Physics I / Functions of Several Variables
Practice question · Multiple choice

A weather map draws isobars: curves of equal pressure. In the language of multivariable calculus, what is an isobar?

Hints
  1. An isobar collects all the map points sharing one particular pressure value.
  2. The set {(x,y):P(x,y)=c}\{(x,y) : P(x,y) = c\} has a standard name.
Show the answer

A. A level curve of P(x,y)P(x, y)

Why

Isobars, contour lines on hiking maps, and isotherms are all level curves: slices of a two-variable function at constant height. Where they crowd together, the function changes fast, the wind blows hardest where isobars are packed tight.

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