Weather and Climate Final Exam - Questions 1-50What is the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level?

What is the standard atmospheric pressure at sea level?

1013.25 mb

Wind flows from:

High pressure to low pressure

The Pressure Gradient Force (PGF) is calculated as:

Pressure difference / distance

In the Northern Hemisphere, the Coriolis force deflects moving objects:

To the right

What was Hurricane Patricia's minimum pressure in 2015?

879 mb

Hurricanes are classified using:

Saffir-Simpson Scale

The eye of a hurricane is characterized by:

Calm winds and clear skies

Storm surge is primarily caused by:

Wind pushing water toward shore

Which quadrant of a hurricane typically has the strongest winds?

Northeast quadrant (Northern Hemisphere)

Sea surface temperature must be at least _____ for hurricane formation:

26.5°C

Hurricane categories are based on:

Wind speed

The most dangerous hurricane hazard in terms of fatalities is:

Storm surge

A single-cell thunderstorm typically lasts:

Less than 1 hour

Supercell thunderstorms are characterized by:

A persistent rotating updraft (mesocyclone)

The stages of a thunderstorm are:

Cumulus (updraft), Mature (up & downdrafts), Dissipating (downdraft only)

Lightning is produced by:

Charge separation within clouds

Tornadoes are most commonly associated with:

Supercell thunderstorms

The Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale measures:

Tornado damage intensity

Downbursts and microbursts are caused by:

Descending cold air from thunderstorms

Hail forms in thunderstorms when:

Updrafts carry water droplets above freezing level repeatedly

The primary greenhouse gas contributing to global warming is:

Carbon dioxide

Since pre-industrial times, atmospheric CO2 has increased from about:

280 ppm to 420 ppm

The greenhouse effect is:

A natural process that keeps Earth warm enough for life

Climate feedback loops can be:

Both positive and negative

Ice-albedo feedback is an example of:

Positive feedback

Global mean temperature has increased approximately _____ since pre-industrial times:

1.1°C

The Paris Agreement aims to limit global warming to:

Below 1.5°C

Sea level rise is caused by:

Both thermal expansion and melting ice

Ozone in the stratosphere:

Protects Earth from harmful UV radiation

The ozone hole is primarily located over:

Antarctica

CFCs (chlorofluorocarbons) were primarily used in:

Refrigerants and aerosols

The Montreal Protocol successfully:

Phased out ozone-depleting substances

One chlorine atom can destroy approximately _____ ozone molecules:

100,000

UV-B radiation is particularly harmful because it:

Causes skin cancer and damages DNA

The stratospheric ozone layer is found at approximately:

15-35 km altitude

Polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) form when:

Stratospheric temperatures drop below -78°C

The geostrophic wind blows:

Parallel to isobars

Air pressure decreases with altitude because:

Air density decreases

A temperature inversion occurs when:

Temperature increases with height

The jet stream is located in the:

Upper troposphere/lower stratosphere boundary

Tropical cyclones require:

Warm ocean water and low wind shear

The Coriolis effect is strongest at:

The poles

Latent heat is released when:

Water vapor condenses

Relative humidity is:

The ratio of actual to maximum water vapor capacity

El Niño is characterized by:

Warmer than normal Pacific Ocean temperatures

Atmospheric stability occurs when:

Warm air overlies cold air

Convection is driven by:

Differences in air density

The troposphere contains approximately what percentage of atmospheric mass?

80%

Acid rain is primarily caused by:

Sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides

Which atmospheric layer contains the ozone layer?

Stratosphere