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Which advantage does geopotential height have over geometric height?

  • A.It can be measured directly by a radiosonde rather than being computed from other measurements
  • B.It is always larger
  • C.It removes the need to know the temperature of the air column when the height is being derived
  • D.Gravity is absorbed into the coordinate

Answer: D

Because geopotential height is defined through the work done against gravity, surfaces of constant geopotential height are surfaces of constant energy, and the variation of \( g \) with latitude and altitude no longer complicates the equations. Radiosondes in fact measure pressure and temperature and derive height hypsometrically, so temperature is very much required, and the two heights differ by only a small amount that changes sign with latitude.

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