Global wind belts and the jet stream

Grade 9 Science Worksheet

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   A globe with three loops in each hemisphere.

2. 1.

   In the Ferrel cell, which way does surface air flow, by Esme's reading (NOAA)?

   • Poleward and eastward, as the westerlies
   • Out from the poles as easterlies
   • Toward the equator and westward, as the trades
   • Straight up at 30°
3. 2.

   Over the poles, air in the polar cell sinks. What surface winds result, by Jun's reading (NOAA)?

   • No winds, since the air is still
   • Westerlies blowing from the equator toward the poles
   • Trade winds from the northeast
   • Polar easterlies blowing out from the polar highs
4. 3.

   A wavy jet stream high above the surface. NOAA: Earth's surface moves east at over 1,000 mph at the equator and 0 at the poles. Why does air moving poleward turn east, by Kira's reading?

   • It keeps its eastward speed while the ground below slows
   • The Sun pulls it east
   • The ground below it speeds up
   • The wind pushes it west

5. Use this

   A wind arrow with a speed and a time beside it.

6. 4.

   NOAA: jet streams can exceed 275 mph (442 km/h). At 442 km/h, how far does air travel in 3 hours, by Luz's math?

   • About 1,326 km
   • About 147 km
   • About 13,260 km
   • About 442 km
7. 5.

   NOAA: jet streams run 4 to 8 miles up. Using 1 mile = 1.609 km, about what heights is that, by Milo's math?

   • About 2.5 to 5 km
   • About 64.4 to 128.7 km
   • About 6.4 to 12.9 km
   • About 4 to 8 km
8. 6.

   Surface arrows for trades, westerlies and polar easterlies. Going from the equator to 60° N, which pattern fits NOAA's wind belts, by Noah's reading?

   • Trades from the west, then the easterlies
   • Westerlies, a high at the equator, then the trades
   • Rising air at the equator, northeast trades, a high near 30°, then westerlies
   • A low at 30°, then the trades

9. Use this

   Bands of H and L on a globe.

10. 7.

    NOAA: lows lie near the equator and 50° to 60°; highs near 30° and the poles. Which band likely gets the most rain, by Pia's reading?

    • Near the equator, where air rises
    • Near 30°, where air sinks
    • At the poles, where the cold air sinks
    • They each get equal rain
11. 8.

    Model map: a city near 55° N gets frequent storms that move west to east. Which features explain this, by Ren's reading?

    • The doldrums and the easterlies
    • A low-pressure band and the westerlies
    • The subtropical jet at the ground
    • A high-pressure band and the steady trade winds

12. Use this

    A wavy jet stream high above the surface.

13. 9.

    Where are the polar and subtropical jets, by Tala's reading (NOAA)?

    • Polar near 30° N; subtropical near 60° N, over Canada
    • Polar near 50° to 60°; subtropical near 30°
    • Both over the equator
    • Both at the poles
14. 10.

    When are jet streams strongest, by Zee's reading (NOAA)?

    • In spring, as plants grow
    • In winter, when warm-cold contrasts are greatest
    • In summer, when it is hottest
    • They stay equal through the year