SCI 201 - Ch 22-23

The science that studies the atmosphere and weather phenomena is

a. astronomy.

b. astrology.

c. meteorology.

d. space science.

c. meteorology.

2. Up from the surface, 99 percent of the mass of Earth's atmosphere is found within

a. 12 km (7 mi).

b. 16 km (10 mi).

c. 24 km (15 mi).

d. 32 km (20 mi).

d. 32 km (20 mi).

3. The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is

a. oxygen.

c. argon.

b. nitrogen.

d. carbon dioxide.

d. carbon dioxide.

4. Approximately how much of the total volume of the atmosphere is oxygen?

a. 21 percent

b. 32 percent

c. 78 percent

d. 93 percent

a. 21 percent

5. Fog and clouds are composed of

a. water vapor.

b. tiny droplets of liquid water.

c. pockets of rain or snow.

d. large crystals of water vapor.

b. tiny droplets of liquid water.

6. The continuous cycle of evaporation moves water from Earth's surface into the

a. ground

c. oceans.

b. ice.

d. air.

d. air.

7. Tiny solid or liquid smoke, soot, dust, and salt crystals found in the atmosphere are

a. of no concern.

b. harmful, reducing rainfall.

c. aerosols.

d. clouds.

c. aerosols.

8. Atmospheric pressure is measured using a

a. barometer.

c. thermometer.

b. hygrometer.

d. hydrometer.

a. barometer.

9. Which molecules in the atmosphere absorb infrared wavelengths?

a. Water

b. Oxygen

c. Carbon dioxide

d. a and c

d. a and c

10. What is the process of heating the atmosphere by the absorption of sunlight and remission of infrared energy?

a. Solar energy

b. Greenhouse effect

c. Ozone depletion

d. Global emissions

b. Greenhouse effect

11. Near the surface, what happens to the temperature of the atmosphere with increasing altitude?

a. Increases

b. Decreases

c. Stays the same

d. Depends on the season

b. Decreases

12. What is the layer of the atmosphere where we live?

a. Mesosphere

b. Stratosphere

c. Troposphere

d. Ozone layer

c. Troposphere

13. A layer of the atmosphere where the temperature increases with height is a (an)

a. conversion.

b. inversion.

c. diversion.

d. cloud.

b. inversion.

14. What is the boundary between the troposphere and the stratosphere?

a. Thermal plane

b. Tropopause

c. Stratopause

d. Inversion layer

b. Tropopause

15. In what lower layer of the atmosphere would transcontinental aircraft escape convective turbulence?

a. Mesosphere

b. Stratosphere

c. Troposphere

d. Ionosphere

b. Stratosphere

17. The term that does not describe a layer of the atmosphere is

a. thermosphere.

b. stratosphere.

c. mesosphere.

d. temposphere.

d. temposphere.

18. Uneven heating of Earth's surface directly leads to

a. rain.

b. condensation.

c. convection.

d. thermal energy.

d. thermal energy.

19. A general horizontal movement of air is called

a. wind.

b. unusual.

c. hurricane.

d. storm.

a. wind.

20. Air moving from the ocean to the land is called a

a. tsunami.

b. sea breeze.

c. wind.

d. storm.

b. sea breeze.

21. A rapidly moving "stream" of air near the top of the troposphere is

a. an unusual wind pattern.

b. a jet stream.

c. El Niño.

d. impossible.

b. a jet stream.

22. Water vapor in the atmosphere does not

a. participate in weather.

b. act as a greenhouse gas.

c. maintain life on Earth.

d. filter ultraviolet energy.

d. filter ultraviolet energy.

23. The amount of water vapor at a particular temperature is defined as

a. effective humidity.

b. actual humidity.

c. absolute humidity.

d. humidity.

c. absolute humidity.

24. The temperature at which condensation begins is the

a. dew point.

b. boiling point.

c. frost point.

d. melting point.

a. dew point.

25. The basic shapes of clouds do not include

a. cirrus.

b. cotton tufts.

c. cumulus.

d. stratus.

b. cotton tufts.

26. An airplane flying at about 6 km (20,000 ft) is above how much of Earth's atmosphere?

a. 99 percent

b. 90 percent

c. 75 percent

d. 50 percent

d. 50 percent

27. Earth's atmosphere is mostly composed of

a. oxygen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

b. nitrogen, oxygen, and argon.

c. oxygen, carbon dioxide, and nitrogen.

d. oxygen, nitrogen, and water vapor.

b. nitrogen, oxygen, and argon.

28. Which of the following gases cycle into and out of the atmosphere?

a. Nitrogen

b. Carbon dioxide

c. Oxygen

d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

29. If it were not for the ocean, Earth's atmosphere would probably be mostly

a. nitrogen.

b. carbon dioxide.

c. oxygen.

d. argon.

b. carbon dioxide.

30. Your ear makes a "pop" sound as you descend in an elevator because

a. air is moving from the atmosphere into your eardrum.

b. air is moving from your eardrum to the atmosphere.

c. air is not moving into or out of your eardrum.

d. None of the above is correct.

a. air is moving from the atmosphere into your eardrum.

31. Most of the total energy radiated by the Sun is at

a. visible light wavelengths.

b. ultraviolet wavelengths.

c. infrared wavelengths.

d. gamma ray wavelengths.

c. infrared wavelengths.

32. How much of the total amount of solar energy reaching the outermost part of Earth's atmosphere reaches the surface?

a. All of it

b. About 99 percent

c. About 75 percent

d. About one-half

d. About one-half

33. The solar energy that does reach Earth's surface

a. is eventually reemitted back to space.

b. shows up as an increase in temperature.

c. is reemitted at different wavelengths.

d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

34. The greenhouse effect results in warmer temperatures near the surface because

a. clouds trap infrared energy near the surface.

b. some of the energy is reemitted back toward the surface.

c. carbon dioxide molecules do not permit the energy to leave.

d. carbon dioxide and water vapor both trap infrared energy.

b. some of the energy is reemitted back toward the surface.

35. The temperature increases with altitude in the stratosphere because

a. it is closer to the Sun than the troposphere.

b. heated air rises to the stratosphere.

c. of a concentration of ozone.

d. the air is less dense in the stratosphere.

c. of a concentration of ozone.

36. Ozone is able to protect Earth from harmful amounts of ultraviolet sunlight by

a. reflecting it back to space.

b. absorbing it and decomposing, then reforming.

c. refracting it to a lower altitude.

d. All of the above are correct.

b. absorbing it and decomposing, then reforming.

37. Summertime breezes would not blow if Earth did not experience

a. cumulus clouds.

b. differential heating.

c. the ozone layer.

d. a lapse rate in the troposphere.

b. differential heating.

38. On a clear, calm, cool night, you would expect the air temperature over a valley floor to be what compared to the air temperature over a slope to the valley?

a. Cooler

b. Warmer

c. The same temperature

d. Sometimes warmer and sometimes cooler

a. Cooler

39. Air moving down a mountain slope is often warm because

a. it has been closer to the Sun.

b. cool air is denser and settles to lower elevations.

c. it is compressed as it moves to lower elevations.

d. this occurs during the summertime.

c. it is compressed as it moves to lower elevations.

40. Considering Earth's overall atmosphere, you would expect more rainfall to occur in a zone of

a. high atmospheric pressure.

b. low atmospheric pressure.

c. prevailing westerly winds.

d. prevailing trade winds.

b. low atmospheric pressure.

41. Considering Earth's overall atmosphere, you would expect to find a desert located in a zone of

a. high atmospheric pressure.

b. low atmospheric pressure.

c. prevailing westerly winds.

d. prevailing trade winds.

a. high atmospheric pressure.

42. Water molecules can go (1) from the liquid state to the vapor state and (2) from the vapor state to the liquid state.

When is the movement from the liquid to the vapor state only?

a. Evaporation

b. Condensation

c. Saturation

d. This usually does not occur alone.

d. This usually does not occur alone.

43. What condition means a balance between the number of water molecules moving to and from the liquid state?

a. Evaporation

b. Condensation

c. Saturation

d. None of the above is correct.

c. Saturation

44. Without adding or removing any water vapor, a sample of the atmosphere experiencing an increase in temperature will have

a. a higher relative humidity.

b. a lower relative humidity.

c. the same relative humidity.

d. a changed absolute humidity.

b. a lower relative humidity.

45. Cooling a sample of water vapor results in a (an)

a. increased capacity.

b. decreased capacity.

c. unchanged capacity.

b. decreased capacity.

46. On a clear, calm, and cool night, dew or frost is most likely to form

a. under trees or other shelters.

b. on bare ground on the side of a hill.

c. under a tree on the side of a hill.

d. on grass in an open, low-lying area.

d. on grass in an open, low-lying area.

47. The density of the atmosphere

a. increases with increasing altitude.

b. decreases with increasing altitude

c. remains the same, regardless of altitude.

d. decreases with decreasing altitude.

b. decreases with increasing altitude

48. Condensation nuclei provide a surface for fog or cloud formation. These particles include

a. salt crystals.

b. soot.

c. dust.

d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

1. Condensation of water vapor into clouds or fog requires

a. high temperatures.

b. storms.

c. condensation nuclei.

d. no wind.

c. condensation nuclei.

2. Clouds that are between you and the Sun will appear gray because

a. the clouds filter sunlight.

b. the clouds reflect sunlight.

c. the clouds refract sunlight.

d. the Sun's shadow makes the clouds dark.

a. the clouds filter sunlight.

3. Which is not an example of precipitation?

a. Rain

b. Dew

c. Snow

d. Ice

b. Dew

4. Cloud droplets merge and fuse with millions of other droplets to form large raindrops. This process is called

a. seeding.

b. precipitation.

c. coalescence.

d. combination.

c. coalescence.

5. What type of cloud will usually produce a long, cold winter storm with drizzle, rain, ice, and snow?

a. Cirrus

b. Cumulus

c. Stratus

d. Storm

c. Stratus

6. The transfer of heat from a region of higher temperature to a region of lower temperature by the displacement of high-energy molecules is

a. thermal energy.

b. conduction.

c. convection.

d. radiation.

c. convection.

7. The one term that does not describe an air mass is

a. maritime polar.

b. continental southern.

c. maritime tropical.

d. continental polar.

b. continental southern.

8. A boundary between air masses is called a

a. boundary.

b. front.

c. dividing line.

d. barrier.

b. front.

9. A low-pressure center where the winds move counterclockwise into the low-pressure center is called a (an)

a. occluded front.

b. stationary front.

c. cyclone.

d. high.

c. cyclone.

10. Clear, fair weather is associated with a

a. high.

b. low.

c. stationary front.

d. low-pressure center.

a. high.

11. A thunderstorm usually does not develop under what conditions?

a. Warm air

b. Cold air

c. Moist air

d. Humid air

b. Cold air

12. Upward air motion that leads to the growth of cumulus clouds to tremendous heights is called a (an)

a. lift.

b. flight.

c. updraft.

d. rise.

c. updraft.

13. The separation of charge associated with the movement of water droplets as they fall or is they are lifted by an updraft can result in

a. lightning

b. hail.

c. thunder.

d. a rainbow.

a. lightning

14. An intense low-pressure area with widespread winds greater than 120 km/h is a

a. tornado.

b. tropical storm.

c. hurricane.

d. cyclone.

c. hurricane.

15. A hurricane does not have

a. gale winds.

b. rain and thunderstorms.

c. a high-pressure area.

d. an "eye" at its center.

c. a high-pressure area.

16. Weather prediction is not based on

a. use of computer models.

b. the Farmer's Almanac.

c. the study of the movement of air masses.

d. knowledge of basic scientific laws.

b. the Farmer's Almanac.

17. The general pattern of weather that occurs for a region over a number of years is called

a. a weather history.

b. the climate.

c. a forecast.

d. the environment.

b. the climate.

18. The source of energy that drives the hydrologic cycle is

a. the ocean.

b. latent heat from evaporating water.

c. the Sun.

d. Earth's interior.

c. the Sun.

19. Considering the average amount of water that evaporates from Earth's oceans each year and the average amount that returns by precipitation,

a. evaporation is greater than precipitation.

b. precipitation is greater than evaporation.

c. precipitation balances evaporation.

d. there is no pattern that can be generalized.

a. evaporation is greater than precipitation.

20. A thunderstorm that occurs at 3 A.M. over a flat region of the country was probably formed by

a. convection.

b. differential heating.

c. the meeting of moving air masses.

d. Any of the above is correct.

c. the meeting of moving air masses.

21. White, puffy cumulus clouds that form over a flat region of the country during the late afternoon of a clear, warm day are probably the result of

a. convection.

b. a barrier to moving air.

c. the meeting of moving air masses.

d. None of the above is correct.

a. convection.

22. Without any heat being added or removed, a parcel of air that is expanding is becoming

a. neither warmer nor cooler

b. warmer

c. cooler

d. the temperature of the surrounding air

c. cooler

23. A parcel of air shoved upward into atmospheric air in a state of instability will expand and become cooler,

a. but not as cool as the surrounding air.

b. and thus colder than the surrounding air.

c. reaching the same temperature as the surrounding air.

d. then warmer than the surrounding air.

a. but not as cool as the surrounding air.

24. A parcel of air shoved upward into atmospheric air in a state of stability will expand and become cooler,

a. but not as cool as the surrounding air.

b. and thus colder than the surrounding air.

c. reaching the same temperature as the surrounding air.

d. then warmer than the surrounding air.

b. and thus colder than the surrounding air.

25. Cumulus clouds usually mean an atmospheric state of

a. stability.

b. instability.

c. cool, dry equilibrium.

d. warm, humid equilibrium.

b. instability.

26. When water vapor condenses in a parcel of air rising in an unstable atmosphere, the parcel is

a. forced to the ground.

b. slowed.

c. stopped.

d. accelerated upward.

d. accelerated upward.

27. A parcel of air with a relative humidity of 50 percent is given an upward shove into the atmosphere. What is necessary before cloud droplets form in this air?

a. Cooling

b. Saturation

c. Condensation nuclei

d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

28. A cloud is hundreds of tiny water droplets suspended in the air.

The average density of liquid water in such a cloud is about

a. 0.1 g/m³.

c. 100 g/m³.

b. 1 g/m?³.

d. 1,000 g/m³.

c. 100 g/m³.

29. When water vapor in the atmosphere condenses to liquid water,

a. dew falls to the ground.

b. rain or snow falls to the ground.

c. a cloud forms.

d. All of the above are correct.

c. a cloud forms.

30. In order for liquid cloud droplets at the freezing point to freeze into ice crystals,

a. condensation nuclei are needed.

b. further cooling is required.

c. ice-forming nuclei are needed.

d. nothing more is required.

c. ice-forming nuclei are needed.

31. Which basic form of a cloud usually produces longer periods of drizzle, rain, or snow?

a. Stratus

b. Cumulus

c. Cirrus

d. None of the above is correct.

a. Stratus

32. Which basic form of a cloud usually produces brief periods of showers?

a. Stratus

b. Cumulus

c. Cirrus

d. None of the above is correct.

b. Cumulus

33. The type of air mass weather that results after the arrival of polar continental air is

a. frequent snowstorms with rapid changes.

b. clear and cold with gradual changes.

c. unpredictable but with frequent and rapid changes.

d. much the same from day to day, with conditions depending on the air mass and the local conditions

d. much the same from day to day, with conditions depending on the air mass and the local conditions

34. The appearance of high cirrus clouds, followed by thicker and lower stratus clouds, then continuous light rain over several days probably means which of the following air masses has moved to your area?

a. Continental polar

b. Maritime tropical

c. Continental tropical

d. Maritime polar

b. Maritime tropical

35. A fully developed cyclonic storm is most likely to form

a. on a stationary front.

b. in a high-pressure center.

c. from differential heating.

d. over a cool ocean.

a. on a stationary front.

36. The basic difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane is

a. size.

b. location.

c. wind speed.

d. amount of precipitation.

c. wind speed.

37. Most of the great deserts of the world are located

a. near the equator.

b. 30° north or south latitude.

c. 60° north or south latitude.

d. anywhere, as there is no pattern to their location.

b. 30° north or south latitude.

38. The average temperature of a location is made more even by the influence of

a. a large body of water.

b. elevation.

c. nearby mountains.

d. dry air.

a. a large body of water.

39. The climate of a specific location is determined by

a. its latitude

b. how much sunlight it receives.

c. its altitude and nearby mountains and bodies of water.

d. All of the above are correct.

d. All of the above are correct.

40. The process that is not involved with how water cycles in and out of the atmosphere is

a. evaporation.

b. boiling.

c. condensation.

d. precipitation.

b. boiling.

41. The process of water vapor cycling in and out of the atmosphere with evaporation of water from the surface and precipitation of water back to the surface is called the

a. unusual weather cycle.

b. atmospheric cycle.

c. hydrologic cycle.

d. reverse flow cycle.

c. hydrologic cycle.