Deck 1: Earth and Its Atmosphere

Question 1

Of the four most abundant gases in our atmosphere, water vapor shows the greatest variation at Earth's surface.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The most abundant gases in Earth's atmosphere by volume are ____.

A)carbon dioxide and nitrogen
B)oxygen and water vapor
C)nitrogen and oxygen
D)oxygen and helium
E)oxygen and ozone

Answer 2

C

Question 3

On the basis of temperature, the layers of the atmosphere from the lowest layer to the highest are the thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, and troposphere.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

These sayings are based on close observations, and most likely have some truths in them, but they are not based on the scientific method.
Sayings about the weather, such as "red sky at morning, sailor take warning; red sky at night, sailor's delight" are based on the scientific method.

Question 5

Weather in the middle latitudes tends to move from east to west.

Question 6

Ultraviolet light from the sun destroys nitrous oxide.

Question 7

Earth's second atmosphere was denser than its first atmosphere (which formed some 4.6 billion years ago), and developed through the impact of a series of meteorites.

Question 8

On average, temperature increases from the surface to the tropopause (around 10 km, then decreases to the stratopause (around 50 km), then decreases to the mesopause (around 90 km), then increases through the thermosphere.

Question 9

Someone who says that "the wind direction today is south" likely means that the wind is blowing toward the south.

Question 10

Fronts are a sharp change in temperature, humidity, and wind direction.

Question 11

A decrease in stratospheric ozone would be beneficial for plants, animals, and humans.

Question 12

Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring component of the atmosphere.

Question 13

The lowest average air temperature can be found in the stratosphere.

Question 14

Storms rank in size from largest to smallest, as follows: middle-latitude cyclonic storm, hurricane, thunderstorm, tornado.

Question 15

The ozone hole is an actual hole in the atmosphere, a region of complete vacuum.

Question 16

Meteorology is the study of the atmosphere and its phenomena. The term itself goes back to a Roman emperor who, about 12 B.C., wrote a book on natural philosophy entitled Meteorologica.

Question 17

Water vapor can best be described as a ____.

A)gas
B)cloud droplet
C)raindrop
D)snowflake
E)liquid

Question 18

Soil dust, salt from ocean waves, forest fire smoke, volcanic ash particles, and pollutants are some of the aerosols found in the atmosphere.

Question 19

Atmospheric concentration of CO₂ has increased from below 300 ppm historically to over 400 ppm presently.

Question 20

The main atmospheric component of the planet Mercury is CO₂.

Question 21

The temperature of the tropopause ____.

A)is close to the temperature at Earth's surface
B)is much colder than the temperature at Earth's surface
C)has never been measured
D)is much warmer than the temperature at Earth's surface
E)is nearly the same as the sun's temperature

Question 22

Earth's atmosphere is divided into named layers based on the vertical profile of ____.

A)air pressure
B)air temperature
C)air density
D)wind speed
E)chemical composition

Question 23

Water vapor molecules ____.

A)are invisible
B)color the sky blue
C)make clouds white
D)are very small drops of liquid water
E)can exist in the frozen state

Question 24

Which of the following is considered a variable gas in Earth's atmosphere?

A)Water vapor
B)Nitrogen
C)Oxygen
D)Argon
E)Helium

Question 25

In a temperature inversion, air temperature ____.

A)increases with increasing height
B)decreases with increasing height
C)remains constant with increasing height
D)is warmer at night than during the day
E)is warmer during winter than during summer

Question 26

The only substance near Earth's surface that is found naturally in the current atmosphere as a solid, liquid, and a gas is ____.

A)carbon dioxide
B)water
C)molecular oxygen
D)ozone
E)carbon

Question 27

Over millions of years, this process provided a rich supply of water vapor into the atmosphere, which formed into clouds.

A)Evaporation
B)Condensation
C)Precipitation layering
D)Outgassing
E)The greenhouse effect

Question 28

In a volume of air near Earth's surface today, ____ occupies 78 percent and ____ nearly 21 percent.

A)nitrogen; oxygen
B)hydrogen; oxygen
C)oxygen; hydrogen
D)nitrogen; water vapor
E)hydrogen; helium

Question 29

The most abundant greenhouse gas in Earth's current atmosphere is ____.

A)carbon dioxide (CO₂)
B)nitrous oxide (N₂O)
C)water vapor (H₂O)
D)methane (CH₄)
E)chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 30

The unit of pressure most commonly found on a surface weather map is ____.

A)inches of mercury (Hg)
B)millibars or hectopascals
C)pounds per square inch
D)millimeters of mercury (Hg)
E)kilograms per square meter

Question 31

Typically, water vapor occupies about what percentage of the air's volume near Earth's surface?

A)About 78 percent
B)About 21 percent
C)Close to 10 percent
D)Less than 4 percent
E)Less than 1 percent

Question 32

Which process acts to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

A)Lightning
B)Deforestation
C)Photosynthesis
D)Burning fossil fuels
E)Volcanic eruptions

Question 33

Which weather element ALWAYS decreases as we climb upward in the atmosphere?

A)Wind
B)Temperature
C)Pressure
D)Moisture
E)Dew point

Question 34

The rate at which temperature decreases with increasing altitude is known as the ____.

A)temperature slope
B)lapse rate
C)sounding
D)thermocline
E)sudden temperature drop

Question 35

Which of the following is NOT a way for CO₂ to enter the atmosphere?

A)Volcanic eruptions
B)Through phytoplankton fixing CO₂ into organic tissues
C)Burning fossil fuels
D)Exhalations of animal life
E)Deforestation

Question 36

Most of the ionosphere is found in which of the following atmospheric layers?

A)Troposphere
B)Stratosphere
C)Mesosphere
D)Thermosphere
E)Homosphere

Question 37

The most abundant gas in the stratosphere is ____.

A)oxygen (O₂)
B)nitrogen (N₂)
C)carbon dioxide (CO₂)
D)ozone (O₃)
E)chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs)

Question 38

Almost all of Earth's weather occurs in the ____.

A)exosphere
B)stratosphere
C)mesosphere
D)thermosphere
E)troposphere

Question 39

Since 1958, CO₂ in the atmosphere has ____.

A)increased in concentration by 30 percent
B)decreased in concentration by 30 percent
C)remained at about the same concentration from year to year
D)disappeared entirely
E)has doubled in concentration

Question 40

The atmospheric layer in which we live is called the ____.

A)troposphere
B)stratosphere
C)thermosphere
D)ionosphere
E)exosphere

Question 41

Ozone in the stratosphere ____.

A)is a health hazard for people with respiratory illnesses
B)protects life from harmful ultraviolet radiation
C)is one of the main ingredients of photochemical smog
D)provides healthy levels of vitamin D to humans
E)is an aerosol found in the ionosphere

Question 42

Much of the carbon dioxide found in earlier atmospheres is currently locked up in ____.

A)granite
B)volcanic rocks
C)sandstone
D)shale
E)carbonate rocks

Question 43

Most human-made impurities found in the atmosphere present a health and environmental hazard. These are called ____.

A)nutrients
B)pollutants
C)aerosols
D)dust
E)particles

Question 44

Meteorology is the study of ____.

A)landforms
B)the oceans
C)the atmosphere
D)outer space
E)extraterrestrial meteoroids that enter the atmosphere.

Question 45

The word "weather" is defined as ____.

A)the average of the weather elements
B)the climate of a region
C)the climate averaged over a year's time
D)any type of falling precipitation
E)the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place

Question 46

Wind direction is ____.

A)the direction from which the wind is blowing
B)the direction to which the wind is blowing
C)always directly from high toward low pressure
D)always directly from low toward high pressure
E)the vertical displacement of air

Question 47

When applying the scientific method to investigating the atmosphere, scientists study ____.

A)the chemistry and physics of water samples
B)the chemistry and physics of air
C)animal behavior in different climates
D)human behavior in different climates
E)the chemical composition of plants occurring in different climates

Question 48

Precipitation is ____.

A)the same in different climates
B)any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches the ground
C)a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air
D)the degree of hotness or coldness of the air
E)the force of the air above an area

Question 49

Earth's earliest atmosphere was most likely composed of ____.

A)water vapor and nitrogen
B)carbon dioxide and helium
C)hydrogen and helium
D)hydrogen and oxygen
E)noble gases

Question 50

Which statement relates to weather rather than climate?

A)The average temperature for the month of January is 28 degrees Fahrenheit.
B)The lowest temperature ever recorded in Frozenlake, Minnesota is -57 degrees Fahrenheit.
C)The foggiest month of the year is December.
D)I like the warm, humid summers.
E)It is cloudy and snowing outside.

Question 51

On weather maps cold fronts are drawn ____.

A)in blue, with arrowheads showing the front's general direction of movement
B)in red, with arrowheads showing the front's general direction of movement
C)in blue, with arrowheads pointing away from the front's general direction of movement
D)in black, with arrowheads showing the front's general direction of movement
E)in red, with arrowheads pointing away from the front's general direction of movement

Question 52

There are considerably more air molecules near Earth's surface than higher up, which means, in comparison, air near the surface ____.

A)is less dense
B)has the same density
C)is denser
D)has no density
E)is only half as dense

Question 53

On a weather map, sharp changes in temperature, humidity, and wind direction are marked by ____.

A)a front
B)an anticyclone
C)a ridge
D)blowing dust
E)a low

Question 54

Which atmospheric layer contains the most mixing and overturning of air?

A)Stratosphere
B)Troposphere
C)Mesosphere
D)Exosphere
E)Ionosphere

Question 55

With regard to natural disasters, most people die from ____.

A)lightning
B)earthquakes
C)tornadoes
D)flash floods and flooding
E)droughts

Question 56

A geostationary satellite takes pictures of ____.

A)the moon as it is seen from Earth
B)other planets as they are seen from Earth
C)different areas on Earth when it is stationary
D)one area on Earth as it moves at the same rate as Earth's spin
E)any recurring geologic event on Earth

Question 57

Which of the following is MOST likely associated with fair weather?

A)High pressure area
B)Low pressure area
C)A cold front
D)A warm front
E)Large storm systems

Question 58

Middle latitude cyclonic storms are also known as ____.

A)anticyclones
B)hurricanes
C)extratropical cyclones
D)tornadoes
E)blizzards

Question 59

Humidity is ____.

A)the same in different climates
B)any form of water that falls from clouds and reaches the ground
C)a measure of the amount of water vapor in the air
D)the degree of hotness or coldness of the air
E)the force of the air above an area

Question 60

Weather maps with isobars have been utilized in meteorology since ____.

A)1799
B)1950
C)1843
D)1920
E)1869

Question 61

The two most abundant greenhouse gases in Earth's atmosphere are ____________________ and ____________________.

Question 62

A tropical storm system, with its swirling band of rotating clouds and sustained surface winds of 65 knots, is known as a ____.

A)thunderstorm
B)hurricane
C)tornado
D)cyclical front
E)downburst

Question 63

In the mid-1990s, the National Weather Service replaced original radars with sophisticated instruments known as ___________________ that have the ability to peer into a severe thunderstorm, unveil its winds, and show precipitation intensity.

Question 64

The concentration of ____________________ is close to 21 percent (by volume)in the upper stratosphere (the same concentration as in the troposphere), but without proper breathing apparatus you would not be able to survive there.

Question 65

Weather and climate affect human lives in many ways, but the most immediate effect is related to ____.

A)the economy
B)the environment
C)comfort
D)health
E)infrastructure

Question 66

Recorded temperatures on Earth range from ____.

A)-40 to 120 degrees Fahrenheit
B)-55 to 115 degrees Fahrenheit
C)-100 to 150 degrees Fahrenheit
D)-111 to 159 degrees Fahrenheit
E)-121 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit

Question 67

The Sun is surrounded by Earth, and how many other planets?

A)Five
B)Ten
C)Eight
D)Twelve
E)Seven

Question 68

The layer of the atmosphere that contains all of our weather is the _________________.

Question 69

____________________, ____________________, ____________________, and water vapor are the four most abundant gases in today's atmosphere.

Question 70

Air molecules are held near Earth through ______________________.

A)intermolecular forces
B)chemical reactions
C)air pressure
D)winds in the atmosphere
E)gravity

Question 71

____________________ describes conditions averaged over a region or over a period, whereas ____________________ describes the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.

Question 72

The average surface temperature on Earth is ____.

A)59 degrees Fahrenheit
B)55 degrees Fahrenheit
C)50 degrees Fahrenheit
D)61 degrees Fahrenheit
E)57 degrees Fahrenheit

Question 73

The average or standard ____________________ in the troposphere is about 6.5°C for every 1000 m or about 3.6°F for every 1,000-foot rise in elevation.

Question 74

In the middle latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds tend to blow ____________________ and ____________________ around an area of surface low pressure.

Question 75

A zone known as ___________________ is one in the atmosphere in which, on average, the air temperature remains constant with height.

Question 76

The ozone hole is located over ____________________.

Question 77

Wind blows ____________________ around low-pressure areas, and ____________________ around high-pressure areas in the Northern Hemisphere.

Question 78

Falling rain and snow is called ____.

A)condensation
B)evaporation
C)sublimation
D)crystallization
E)precipitation

Question 79

Over the past 100 years or so, Earth's surface temperature has increased by ____.

A)1.4 degrees Fahrenheit
B)5.4 degrees Fahrenheit
C)0 degrees Fahrenheit
D)3.0 degrees Fahrenheit
E)2.1 degrees Fahrenheit

Question 80

The atmosphere protects inhabitants at Earth's ____________________.