Deck 5: Condensation: Dew, Fog, and Clouds

Question 1

Aside from cumulonimbus clouds that sometimes penetrate into the stratosphere, all clouds are observed in the lower atmosphere.

Answer 1

False

Question 2

In the United States, the frequency of days with dense fog is very low in places like Utah, Arizona, and Montana.

Answer 2

True

Question 3

The foggiest spot near sea level in the United States is Cape Cod, Massachusetts.

Answer 3

False

Question 4

In Ralph Abercromby's and Hugo Hildebrandsson's cloud classification system, each of the four primary cloud groups is identified by the type of precipitation it produces.

Question 5

Because fog causes a lot of problems, such as accidents, scientists are seeking ways to disperse, or at least "thin" fog.

Question 6

Cumulonimbus clouds are associated with more or less continuously falling rain or snow.

Question 7

In hazy conditions, distant objects are usually more visible in the afternoon than in the morning, even when the concentration of particles in the air has not changed.

Question 8

Dew is most likely to form on

A)clear, calm nights.
B)cloudy, calm nights.
C)clear, windy nights.
D)cloudy, windy nights.
E)rainy nights.

Question 9

Wet haze restricts visibility more than dry haze.

Question 10

Steam fog poses a threat to humans with respiratory problems.

Question 11

Water vapor cannot condense onto hygroscopic nuclei particles at a relative humidity less than 100 percent.

Question 12

Even at high elevations where cirrus clouds are found, liquid water still exists in the clouds.

Question 13

Frost forms when the dew point temperature is at or below freezing.

Question 14

The sky is overcast, and it is raining. The cloud above you is a cumulus humilis cloud.

Question 15

Condensation nuclei may be made up of salt from the ocean.

Question 16

On a cold morning, it is possible to see your breath even if the air temperature is above freezing.

Question 17

High cirriform clouds are composed almost entirely of ice crystals. In tropical regions, air temperatures low enough to freeze all liquid water usually occur only above 6,000 m (about 20,000 feet). In polar regions, however, these same temperatures may be found at altitudes as low as 3,000 m (about 10,000 feet). Hence, while you may observe cirrus clouds at 3,600 m (about 12,000 feet)over northern Alaska, you will not see them at that elevation above southern Florida.

Question 18

The TRMM ( T ropical R ainfall M easuring M ission)satellite, a joint venture between NASA and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), can pick out individual cloud features as small as 2.4 km (1.5 mi)in diameter.

Question 19

The cooling of the ground to produce dew is mainly the result of ____.

A)conduction
B)radiational cooling
C)cooling due to the release of latent heat
D)advection
E)condensation

Question 20

All clouds form in rising air.

Question 21

Radiation fog forms best on a ____.

A)clear winter night with a slight breeze
B)cloudy winter night with a strong breeze
C)clear summer night with a strong breeze
D)cloudy summer night with a slight breeze
E)cloudy winter night with a slight breeze

Question 22

When radiation fog "burns off," the fog tends to dissipate ____.

A)from the bottom up
B)from the top down
C)starting at the middle and working both upward and downward
D)laterally
E)in random directions

Question 23

On a cold, winter morning, the most likely place for radiation fog to form is ____.

A)at the top of a hill or mountain
B)in a valley
C)along the side of a hill
D)over a body of water
E)in a city

Question 24

Light or moderate-but-steady precipitation is most often associated with ____ clouds.

A)nimbostratus
B)cirrostratus
C)cirrocumulus
D)cumulonimbus
E)altocumulus

Question 25

The fog that forms along the Pacific coastline of North America is mainly of which type?

A)Radiation fog
B)Upslope fog
C)Frontal fog
D)Advection fog
E)Steam fog

Question 26

Fog that most often forms as warm rain falls into a cold layer of surface air is called ____.

A)radiation fog
B)evaporation (mixing)or frontal fog
C)advection fog
D)upslope fog
E)giant fog

Question 27

The most common form of high cloud, these are thin, wispy clouds blown by high winds into long streamers.

A)Stratus clouds
B)Cirrocumulus clouds
C)Altostratus clouds
D)Cirrus clouds
E)Cirrostratus clouds

Question 28

If fog is forming in Denver, Colorado (located on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains), and the wind is blowing from the east, then the fog is most likely ____.

A)advection fog
B)frontal fog
C)upslope fog
D)radiation fog
E)downslope fog

Question 29

A low, lumpy cloud layer that appears in rows, patches, or rounded masses would be classified as ____.

A)nimbostratus
B)stratus
C)altocumulus
D)stratocumulus
E)cirrostratus

Question 30

A dim, "watery" Sun visible through a gray sheet-like cloud layer is often a good indication of ____ clouds.

A)stratocumulus
B)cirrostratus
C)cumulonimbus
D)altostratus
E)nimbostratus

Question 31

Clouds are classified by their ____.

A)appearance
B)altitude
C)method of formation
D)temperature
E)altitude and appearance

Question 32

An anvil-shaped top is most often associated with ____.

A)Cumulonimbus incus
B)cumulus congestus
C)altocumulus
D)cumulus humilis
E)stratus

Question 33

Which cloud type is composed of ice crystals and can cause a halo to form around the Sun or Moon?

A)Altostratus
B)Stratus
C)Nimbostratus
D)Cirrostratus
E)Angelitus

Question 34

Frost typically forms on the inside of a windowpane (rather than the outside)because ____.

A)the inside of the pane is colder than the outside
B)there is more water vapor touching the inside of the pane
C)there is less water vapor touching the inside of the pane
D)the temperature is higher on the inside
E)there is more radiational cooling on the inside

Question 35

When viewed from the surface, these clouds may be viewed as individual cloud elements (puffs)or as rows of ripples that resemble the scales of a fish.

A)Stratocumulus
B)Cumulus
C)Cirrocumulus
D)Altocumulus
E)Cumulonimbus

Question 36

Cirrus clouds are composed primarily of ____.

A)water droplets
B)water vapor
C)ice particles
D)salt aerosols
E)dust particles

Question 37

Particles that serve as surfaces on which water vapor may condense are called ____.

A)hydrophobic nuclei
B)nacreous nuclei
C)condensation nuclei
D)scud
E)molecules

Question 38

These types of clouds make the Sun appear as a dimly visible round disk.

A)Altocumulus
B)Cirrostratus
C)Altostratus
D)Cirrocumulus
E)Cirrus

Question 39

Condensation nuclei are important in the atmosphere because ____.

A)they provide most of the minerals found in water
B)they make it easier for condensation to occur in the atmosphere
C)they are the sole producers of smog
D)they filter out sunlight
E)they provide the only means we have of tracking wind motions

Question 40

Thick clouds of this type can be used to predict rain or snow within 12 to 24 hours because they often appear ahead of an advancing cyclonic storm.

A)Stratus
B)Nimbostratus
C)Cirrostratus
D)Stratocumulus
E)Altocumulus

Question 41

Which cloud forms in descending air?

A)Cumulus fractus
B)Cumulonimbus
C)Mammatus
D)Pileus
E)Cirrus

Question 42

In 1887, Ralph Abercromby and Hugo Hildebrandsson expanded Howard's original cloud classification system and published a classification system that, with only slight modification, is still in use today. In their system, ____ principal cloud forms are divided into ____ primary cloud groups.

A)eight; two
B)nine; three
C)ten; four
D)eleven; five
E)twelve; six

Question 43

Radiation fog typically forms on ____.

A)clear, calm days
B)clear, windy days
C)clear, calm nights
D)clear, windy nights
E)any day and in any conditions

Question 44

Which two clouds can produce precipitation?

A)Cumulonimbus and stratocumulus
B)Nimbostratus and altostratus
C)Nimbostratus and cirrus
D)Cumulonimbus and nimbostratus
E)Cirrus and stratocumulus

Question 45

The scattering effect of dry haze produces a ____ color when viewed against a dark background and a ____ tint when viewed against a light-colored background.

A)yellowish; bluish
B)bluish; yellowish
C)reddish; yellowish
D)yellowish; reddish
E)whitish; silvery

Question 46

In 1803, Luke Howard, an English naturalist, developed a cloud classification system that employed ____ words to describe clouds as they appear to a ground observer.

A)German
B)Greek
C)Spanish
D)English
E)Latin

Question 47

Suppose two ocean currents with different temperatures are flowing next to one another. If the wind blows perpendicular to the currents, we would expect to find ____.

A)radiation fog
B)steam fog
C)lenticular clouds
D)advection fog
E)haze

Question 48

The cloud with the greatest vertical growth is ____.

A)cumulus congestus
B)cumulus humilis
C)cumulonimbus
D)cirrocumulus
E)altocumulus

Question 49

Nuclei with a radius of less than 0.1 micrometers are referred to as ____ nuclei.

A)Aitken
B)condensation
C)hygroscopic
D)giant
E)hydrophobic

Question 50

The dew point is the temperature at which ____.

A)water starts to boil
B)fog changes into haze
C)high clouds form
D)freezing occurs
E)saturation occurs

Question 51

Hail is usually associated with ____ clouds.

A)stratus
B)cumulus
C)stratocumulus
D)altocumulus
E)cumulonimbus

Question 52

One benefit polar-orbiting satellites offer is that they ____.

A)scan from north to south, and on successive orbits scan an area further west
B)scan clouds directly beneath them as they move
C)gather sharp images from polar regions
D)provide more detailed images of clouds and storms
E)All of these answers are correct.

Question 53

Near the shore of an extremely large lake, steam fog is more likely to form during the ____ and advection fog in early ____.

A)spring; summer
B)summer; winter
C)winter; summer
D)winter; autumn
E)autumn; spring

Question 54

On an ordinary day, a volume of air about the size of your index finger contains between ____ and ____ particles.

A)1; 150
B)10; 1,500
C)100; 15,000
D)1,000; 150,000
E)10,000; 1,500,000

Question 55

In Howard's cloud classification system, sheet-like clouds were named ____ ("layer"), a puffy cloud ____ ("heap"), a wispy cloud ____ ("curl of hair"), and a rain cloud ____ ("violent rain").

A)cirrus; cumulus; stratus; nimbus
B)cirrus; nimbus; stratus; cumulus
C)stratus; cumulus; cirrus; nimbus
D)stratus; nimbus; cirrus; cumulus
E)cumulus; cirrus; stratus; nimbus

Question 56

As Apollo 12 ascended into the atmosphere, the height of the surrounding clouds was noted to be 42,000 feet. A lightning strike was seen within these clouds, indicating that they must have been ____.

A)cumulus congestus
B)cumulonimbus
C)cirrus
D)cirrocumulus
E)lenticular

Question 57

Which region of the United States is particularly prone to advection fog?

A)Gulf coast
B)Atlantic coast
C)Pacific coast
D)Appalachia
E)Front range of the Rocky Mountains

Question 58

When temperatures are below freezing, the temperature to which air must be cooled in order for a phase change (from liquid to ice)to occur is called the ____.

A)wet bulb
B)dew point
C)frost point
D)heat index
E)frost index

Question 59

Advection fog is often observed along the Pacific coast during summer, as westerly winds carry moist air toward the shore. The fog forms because the surface water near the coast is ____ the surface water farther offshore.

A)much colder than
B)much warmer than
C)the same temperature as
D)richer in nutrients than
E)richer in wildlife than

Question 60

Which region of the United States is particularly prone to upslope fog?

A)Gulf coast
B)Atlantic coast
C)Pacific coast
D)Appalachia
E)Front range of the Rocky Mountains

Question 61

It is difficult to directly identify significant cloud and surface features on an infrared image when ____ differences are small.

A)relative humidity
B)air pressure
C)wind
D)precipitation
E)temperature

Question 62

Oils, gasoline, and paraffins are examples of ____________________ nuclei.

Question 63

In 1802, the French naturalist ____________________ proposed the first system for classifying clouds.

Question 64

When surfaces such as twigs, leaves, and blades of grass cool below the saturation temperature, water vapor begins to condense upon them, forming tiny visible specks of water called ____________________. If the air temperature should drop to freezing or below, the ____________________ will freeze, becoming tiny beads of ice called ____________________.

Question 65

Noctilucent clouds, meaning "luminous night clouds" are best seen at ____, during the ____ at latitudes poleward of 50 degrees.

A)sunset; winter
B)sunrise; fall
C)sunrise; spring
D)twilight; winter
E)twilight; summer

Question 66

As the air cools during the night, the relative humidity increases. When the relative humidity reaches about 75 percent, condensation may begin on the most active hygroscopic nuclei, producing a ____________________ haze .

Question 67

When a cloud forms over and extends downwind of an isolated mountain peak, it is called a ____ cloud.

A)lenticular
B)banner
C)cap
D)pileus
E)mammatus

Question 68

____________________ fog is rare over tropical water.

Question 69

____________________ fog forms when two unsaturated bodies of air mix and the resulting mixture is saturated.

Question 70

Mammatus clouds most frequently form on the underside of ____ clouds.

A)cumuloaltus
B)stratus
C)cirrus
D)nimbostratus
E)cumulonimbus

Question 71

Nacreous clouds form in the ____.

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

Question 72

In infrared-enhanced images, clouds with the coldest (highest)tops are typically assigned the colors ____ or ____.

A)black; dark grey
B)orange; yellow
C)light green; dark green
D)dark blue; red
E)light grey; white

Question 73

This particular technological innovation, launched in 2006, contains a very sensitive radar that uses microwave radiation to peer into a cloud and unveil its fine structures, including the altitude of its top and base, its thickness, optical properties, the abundance of liquid and ice particles, along with the intensity of precipitation within the cloud.

A)TRMM
B)CloudSat
C)GPM
D)GOES
E)TIROS IV

Question 74

Snow covering the ground is an especially favorable condition for the formation of precipitation fog, also known as _____________ fog.

Question 75

Suppose it is raining lightly from a deck of nimbostratus clouds. Beneath the clouds are small, ragged, puffy clouds that are moving rapidly with the wind. These clouds would be called ____________________.

Question 76

You are sitting inside your house on a sunny afternoon. The shades are drawn, and you look at the window and notice the Sun disappears for about 10 seconds. The alternate light and dark period lasts for nearly 30 minutes. The clouds passing in front of the Sun are ____________________ clouds.

Question 77

The process of water vapor changing directly to ice without becoming a liquid first is called ____________________.

Question 78

The condensation nuclei most favorable for producing clouds (called cloud condensation nuclei )have radii of ____________________ micrometers or more.

Question 79

A layer of dust or salt particles suspended above a region is called ____________________.

Question 80

To a weather forecaster a clear sky is one where no clouds are present. When there are between ____ and ____ clouds covering the sky, there are a few clouds present.

A)one-eighth; two-eighths
B)two-eighths; three-eighths
C)three-eighths; four-eighths
D)four-eighths; five-eighths
E)five-eighths; six-eighths