Deck 20: An Envelope of Gas: Earths Atmosphere and Climate

Question 1

The long-term buildup of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere is a result of ________.

A)volcanic outgassing
B)photosynthesis
C)limestone formation in the ocean
D)solar radiation splitting molecules of ozone in the stratosphere

Answer 1

B

Question 2

As an air mass rises,it generally experiences ________.

A)an increase in temperature because of adiabatic heating
B)a decrease in temperature because of adiabatic cooling
C)an increase in temperature because of increasing proximity to the Sun
D)no change in temperature

Answer 2

B

Question 3

In which layer of the atmosphere does temperature decrease with altitude because most of its heat is derived from the atmospheric layer immediately below it?

A)the mesosphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the thermosphere
D)the troposphere

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Which layer of the atmosphere has the lowest density?

A)the mesosphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the thermosphere
D)the troposphere

Question 5

According to geological evidence and computer models based on that evidence,which statement about the concentration of oxygen in our atmosphere is correct?

A)No oxygen was present prior to the Cambrian Era;oxygen levels have uniformly risen since,and today's atmosphere is more oxygen rich than at any time in Earth's history.
B)Oxygen levels were greatest during the Cambrian Era but have been steadily declining ever since;today's atmosphere is less oxygen rich than at any time in Earth's history.
C)Oxygen levels have generally risen during the Phanerozoic Era but peaked during the Mesozoic Era (Age of Dinosaurs)and declined sharply in the Early Cenozoic Era.
D)Oxygen levels have generally risen during the Phanerozoic Era but peaked during the Late Paleozoic Era (the time of coal swamp forests)and declined sharply in the Early Mesozoic Era.

Question 6

Lines connecting points of equal atmospheric pressure on a map are termed ________.

A)contour lines
B)isobars
C)isograds
D)isotherms

Question 7

Which layer of the atmosphere is chemically stratified,with the lightest molecules riding above heavier molecules?

A)the mesosphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the thermosphere
D)the troposphere

Question 8

Most atmospheric ozone occurs in which layer of Earth's atmosphere?

A)the mesosphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the thermosphere
D)the troposphere

Question 9

Which layer in the figure below can be thought of as the weather layer?

A)the troposphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the mesosphere
D)the thermosphere

Question 10

In the figure below,the pressure gradient is the greatest between point ________ and point ________.

A)A;B
B)B;C
C)C;D
D)D;E

Question 11

Which two gases are most abundant within Earth's modern atmosphere?

A)nitrogen and oxygen
B)hydrogen and helium
C)carbon dioxide and methane
D)water vapor and sulfur dioxide

Question 12

Which two gases are most important in producing the greenhouse effect on Earth?

A)nitrogen and oxygen
B)hydrogen and helium
C)carbon dioxide and methane
D)nitrogen and sulfur dioxide

Question 13

Atmospheric convection of heat radiated from Earth's surface and the variety of phenomena we call weather occur within which layer of the atmosphere?

A)the mesosphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the thermosphere
D)the troposphere

Question 14

In which layer in the figure below will the temperature increase as you move to higher altitudes?

A)the troposphere
B)the stratosphere
C)the mesosphere
D)the thermosphere

Question 15

Consult the figure below.During which period of Earth's history was the oxygen saturation in the atmosphere highest?

A)Hadean Era
B)Cambrian Era
C)Carboniferous Era and Permian Era
D)Cenozoic Era

Question 16

To an observer traveling outward from Earth's surface into outer space,the temperature of the atmosphere ________.

A)uniformly decreases because of atmospheric thinning
B)uniformly increases because of increasing proximity to the Sun
C)remains relatively constant until the very edge of the atmosphere,where the observer would experience the very cold vacuum that is interplanetary space
D)decreases,stabilizes,increases,stabilizes,decreases,stabilizes,and,finally,increases until the edge of the atmosphere is reached

Question 17

Which two gases are most abundantly emitted in volcanic outgassing?

A)nitrogen and oxygen
B)hydrogen and helium
C)carbon dioxide and methane
D)water vapor and sulfur dioxide

Question 18

The very first Earth atmosphere,forming with Earth itself,was probably dominated by the cosmically abundant gases ________ and ________.

A)nitrogen;oxygen
B)hydrogen;helium
C)carbon dioxide;methane
D)water vapor;sulfur dioxide

Question 19

As an air mass rises,it generally experiences ________.

A)an increase in pressure
B)a decrease in pressure
C)no change in pressure
D)either an increase or a decrease in pressure,depending on temperature

Question 20

As air rises,why do clouds form?

A)raindrops converge in the lower troposphere
B)water vapor heats up and creates steam
C)the air cools to its dew-point temperature and condenses into liquid water
D)snow forms in the upper troposphere and becomes visible as clouds

Question 21

The boundary between two bodies of air with differing characteristics (such as temperature,pressure,and relative humidity)is termed a ________.

A)contact
B)front
C)jet stream
D)Gruber surface

Question 22

The development of cyclones and anticyclones in high- and low-pressure regions is a result of the deflection of air currents by ________.

A)solar wind
B)the stratosphere
C)the Coriolis effect
D)ion beams originating in the ionosphere

Question 23

Where air sinks,as in the subtropical horse latitudes,the air usually ________.

A)cools as it sinks
B)creates high pressure locally
C)creates low pressure locally
D)increases in relative humidity as it sinks

Question 24

When moisture-laden wind is forced over a mountain range,clouds will form because of ________ lifting.

A)frontal
B)convergence
C)convective
D)orographic

Question 25

At zones of divergence and convergence,such as at the equator,the poles,the horse latitudes,and polar fronts,surface winds are generally ________.

A)easterly
B)westerly
C)southerly in the southern hemisphere and northerly in the northern hemisphere
D)calm or weak

Question 26

Laterally,at the surface,winds blow from regions of ________ to regions of ________.

A)high temperature;low temperature
B)low temperature;high temperature
C)high pressure;low pressure
D)low pressure;high pressure

Question 27

In the figure below,the intertropical surface convergence became known as the doldrums because ________.

A)many horses died of heat exhaustion while being transported
B)the wind moves in the wrong direction for trade ships
C)the winds along the equator are very slow
D)the airflow is mainly downward

Question 28

In global convective circulation,air rises at the ________ and the ________.

A)equator;poles
B)equator;polar fronts
C)horse latitudes;poles
D)horse latitudes;polar fronts

Question 29

At high altitudes within the troposphere,the global pattern of airflow is from the ________.

A)equator to the horse latitudes
B)poles to the horse latitudes
C)equator to the doldrums
D)doldrums to the equator

Question 30

Starting from the equator and moving toward either pole,how many rows of global convection cells are present within the troposphere?

A)one
B)two
C)three
D)four

Question 31

The high-altitude jet stream in the northern hemisphere travels from ________ because of the Coriolis effect on northbound air masses.

A)east to west
B)west to east
C)north to south
D)south to north

Question 32

In global convective circulation,air sinks at the ________ and the ________.

A)equator;poles
B)equator;polar fronts
C)horse latitudes;poles
D)horse latitudes;polar fronts

Question 33

Prevailing surface winds are named for the ________.

A)latitudinal belt in which they form
B)direction from which they blow
C)direction to which they blow
D)level of the atmosphere in which they form

Question 34

In the northern hemisphere,how do winds move in a low-pressure system?

A)clockwise rotation
B)counterclockwise rotation
C)from west to east
D)from southwest to northeast

Question 35

Compared with warm fronts,cold fronts move ________.

A)more rapidly
B)more slowly
C)at the same rate but in opposite directions
D)at the same rate and in the same direction

Question 36

Clouds generally form when air ________.

A)is heated
B)rises
C)sinks
D)is devoid of aerosols

Question 37

Incoming solar energy is known as ________.

A)latent heat
B)coalescence
C)insolation
D)adiabatic heating

Question 38

Because of the Coriolis effect,air that is spread northward from the equator is deflected ________.

A)directly back to the equator
B)to the east
C)to the west
D)upward,to the tropopause

Question 39

Winds form where ________.

A)gravity pulls air masses downhill
B)pressure gradients exist
C)convective lifting occurs
D)the Coriolis effect is greatest

Question 40

The two main mechanisms of rain and snow formation within clouds are ________ and ________.

A)evaporation;precipitation
B)collision and coalescence;precipitation
C)collision and coalescence;the Bergeron process
D)phase change;the Bergeron process

Question 41

In the figure below,the area known as tornado alley forms because polar air masses frequently collide with ________.

A)tropical air masses from the Gulf of Mexico
B)dry air masses from the desert southwest
C)moist Pacific air masses
D)dry air masses descending from the Rocky Mountains

Question 42

Lightning results from ________.

A)an imbalance between electrical charges
B)the crystallization of ice particles in a supercell
C)unusually strong downdrafts
D)adiabatic cooling of warm,moist air

Question 43

What is the difference between weather and climate?

A)Weather is a long-term average;climate is short-term conditions.
B)Weather represents short-term conditions;climate is the long-term average.
C)Weather measures rain and temperature;climate refers to cycles like El Niño.
D)The two terms are interchangeable.

Question 44

The Enhanced Fujita scale,which is used to rate tornado intensity,is based on the ________.

A)width of the funnel
B)length of the track on the ground
C)damage inflicted
D)maximum wind speed

Question 45

Lines connecting points of equal temperature on a map are termed ________.

A)contour lines
B)isobars
C)isograds
D)isotherms

Question 46

High-pressure systems are associated with weather that is ________.

A)cool and damp
B)extremely wet
C)warm and moist
D)clear and dry

Question 47

The primary source of energy for a growing hurricane comes from ________.

A)warm ocean water
B)wind blowing off landmasses
C)wind blowing across the ocean
D)solar energy heating the tops of the clouds

Question 48

Which of these factors is NOT important in controlling the climate of a region?

A)latitude
B)longitude
C)altitude
D)proximity to water

Question 49

After precipitation begins,a thunderstorm has reached the ________ stage.

A)cumulus
B)mature
C)supercell
D)dissipating

Question 50

In the figure below,what kind of front develops when a cold air mass moves into a warm air mass?

A)a warm front
B)a cold front
C)an occluded front
D)a tropical front