Deck 19: The Atmosphere

Question 1

Which of the following gases is a trace natural constituent of the air?

A) Ar
B) SO₂
​
C) CO
D) NO₂
​

Answer 1

A

Question 2

Which of the following gases is a trace natural constituent of the air?

A) CO
B) SO₂
C) CO₂
D) NO₂

Answer 2

C

Question 3

Weather occurs in the

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

Answer 3

B

Question 4

Photosynthesis produces ______________ in the atmosphere.

A) carbon dioxide
B) oxygen
C) argon
D) carbon monoxide

Question 5

Jet planes avoid bad weather by flying above it in the

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

Question 6

Oxygen is supplied to the atmosphere by

A) ozone.
B) incomplete combustion.
C) photosynthesis.
D) complete combustion.

Question 7

The top of the stratosphere is called the

A) stratopause.
B) tropopause.
C) mesopause.
D) thermopause.

Question 8

The top of the troposphere is called the

A) stratopause.
B) tropopause.
C) mesopause.
D) thermopause.

Question 9

The most abundant gas in the atmosphere is

A) oxygen.
B) nitrogen.
C) water vapor.
D) carbon dioxide.

Question 10

The second most abundant gas in the atmosphere is

A) oxygen.
B) nitrogen.
C) water vapor.
D) carbon dioxide.

Question 11

The transition between the troposphere and the stratosphere is called the

A) stratopause.
B) tropopause.
C) mesopause.
D) thermopause.

Question 12

Some of Earth's artificial satellites orbit in the

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

Question 13

The bottom of the stratosphere is called the

A) stratopause.
B) tropopause.
C) mesopause.
D) thermopause.

Question 14

Which of the following is the most variable constituent of air?

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

Question 15

The top of the thermosphere is called the

A) stratopause.
B) tropopause.
C) mesopause.
D) thermopause.

Question 16

The ozone layer lies in the

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

Question 17

At 1800 degrees Fahrenheit, this part of atmosphere is heated almost directly by the Sun's rays.

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

Question 18

The coldest region of the atmosphere is the

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

Question 19

About 80% of the mass of the atmosphere and most of the clouds and water vapor are located in the

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

Question 20

Exploration of this part of the atmosphere was conducted in the nineteenth century with hot-air balloons.

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

Question 21

The stratosphere and the troposphere account for ______________ of the mass of the atmosphere.

A) 80%
B) 90%
C) 99.9%
D) 78.1%

Question 22

Radio waves, of sufficient frequency, pass through which of the following ion layers?

A) C
B) D
C) E
D) F

Question 23

When measuring air temperature, it is best to avoid

A) shade.
B) shadows.
C) direct sunlight.
D) none of these.

Question 24

The fraction of incident light that a body reflects is known as its

A) Rayleigh scattering.
B) insolation.
C) albedo.
D) humidity.

Question 25

Which of the following radiations is absorbed in the greenhouse effect?

A) Ultraviolet only
B) Visible only
C) Infrared only
D) All of these

Question 26

The troposphere derives energy by means of

A) latent heat of condensation only.
B) absorption of terrestrial radiation only.
C) conduction from Earth's surface only.
D) all of these.

Question 27

The inventor of the mercury barometer was

A) Newton.
B) Galileo.
C) Bergeron.
D) Torricelli.

Question 28

Which of the following has the smallest albedo?

A) Water
B) Polar ice
C) Fresh snow
D) Dry sand

Question 29

A phenomenon that occurs in the ionosphere is

A) the greenhouse effect.
B) photosynthesis.
C) Rayleigh scattering.
D) auroras.

Question 30

The principal gases responsible for the greenhouse effect are

A) water vapor and oxygen.
B) oxygen and nitrogen.
C) carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
D) carbon dioxide and water vapor.

Question 31

The blueness of the sky results from

A) preferential scattering of light by gas molecules.
B) the lapse rate.
C) the greenhouse effect.
D) latent heat.

Question 32

Every square inch of our body, at sea level, sustains ______________ of atmospheric pressure.

A) 14.7 lb
B) 1.47 g
C) 14.7 g
D) 1.47 lb

Question 33

The reason why the sky is blue is best explained by

A) the greenhouse effect.
B) Rayleigh scattering.
C) the dew point.
D) auroras.

Question 34

When the relative humidity is 100%, the air temperature is equal to

A) the lapse rate.
B) 100°F.
C) the dew point temperature.
D) none of these.

Question 35

Ions trapped in Earth's magnetic field give rise to

A) photosynthesis.
B) auroras.
C) ultraviolet radiation.
D) ozone.

Question 36

The process that effectively regulates Earth's average temperature is

A) the greenhouse effect.
B) Rayleigh scattering.
C) the dew point.
D) auroras.

Question 37

Which of the following has the largest albedo?

A) Water
B) Polar ice
C) Fresh snow
D) Dry sand
E) Dark soil

Question 38

Radio waves are reflected by which of the following ion layers?

A) C
B) D
C) F
D) A

Question 39

Radio waves are reflected by which of the following ion layers?

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

Question 40

The ozone layer causes a temperature increase in the

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

Question 41

The relative humidity is 100% when

A) the psychrometer wet-bulb temperature is depressed.
B) the actual moisture content is equal to the maximum moisture capacity.
C) the air temperature is above the dew point temperature.
D) the air temperature is 100°F.

Question 42

A sea breeze on a coast is the result of

A) Rayleigh scattering.
B) a convection cycle.
C) the Coriolis force.
D) friction or drag.

Question 43

Clouds described as "artist's brushes" or "mare's tails" belong to what cloud family?

A) Middle
B) Low
C) High
D) None of these

Question 44

A line drawn through locations of equal atmospheric pressure is a(n)

A) equipress.
B) anemometer.
C) wind vane.
D) isobar.

Question 45

A primary force that produces air motion is

A) gravity.
B) the Coriolis force.
C) friction.
D) the electromagnetic force.

Question 46

Which of the following units is used to express atmospheric pressure?

A) Torr only
B) Millibar only
C) Inches of Hg only
D) All of these

Question 47

Air circulation around a cyclone in the Northern Hemisphere as viewed from above is

A) counterclockwise.
B) the same as in the Southern Hemisphere.
C) toward the center of the low-pressure area.
D) along isobars.

Question 48

Doppler radar is replacing conventional radar in weather forecasting because

A) it can measure wind speeds.
B) Doppler radar is widely used in police cars.
C) it is cheaper.
D) government agencies are required to use the latest equipment.

Question 49

Wind speed is measured by means of

A) a psychrometer.
B) an anemometer.
C) a wind vane.
D) a barometer.

Question 50

The heat index accounts for the "real feel" due to the effects of

A) temperature and perspiration.
B) temperature and pressure.
C) temperature and humidity.
D) humidity and pressure.

Question 51

To avoid toxic vapor, one can use a(n) ____________ barometer to measure pressure.

A) mercury
B) Galileo
C) aneroid
D) Torricelli

Question 52

In attempting to pipe water to elevated heights, ______________ investigated atmospheric pressure.

A) Newton
B) Galileo
C) Bergeron
D) Torricelli

Question 53

The horizontal movement of air is called

A) an anticyclone.
B) wind.
C) air currents.
D) a hurricane.

Question 54

The rate at which air temperature changes with altitude is called

A) the inversion rate.
B) vertical development.
C) the lapse rate.
D) an isotherm.

Question 55

The tallest column of water able to be supported by using atmospheric pressure is

A) about 10 m.
B) about 1 m.
C) about 100 m.
D) about 1 cm.

Question 56

Precipitation is measured with

A) a psychrometer.
B) an anemometer.
C) a rain gauge.
D) a barometer.

Question 57

The relative humidity (for a given volume of air), expressed as a decimal fraction, is

A) the actual water vapor content divided by the maximum water vapor content.
B) the maximum water vapor content divided by the actual water vapor content.
C) the air temperature divided by the dew point temperature.
D) the dew point temperature divided by the air temperature.

Question 58

Land and sea breezes result from

A) the Coriolis force.
B) convection cycles.
C) low-pressure areas.
D) high-pressure areas.

Question 59

The conterminous United States lies predominantly in which wind zone?

A) Westerlies
B) Northeast tradewinds
C) Polar easterlies
D) Doldrums

Question 60

For normal household temperatures, a comfortable relative humidity is

A) 100%
B) 0%
C) 25%
D) 50%

Question 61

Nimbus means

A) "poorly formed."
B) "rain forming cloud."
C) "heap."
D) none of these.

Question 62

Nimbus means

A) "poorly formed."
B) "curl."
C) "heap."
D) none of these.

Question 63

A normal lapse rate of 3.5 °F/1000 ft is equivalent to

A) 3.5 °C/m.
B) 4 °C/1000 ft.
C) 3.5 °C/km.
D) 6.5 °C/1000 m.

Question 64

The fraction of incident light that a body reflects is called its ______________.

Question 65

A normal lapse rate of 3.5 °F/1000 ft is equivalent to

A) 3.5 °C/m.
B) 1.9 °C/1000 ft.
C) 3.5 °C/1000 ft.
D) 6.5 °C/1000 ft.

Question 66

Carbon dioxide is removed from the air by ______________.

Question 67

The ______________ lies below the stratosphere.

Question 68

Relative humidity is measured with a(n) ______________.

Question 69

The ozone layer absorbs ______________ radiation.

Question 70

Radio waves are reflected by layers in the ______________.

Question 71

Cloud dissipation results from

A) an inverted lapse rate.
B) hygroscopic nuclei.
C) supercooled vapor.
D) descending air.

Question 72

Which of the following is not a member of the low-cloud family?

A) Nimbostratus cloud
B) Fog
C) Stratus cloud
D) Cirrus cloud

Question 73

An average lapse rate of 2.7 °F/1000 ft is equivalent to

A) 1.5 °C/m.
B) 4.0 °C/1000 ft.
C) 5.0 °C/km.
D) 6.5 °C/1000 m.

Question 74

After nitrogen and oxygen, the major constituent of the air is______________.

Question 75

The study of all aspects of the atmosphere is called ______________.

Question 76

The atmospheric division that lies directly above the stratosphere is the ______________.

Question 77

A normal lapse rate of 2.7 °F/1000 ft is equivalent to

A) 3.5 °C/m.
B) 1.5 °C/1000 ft.
C) 5.0 °C/1000 ft.
D) 6.5 °C/1000 ft.

Question 78

The term weather refers to the atmospheric conditions of the ______________.

Question 79

An altocumulus cloud belongs to which cloud family?

A) Low
B) Clouds of vertical development
C) High
D) Middle

Question 80

A type of cloud composed of ice crystals is the

A) altostratus.
B) cirrostratus.
C) stratus.
D) nimbostratus.