change direction with seasons due to large‑scale pressure changes. Centurion University Courseware

4) Cyclone and Anticyclone

  • Cyclone: A low‑pressure system with converging winds rising upward, often bringing clouds and rains.

  • Anticyclone: A high‑pressure system with diverging winds descending, usually associated with clear and calm weather. Wikipedia

5) Land Breeze & Sea Breeze

  • Sea breeze: Blows from sea → land during daytime due to land heating faster than sea.

  • Land breeze: Blows from land → sea at night due to land cooling faster than sea. Wikipedia

🧠 50 MCQs with Answers & Explanations

Answers are given right after each question.

A. Atmospheric Pressure & Wind Basics

  1. What does atmospheric pressure measure?
    A) Wind speed
    B) Weight of air per unit area ■
    C) Temperature gradient
    D) Humidity
    💡 Air pressure is force of atmosphere per unit area.

  2. Standard atmospheric pressure at sea level is closest to:
    A) 500 mb
    B) 1013 mb ■
    C) 1500 mb
    D) 200 mb

  3. As altitude increases, atmospheric pressure:
    A) increases
    B) remains same
    C) decreases ■
    D) fluctuates randomly

  4. What instrument measures atmospheric pressure?
    A) Hygrometer
    B) Barometer ■
    C) Anemometer
    D) Thermometer

  5. Pressure variation with height is greatest:
    A) horizontally
    B) vertically ■
    C) seasonally
    D) latitudinally

B. Wind Fundamentals

  1. Wind blows from:
    A) low to high pressure
    B) high to low pressure ■
    C) equator to pole
    D) night to day

  2. The horizontal movement of air is called:
    A) convection
    B) radiation
    C) wind ■
    D) humidity

  3. The lines connecting places of equal pressure are called:
    A) isobars ■
    B) isotherms
    C) isohyets
    D) contours

  4. A pressure gradient causes:
    A) wind formation ■
    B) rainfall
    C) humidity rise
    D) temperature inversion

  5. What is the Coriolis force?
    A) friction force
    B) gravitational pull
    C) deflection due to Earth’s rotation ■
    D) compression force

C. Types of Winds

  1. Trade winds are:
    A) local winds
    B) planetary winds ■
    C) seasonal winds
    D) periodic winds

  2. Westerlies blow from:
    A) east to west
    B) west to east ■
    C) north to south
    D) no fixed direction

  3. Monsoon winds are:
    A) diurnal winds
    B) periodic winds
    C) seasonal winds ■
    D) gravitational winds

  4. Which wind blows over short distances daily?
    A) Monsoon
    B) Trade winds
    C) Land & sea breezes ■
    D) Westerlies

  5. Local winds are caused mainly by:
    A) global pressure belts
    B) temperature differences ■
    C) Earth’s rotation
    D) ocean currents

D. Daily & Seasonal Variation

  1. Sea breeze occurs due to:
    A) cold land
    B) warm sea
    C) warmer land than sea ■
    D) stray winds

  2. Land breeze occurs at:
    A) noon
    B) night ■
    C) evening
    D) early morning

  3. Seasonal winds change direction because of:
    A) ocean currents
    B) Sun’s tilt
    C) pressure changes over continents & oceans ■
    D) gravity

  4. Diurnal wind cycles are typical where?
    A) deserts only
    B) plains only
    C) coastal regions ■
    D) mountains only

  5. The main cause of sea & land breeze is:
    A) rainfall
    B) evaporation
    C) unequal heating of land & sea ■
    D) humidity

E. Cyclone & Anticyclone

  1. A cyclone is characterized by:
    A) high pressure center
    B) low pressure center ■
    C) calm winds
    D) no rain

  2. Anticyclone brings:
    A) storms
    B) cloudy weather
    C) clear weather ■
    D) heavy rains

  3. In the Northern Hemisphere, cyclone winds rotate:
    A) clockwise
    B) anticlockwise ■
    C) east
    D) inward only

  4. Anticyclone winds in Northern Hemisphere rotate:
    A) clockwise ■
    B) anticlockwise
    C) inward
    D) random

  5. Cyclones usually cause:
    A) drought
    B) heavy rains & winds ■
    C) clear skies
    D) heat waves

F. Wind Behavior & Weather Systems

  1. A low pressure area forms when air:
    A) descends
    B) rises ■
    C) stops
    D) converges only

  2. The force that balances vertical pressure gradient is:
    A) Coriolis force
    B) gravity ■
    C) friction
    D) magnetism

  3. High pressure regions have:
    A) rising air
    B) descending air ■
    C) cyclone
    D) monsoon

  4. Isobar spacing close indicates:
    A) light winds
    B) steep gradient → strong winds ■
    C) calm air
    D) no wind

  5. Wind speed increases with:
    A) isobar divergence
    B) steep pressure gradient ■
    C) humidity increase
    D) temperature inversion

G. Application & Miscellaneous

  1. Monsoon winds are important in agriculture because they:
    A) bring pests
    B) cause drought
    C) bring rainfall ■
    D) reduce soil fertility

  2. Diurnal variation influences:
    A) crop growth only
    B) evaporation & transpiration ■
    C) soil microbes only
    D) insect behavior only

  3. Sea breeze cools land during:
    A) morning
    B) afternoon ■
    C) night
    D) winter

  4. Land breeze transfers:
    A) moisture inland
    B) heat to sea ■
    C) cold to land
    D) humidity inland

  5. Cyclone monitoring helps in:
    A) predicting floods ■
    B) reducing soil pH
    C) increasing humidity
    D) animal migration

H. True/False Structured Questions

  1. A cyclone is a high pressure system.
    False (It’s a low pressure system).

  2. Land breeze happens at night.
    True.

  3. Westerlies are seasonal winds.
    False (They are planetary winds).

  4. Isobars connect equal pressure areas.
    True.

  5. Pressure decreases uniformly with height.
    False (Rate changes with altitude).

I. Short Concept Checks

  1. Which breeze is stronger generally?
    A) Sea breeze ■

  2. Monsoon winds occur due to:
    C) differential heating ■

  3. High pressure leads to:
    C) sinking air ■

  4. Low pressure leads to:
    B) rising air ■

  5. Wind flows due to:
    B) pressure gradient ■

J. Final Application MCQs

  1. Wind is measured by:
    A) barometer
    B) anemometer ■
    C) hygrometer
    D) rain gauge

  2. Cyclone winds near surface:
    A) diverge
    B) converge ■
    C) stop
    D) cool only

  3. An anticyclone usually results in:
    A) storm
    B) calm weather ■
    C) heavy rain
    D) earthquake

  4. Pressure belts affect:
    A) only wind direction
    B) global rainfall patterns ■
    C) soil type
    D) none

  5. Daily variation of wind is least in:
    A) coastal areas
    B) inland deserts
    C) mountainous regions
    D) open ocean 

    Authors / Publisher: Often used in ICAR courses; check the latest edition by ICAR / National Book Suppliers.■Book Name: Introductory Agrometeorology and Weather Forecasting

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