Deck 25: Driving Forces of Weather

Question 1

The limit at which air contains as much moisture as it can hold for a given temperature is called

A)the dew point.
B)saturation.
C)the evaporation point.
D)sublimation point.

Answer 1

B

Question 2

Whenever water evaporates,

A)heat is absorbed.
B)heat is released.
C)temperature rises.
D)clouds form.

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Evaporation of raindrops in the atmosphere

A)warms the air.
B)cools the air.
C)does not happen,raindrops always reach Earth's surface.
D)is greatest above polar ice caps.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

We are warmed by condensation because water molecules in the air that strike our bodies

A)transfer some of their kinetic energy to us.
B)gain kinetic energy as they change state.
C)form an insulating layer on our bodies.
D)none of these

Question 5

Warm air has a higher capacity for water vapor,because in warm air

A)fast-moving water-vapor molecules are too energetic to stick together.
B)molecules expand.
C)water-vapor molecules condense.
D)there are more water vapor molecules than in cool air.

Question 6

Humidity can be expressed in many different ways-volume,pressure,mass; but humidity is always

A)the moisture condensation.
B)the amount of water vapor in the air.
C)equal to relative humidity.
D)maximum amount of water vapor in the air at a given temperature.

Question 7

When water changes from solid ice to a liquid,it

A)loses energy.
B)gives off energy.
C)gains energy.
D)radiates energy.

Question 8

When water changes from a vapor phase to a liquid phase,it

A)loses energy.
B)gives off energy.
C)gains energy.
D)radiates energy.

Question 9

As air temperature decreases,relative humidity

A)drops.
B)stays the same.
C)decreases.
D)increases.

Question 10

The temperature to which air must be cooled for saturation to occur is called

A)relative humidity.
B)dew point.
C)precipitation.
D)condensation point.

Question 11

We feel uncomfortably warm on a muggy day because water molecules are

A)evaporating from moist bodies.
B)condensing on our bodies.
C)preventing the evaporation from our moist bodies.
D)jostling about.

Question 12

Saturation and condensation are more likely to occur in

A)warm air than in cool air.
B)air with a low relative humidity.
C)cool air than in warm air.
D)an adiabatic air mass.

Question 13

When water changes from a liquid to a vapor,it

A)loses energy.
B)gives off energy.
C)gains energy.
D)radiates energy.

Question 14

As rising air cools,its ability to accommodate water vapor decreases so the

A)relative humidity of the rising air decreases.
B)adiabatic rate stabilizes.
C)air becomes more wet.
D)relative humidity of the rising air increases.

Question 15

When air contains as much water vapor as it can possibly hold for a given temperature,the air is at

A)capacity.
B)optimum threshold.
C)its evaporation point.
D)sublimation point.

Question 16

The amount of water vapor the air can hold depends on air temperature.At higher temperatures the air

A)holds less water vapor.
B)can hold more water vapor.
C)is saturated.
D)holds water vapor at its dew point.

Question 17

When liquid water freezes,it

A)loses energy.
B)gives off energy.
C)gains energy.
D)radiates energy.

Question 18

The changing of a vapor into a liquid is called

A)condensation.
B)evaporation.
C)dew point.
D)saturation point.

Question 19

The changing of a substance from a liquid into a vapor or gas is called

A)condensation.
B)evaporation.
C)dew point.
D)saturation point.

Question 20

Whenever water condenses,

A)heat is absorbed.
B)heat is released.
C)frost forms.
D)temperature drops.

Question 21

What happens when the air is saturated?

A)The condensation rate equals the evaporation rate.
B)The air is at its water vapor capacity.
C)Relative humidity is 100%.
D)The air temperature equals the dew point temperature.
E)all of the above

Question 22

As air temperature cools below its dew point temperature,the air's water vapor

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)condenses.
D)evaporates.

Question 23

Which of the following is not an example of condensation at Earth's surface?

A)clouds
B)dew
C)frost
D)fog

Question 24

Air becomes saturated when its temperature

A)falls to a point where water vapor molecules evaporate.
B)rises to a point where water vapor molecules condense.
C)rises to a point where water vapor molecules evaporate.
D)falls to a point where water vapor molecules condense.

Question 25

Water vapor in the air can condense when the air

A)cools above its dew point temperature.
B)temperature increases.
C)temperature drops below its dew point temperature.
D)none of the above

Question 26

When evaporation rate equals the condensation rate,the air is

A)humid.
B)super-saturated.
C)at its water-vapor capacity.
D)cool,with decreasing relative humidity.

Question 27

Is evaporation greater over warm ocean water or cold ocean water?

Question 28

What happens to the water vapor in saturated air as the air cools?

Question 29

Maximum specific humidity is an ideal way to express capacity,because specific humidity

A)does not change as air expands or contracts.
B)is a mass measurement-grams/kilograms.
C)is the mass of water vapor per volume of air.
D)is the pressure exerted by water vapor.

Question 30

Air's capacity for water vapor is dependent on

A)the water-vapor content.
B)saturation.
C)relative humidity.
D)temperature.

Question 31

As the air cools,water-vapor molecules slow down and capacity

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)outpaces condensation.
D)increases to maximum humidity.

Question 32

If the relative humidity is 50%,what happens when the temperature drops and the mass of water in the air stays the same?

A)Relative humidity drops.
B)Relative humidity rises.
C)Relative humidity stays the same.
D)Outcome depends on the temperature of the air.

Question 33

Precipitation is produced by

A)a rising air mass.
B)a descending air mass.
C)condensation of water vapor in the air to make clouds and cloud droplets that fall as liquid water or ice.
D)all of the above

Question 34

Why does dew form on the ground during clear,calm summer nights?

Question 35

As air temperature decreases,relative humidity

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)stays the same.
D)becomes colder.

Question 36

If water vapor content is held constant as air temperature decreases,does relative humidity increase,decrease,or stay the same? Explain.

Question 37

During the summer months,the Gulf of Mexico is generally

A)cool along the coast.
B)very hot and very humid.
C)hot and dry.
D)none of the above

Question 38

Why does a July day in the Gulf of Mexico generally feel appreciably hotter than a July day in Arizona?

Question 39

Saturation and condensation are more likely to occur on a

A)cold day.
B)warm day.
C)windy day.
D)balmy day.

Question 40

What happens if nearly saturated air experiences a quick,significant temperature drop?

A)Relative humidity drops.
B)Relative humidity rises.
C)Condensation occurs.
D)Outcome depends on the temperature of the air.

Question 41

When warm air is above cooler air it is called

A)stable.
B)unstable.
C)a temperature inversion.
D)a Chinook.

Question 42

The wind blows in response to

A)pressure differences.
B)Earth's rotation.
C)temperature differences.
D)pressure and temperature differences.

Question 43

As an air parcel moves up the side of a mountain,it

A)expands and cools.
B)expands and warms.
C)compresses and cools.
D)compresses and warms.

Question 44

When a volume of air is compressed,its temperature

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)neither increases nor decreases.

Question 45

An adiabatic process occurs when

A)no thermal energy enters or leaves the system.
B)thermal energy leaving a system is greater than thermal energy entering a system.
C)thermal energy leaving a system is less than thermal energy entering a system.
D)none of these

Question 46

Heat can be added to air by solar radiation,moisture

A)condensation,or contact with warm ground.
B)evaporation,or contact with warm ground.
C)condensation,or contact with cool ground.
D)evaporation,or contact with cool ground.

Question 47

Air pressure decreases with

A)increasing height.
B)increasing humidity.
C)increasing temperature.
D)increasing density.

Question 48

Warm air rises and cool air sinks.So,when an air parcel rises it becomes

A)cooler.
B)warmer.
C)more stable.
D)less stable.

Question 49

Which air mass has greater air pressure?

A)warm air
B)cold air
C)adiabatic air
D)expanding air

Question 50

Any object that is warmer than its surroundings will

A)absorb heat.
B)emit radiation.
C)reflect heat.
D)become denser.

Question 51

Clouds inhibit the outflow of terrestrial radiation.This acts to

A)insulate Earth's surface temperature.
B)warm Earth's surface temperature at night.
C)cool Earth's surface temperature during the day.
D)insulate Earth's surface temperature,keeping it warmer at night and cooler in the day.

Question 52

As air flows up the side of a mountain,the air pressure

A)increases.
B)decreases.
C)gets warmer.
D)gets colder.

Question 53

As rising air cools,

A)water vapor content decreases.
B)relative humidity decreases.
C)the moist adiabatic lapse rate increases.
D)relative humidity increases.

Question 54

Warm air rises and cools as it expands.Warm air will continue to rise as long as it is

A)denser than the surrounding air.
B)warmer and less dense than the surrounding air.
C)warmer and less dense than the air above.
D)snowing.

Question 55

Temperature in the air can decrease by the process of

A)moisture condensation.
B)moisture evaporation.
C)contact with warm surfaces.
D)solar radiation.

Question 56

If a volume of air is warmed,it expands.If a volume of air expands,it

A)warms.
B)cools.
C)neither warms nor cools.

Question 57

As an air parcel expands and cools,or compresses and warms,with no interchange of heat with its surroundings,the situation is called

A)temperature equilibrium.
B)an adiabatic process.
C)stable equilibrium.
D)lapse rate.

Question 58

A rising parcel of air continues to rise as long as

A)the wind is blowing.
B)it is warmer and less dense than the surrounding air.
C)the temperature is inverted.
D)it is cooler and denser than the surrounding air.

Question 59

As air rises,it

A)compresses and warms.
B)compresses and cools.
C)expands and warms.
D)expands and cools.

Question 60

Air temperature can increase by the process of

A)moisture condensation.
B)contact with cold surfaces.
C)moisture evaporation.
D)all of the above

Question 61

As air rises,it expands.It expands because it moves to

A)a region of higher air pressure.
B)a region of lower air pressure.
C)an area of greater humidity.
D)an area of cooler air temperature.

Question 62

Which of the following is an example of adiabatic warming?

A)cyclone
B)Chinook
C)drought
D)tornado

Question 63

What is an adiabatic process?

Question 64

An example of a convective cloud is the

A)nimbostratus.
B)cumulus.
C)cirrocumulus.
D)altostratus.

Question 65

How are air convection cycles generated?

Question 66

Warm,moist air blowing over cold water can result in

A)adiabatic cooling.
B)a dry adiabatic rate.
C)fog.
D)orographic lifting.

Question 67

The Chinook wind is a warm,dry wind that descends the eastern slope of the Rocky Mountains.What makes these winds so warm and dry?

Question 68

Rising air expands and cools.The rate of cooling depends on

A)the air's moisture content.
B)the dry adiabatic lapse rate.
C)the energy of the water-vapor molecules.
D)temperature inversions.

Question 69

At the same level and temperature in the atmosphere,is moist air lighter or heavier than dry air?

Question 70

Air is considered unstable when it

A)continues to rise because it is warmer than surrounding air.
B)behaves unpredictably.
C)warms as it descends.
D)cools as it rises.

Question 71

When water vapor condenses to liquid water,is thermal energy absorbed or released?

Question 72

What happens to the air pressure of an air parcel as it flows up the side of a mountain?

Question 73

Cloud types associated with stable air include

A)cumulus and cumulonimbus.
B)cirrostratus,altostratus,and stratus.
C)cirrostratus,altocumulus,and altostratus.
D)stratocumulus,stratus,and cirrostratus.

Question 74

Rising air expands and cools.If the air mass cools below its dew point temperature,the air mass

A)reaches 100% relative humidity,and water vapor evaporates.
B)reaches 100% relative humidity,and water vapor may condense to form clouds.
C)stops moving upward and relative humidity climbs to 100%.
D)continues to cool at the environmental lapse rate.

Question 75

Air temperature decreases with increasing altitude; this rate of cooling is called the

A)dry adiabatic lapse rate.
B)a moist adiabatic rate.
C)environmental lapse rate.

Question 76

The lowest temperature on any given day occurs

A)around midnight.
B)around sunset.
C)around sunrise.
D)at about 4:00 pm.

Question 77

Atmospheric stability can determine the types of clouds that form.In stable air,clouds tend to

A)have lots of vertical development.
B)take a billowy and towering form.
C)spread out into horizontal layers.
D)evaporate quickly.

Question 78

Is it possible for the temperature of an air mass to change if no thermal energy is added or subtracted? Defend your answer.

Question 79

Air moves from

A)a region of low pressure to a region of high pressure.
B)a region of high pressure to a region of low pressure.
C)a region of stability to a region of instability.
D)a cold front to a warm front.

Question 80

What is a temperature inversion?