Deck 11: The Atmosphere

Question 1

For each of the four ways that clouds form, briefly describe the process and state what types of clouds are most likely to be formed.

Answer 1

1. Convection: This process occurs when the sun heats the Earth's surface, causing the air above it to become warm and rise. As the warm air rises, it cools and condenses to form cumulus clouds, which are puffy and white in appearance.

2. Frontal uplift: When warm air and cold air meet, the warm air is forced to rise over the denser, cold air. This process creates stratocumulus, nimbostratus, and cumulonimbus clouds, which are often associated with precipitation and stormy weather.

3. Orographic uplift: As air is pushed up and over a mountain or other elevated terrain, it cools and condenses to form lenticular or altocumulus clouds. These clouds are often seen in mountainous regions and can indicate the presence of strong winds and turbulence.

4. Convergence: When two air masses move towards each other, they are forced to rise, creating cumulonimbus and nimbostratus clouds. These clouds are associated with widespread precipitation and can lead to heavy rainfall and thunderstorms.

Question 2

Describe how the evolution of life on Earth has led to lower surface temperatures. Continuing this line of reasoning, explain why the increase in the greenhouse effect due to the addition of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion is "too much of a good thing."

Answer 2

The evolution of life on Earth has led to lower surface temperatures through a complex series of interactions and feedback loops. As life forms evolved and developed, they began to alter the composition of the atmosphere through processes such as photosynthesis and respiration. Photosynthetic organisms, such as plants and algae, began to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and release oxygen, which helped to cool the planet and create a more stable climate. Additionally, the formation of carbon-rich sediments and fossil fuels over millions of years removed carbon from the atmosphere and stored it in the Earth's crust, further reducing the greenhouse effect and lowering surface temperatures.

However, the increase in the greenhouse effect due to the addition of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion is "too much of a good thing" because it disrupts the delicate balance that has been established over millions of years. The burning of fossil fuels releases large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere at a much faster rate than natural processes can remove it, leading to an imbalance in the carbon cycle and an increase in the greenhouse effect. This causes the Earth's surface temperatures to rise at an accelerated rate, leading to climate change and a host of negative consequences such as extreme weather events, rising sea levels, and disruption of ecosystems. In this sense, the increase in the greenhouse effect due to human activities is "too much of a good thing" because it exceeds the natural regulatory mechanisms that have kept the planet's climate in balance for millions of years.

Question 3

___________ composed of red and black layers of rock recorded the transition from an oxygen-free atmosphere to an oxygenated atmosphere.

Answer 3

Banded iron formations

Question 4

The process of __________ added free oxygen to the atmosphere.

Question 5

The removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by burial of limestone or organic matter is known as __________ .

Question 6

__________ is a form of oxygen that is able to absorb the most lethal kind of ultraviolet rays from the Sun.

Question 7

__________ is the total kinetic energy of all atoms in a substance while temperature is a measure of the average kinetic energy of all atoms in a body.

Question 8

The energy from the sun that actually reaches the surface of the Earth is known as __________ .

Question 9

The bottommost layer of the atmosphere where temperature decreases with height is called the __________ and is capped by the __________ .

Question 10

__________ occurs when a particular wavelength of sunlight passes through the atmosphere unimpeded and unaltered, eventually reaching Earth's surface.

Question 11

The property whereby light is reflected to a greater or lesser degree by a material is its __________ .

Question 12

When the number of molecules that evaporate (going from liquid to gas) equals the number of molecules that condense (going from gas to liquid), the vapor is referred to as __________ .

Question 13

__________ processes are so named because they are processes that occur without the addition or subtraction of heat from an external source.

Question 14

__________ lifting occurs when warm, low-density air rises convectively and displaces cooler, denser air.

Question 15

__________ lifting occurs when two flowing air masses of different density meet.

Question 16

__________ lifting occurs when flowing air is forced upward as a result of passing over a sloping terrain, such as a mountain range.

Question 17

The initial formation process of a droplet or an ice crystal is known as __________ .

Question 18

__________ clouds are puffy, globular, individual clouds that form when hot, humid air rises convectively, reaches a level of condensation where cloud formation starts, and then continues to rise.

Question 19

__________ clouds are sheets of cloud cover that form at altitudes from 2 km to about 15 km and cover the entire sky.

Question 20

__________ clouds are the highest of the clouds in the troposphere.

Question 21

The Earth's early atmosphere contained abundant molecular oxygen (O2), which allowed life to form .

Question 22

The process of photosynthesis is responsible for producing most of the molecular oxygen (O2) present in the Earth's atmosphere today .

Question 23

The secondary atmosphere of the Earth was dominated by greenhouse gases .

Question 24

The relative amount of water vapor in the atmosphere varies little place to place on the surface of the Earth .

Question 25

Trace atmospheric gases present in amounts less than 0.1% have little impact on life .

Question 26

Volcanoes are the only natural source of aerosols .

Question 27

The atmosphere does not absorb any incoming radiation from the Sun .

Question 28

In the mesosphere, temperature decreases with increasing height .

Question 29

Particles in the atmosphere can both scatter and absorb sunlight .

Question 30

Ozone in the atmosphere creates a strong atmospheric blind in the UV region of the Sun's radiation .

Question 31

Atmospheric pressure measured by a barometer only varies with height in the atmosphere and does not vary day to day at a certain location .

Question 32

The melting of ice to form water releases heat .

Question 33

If the temperature of a parcel of air increases and the no water is added to the parcel, the saturation vapor pressure also increases .

Question 34

If a parcel of air raises adiabatically in the atmosphere according to the dry adiabatic lapse rate, then the relative humidity will increase .

Question 35

Density lifting occurs when warm, low-density air lowers convectively and displaces cooler, denser air .

Question 36

Orographic lifting is often responsible for mountain ranges having a wet slope and a dry slope .

Question 37

In cloud formation, liquid water droplets may not freeze even when temperatures reach -5 °C .

Question 38

Cirrus clouds often lead to precipitation .

Question 39

Air pollution only has a local effect near the source .

Question 40

What two properties help a planet to retain its atmosphere?

A) Massive and rapid rotation
B) Massive and cold
C) Cold and rapid rotation
D) Low gravity and rapid rotation
E) Low gravity and cold

Question 41

The secondary atmosphere of the Earth was composed mainly of

A) Argon
B) Nitrogen and oxygen
C) Carbon dioxide and nitrogen
D) Carbon dioxide and oxygen
E) Volcanic gases

Question 42

Before the evolution of life produced the process of photosynthesis, small amounts of oxygen were added to the Earth's atmosphere by the process of

A) Respiration
B) Volcanic eruptions
C) Photodissociation of water vapor
D) the formation of banded iron formations
E) latent heat release

Question 43

Which of the following statements is due to the high levels of oxygen in the present atmosphere of the Earth?

A) The high level benefits mammals which have a high rate of metabolism
B) The high level leads to high levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere
C) The high level benefits plant photosynthesis
D) The high level leads to transmission of ultraviolet light through the atmosphere
E) The high level suppresses cloud formation

Question 44

If the carbon dioxide had not been removed from the early atmosphere, Earth's climate would most closely resemble which planet's?

A) Mercury x
B) Mercury
C) Mars
D) Jupiter
E) Uranus

Question 45

Which processes remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere?

A) Burial of silicate rock
B) Burial of carbonate formed by marine organisms and burial of silicate rock
C) Burial of carbonate formed by marine organisms
D) Burial of carbon-based organic matter
E) Burial of carbonate formed by marine organisms and burial of carbon-based organic matter

Question 46

Which two components of the Earth's atmosphere vary from place to place in terms of relative composition?

A) Aerosols and oxygen
B) Aerosols and water vapor
C) Water vapor and oxygen
D) Aerosols and nitrogen
E) Water vapor and nitrogen

Question 47

Which of the following lists is composed only of greenhouse gases?

A) Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone and nitrous oxide
B) Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, oxygen and nitrous oxide
C) Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, nitrogen and nitrous oxide
D) Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone and oxygen
E) Carbon dioxide, water vapor, methane, ozone and nitrogen

Question 48

Which of the following statements is false?

A) A kilogram of iron at 10 °C has more heat than a kilogram of iron at °C
B) A kilogram of water at 10 °C and 2 kilograms of iron at 10 °C have the same average kinetic energy
C) A kilogram of water at 10 °C and a kilogram of iron at °C have the same average kinetic energy
D) A kilogram of water at 10 °C has more heat than a kilogram of ice at 0 °C
E) A kilogram of water at 10 °C and a kilogram of ice at 0 °C have the same amount of heat

Question 49

Which of the following statements all correctly explain why insolation is less than the total flux of sunlight in space?

A) Absorption by the atmosphere; reflection by the atmosphere; the greenhouse effect
B) Absorption by the atmosphere; reflection by the atmosphere; the shape of the Earth
C) Absorption by the atmosphere; the greenhouse effect; the shape of the Earth
D) The greenhouse effect; reflection by the atmosphere; the shape of the Earth
E) The greenhouse effect; reflection by the atmosphere; latent heat release

Question 50

Which of the following gases is expected to have the fewest atmospheric blinds in the infrared region?

A) Methane
B) Carbon dioxide
C) Water vapor
D) Nitrous oxide
E) Molecular oxygen (O2)

Question 51

Which of the following statements is true about the tropopause?

A) This is the coldest region of the atmosphere below 50 km altitude.
B) This is the warmest region of the atmosphere below 50 km altitude.
C) The height of the tropopause does not vary between the equator and the poles.
D) The tropopause separates the troposphere and the mesosphere.
E) The tropopause is being depleted by anthropogenic pollution.

Question 52

Which of the following processes is responsible for the blue color of the sky?

A) Mie scattering
B) Rayleigh scattering
C) Absorption of UV light by the ozone layer
D) The greenhouse effect
E) Adiabatic cooling

Question 53

Which of the following statements about the stratosphere is false?

A) Most ultraviolet light is absorbed by the stratosphere.
B) Most ozone is located in the stratosphere.
C) The stratosphere is between the troposphere and the mesosphere.
D) In the stratosphere, temperature decreases with height.
E) The stratosphere is stratified with the densest, coldest air at the bottom.

Question 54

Which of the following statements about the thermosphere is false?

A) The thermosphere is the least dense layer of the atmosphere.
B) The thermosphere is above the mesosphere.
C) Temperatures increase with height in the thermosphere.
D) The thermosphere is the highest and the coldest layer of the atmosphere.
E) There is very little total heat in the thermosphere.

Question 55

Which of the following comparisons between air at sea level and at the top of Mount Everest is false?

A) The total pressure of air is lower at the top.
B) The pressure of oxygen is lower at the top.
C) The relative amount of oxygen as a fraction of air is lower at the top.
D) The air temperature is generally lower at the top.
E) The pressure of nitrogen is lower at the top.

Question 56

A mercury barometer is read by

A) Measuring the strength of the vacuum
B) Measuring the height of mercury in the reservoir relative to the table the instrument sits on
C) Measuring the weight of mercury in the tube
D) Measuring the weight of mercury in the reservoir
E) Measuring the height of a column of mercury relative to the surface of the reservoir

Question 57

Pascal demonstrated that pressure decreased with height by

A) Deploying a radiosonde and using a GPS
B) Using observations of clouds from satellite
C) Using a mercury thermometer on board a ship
D) Having climbers ascend a steep mountain with a mercury barometer
E) Recording sunspot activity

Question 58

Which statement explains why atmospheric pressure does not crush our lungs?

A) Because are lungs are also filled with air, so atmospheric pressure is balanced.
B) Because are lungs have extremely strong muscles, which counteract atmospheric pressure.
C) Because there is very little air space within our lungs.
D) Because we evolved on an Earth with a much higher atmospheric pressure.
E) Because our blood counteracts this atmospheric pressure.

Question 59

Which statement best explains why 50% of the atmosphere is below 5.5 km and 99% is below 32 km.

A) Air acts like water as you change depth.
B) Air is compressible.
C) The relative amounts of oxygen and nitrogen do not change with altitude.
D) The greenhouse effect is due to water vapor, carbon dioxide and other trace gases in the atmosphere.
E) The ozone layer blocks UV radiation in the stratosphere between 20 and 50 km of altitude.

Question 60

Which process is responsible for most of the water vapor that enters the atmosphere?

A) Condensation
B) Evaporation
C) Precipitation
D) Latent heat release
E) Saturation

Question 61

If the saturation vapor pressure of air is 3 kPa and the relative humidity is 50%, then the water vapor pressure will be

A) 0 kPa
B) 1.5 kPa
C) 3 kPa
D) 4.5 kPa
E) 2 kPa

Question 62

Which of the following selections would change the relative humidity of a parcel of air but not its dew point?

A) The air is cooled and condensation occurs.
B) The air is heated and evaporation occurs.
C) The air is heated and condensation occurs.
D) The air is cooled and evaporation occurs.
E) The air is heated without a change in water vapor content.

Question 63

If air is in contact with ground that has a lower temperature than the air's dew point, what could be formed?

A) Frost only
B) Dew only
C) Dew and frost only
D) Aerosols and dew
E) Aerosols and frost

Question 64

If a parcel of hot air rises adiabatically, which of the following statements is false?

A) The relative humidity of the air increases.
B) The temperature of the air decreases.
C) The total amount of heat in the parcel of air decreases.
D) The relative amount of oxygen stays the same.
E) The pressure decreases.

Question 65

When a parcel of air descends according to the dry adiabatic lapse rate, which of the following is true?

A) Clouds are formed.
B) The relative humidity decreases.
C) The temperature decreases.
D) The pressure decreases.
E) The total amount of heat in the parcel of air increases.

Question 66

Although there are different mechanisms involved, clouds generally form when:

A) Frost is formed.
B) Air is warmed.
C) Water vapor is added by evaporation.
D) Air is lifted
E) The greenhouse effect is at a maximum.

Question 67

The following term describes when warm, low-density air rises convectively and displaces cooler, denser air:

A) Frontal lifting
B) Density lifting
C) Orographic lifting
D) Convergence lifting

Question 68

If clouds are composed of water droplets, how do they remain suspended in the atmosphere?

A) The cloud droplets are so small that air turbulence keeps them suspended.
B) A constant updraft of warm air is necessary.
C) The pressure of infrared radiation from the surface of the Earth keeps them suspended.
D) Clouds only appear to be suspended; they are actually falling at a rate of 1 m a second.
E) The clouds are magnetically attracted to the ionosphere.

Question 69

The Bergeron process explains that

A) Clouds are formed by rising air.
B) Energy is necessary to promote nucleation.
C) Clouds are formed only in the stratosphere.
D) Ice crystals grow at the expense of supercooled water droplets in clouds.
E) Clouds are good infrared absorbers of radiation.

Question 70

Which statement best explains why even though most rain starts out as ice crystals, we still experience liquid precipitation (that is rain instead of snow).

A) Falling ice crystals contain aerosols that expand near the ground.
B) Increasing atmospheric pressure near the ground causes ice crystals to transform into water droplets.
C) As they fall, ice crystals grow bigger and bigger, and then large ice crystals must melt into water droplets.
D) Falling ice crystals are melted by increased sunlight closer to the ground.
E) Falling ice crystals travel through air closer to the ground which is above 0 °C.

Question 71

Which statement best explains the flat bottom of some cumulus clouds?

A) The flat base marks the level of condensation.
B) The flat base is the transition between liquid water droplets and ice crystals.
C) The flat base is formed by the greenhouse effect.
D) The flat base is defined formed by an increase in ultraviolet radiation going into the cloud.
E) The flat base is formed when fog is lifted from the ground to form a cloud.

Question 72

Which statement is false about stratus clouds?

A) Nimbostratus clouds are thick and dark.
B) Stratus clouds do not occur high (above 10 km) in the atmosphere.
C) Cirrostratus clouds occur in the middle (6 to 8 km) of the troposphere.
D) Stratus clouds occur in the upper (8 to 12 km) troposphere.
E) Stratus clouds form when air rises as a result of frontal lifting.

Question 73

What are three essential criteria for making a planet habitable?

A) Carbon dioxide within a range of limits and banded iron formations.
B) Oxygen and temperature within a range of limits and layers of carbonate rock.
C) Oxygen and temperature within a range of limits and banded iron formations.
D) Carbon dioxide within a range of limits and layers of carbonate rock.
E) Oxygen and temperature within a range of limits and water vapor.

Question 74

Why are clouds one of the great sources of uncertainty for understanding the global climate system?

A) Clouds can only cool the Earth's surface.
B) Clouds can only warm the Earth's surface.
C) Clouds can both warm and cool the Earth's surface.
D) Clouds form precipitation which washes pollutants out of the atmosphere.
E) Clouds form precipitation which cools the surface of the Earth.