Deck 18: Energy Balance in the Atmosphere

Question 1

The Earth's surface emits __________ radiation.

A) high-energy ultraviolet
B) low-energy ultraviolet
C) high-energy infrared
D) low-energy infrared

Answer 1

D

Question 2

The __________ is the entire range of radiation of different wavelengths and frequencies.

A) electric absorption
B) electromagnetic spectrum
C) wave scattering
D) wave absorption

Answer 2

B

Question 3

Particles of light are called __________.

A) photons
B) protons
C) plankton
D) electrons

Answer 3

A

Question 4

Carbon dioxide and methane can trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere and are therefore known as __________ gases.

Question 5

The Earth's surface emits __________ radiation, which has a relatively long wavelength and low frequency.

Question 6

__________ are particles of light.

Question 7

The __________ traps heat radiating from Earth and acts as an insulating blanket.

Question 8

The __________ __________ is the continuum of radiation of different wavelengths and frequencies.

Question 9

__________ is the state of the atmosphere at a given place and time, characterized by temperature and precipitation, for example.

Question 10

Atmospheric gases, water droplets, and dust particles __________ sunlight in all directions.

Question 11

__________ __________is the amount of energy needed to raise the temperature of 1 gram of material by 1°C.

Question 12

__________ __________ is the energy released or absorbed when a substance changes from one state to another.

Question 13

About __________ percent of the incoming solar radiation reaches Earth's surface.

A) 1
B) 95
C) 50
D) 10

Question 14

The radiation emitted by the Earth has a relatively __________ wavelength and __________ frequency.

A) long, high
B) long, low
C) short, high
D) short, low

Question 15

On the __________, every portion of the globe receives 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness.

Question 16

__________ is a composite of weather patterns from season to season, averaged over many years.

Question 17

When the energy in a photon is transferred to an electron in a molecule, the electron jumps to a/an __________ __________.

Question 18

__________ is the transport of heat by currents in liquids or gases.

Question 19

__________ is the transport of heat by collisions between atoms and molecules.

Question 20

__________ is the reflectivity of a surface.

Question 21

Atmospheric convection is:

A) more effective than atmospheric conduction in transferring heat around the globe.
B) less effective than atmospheric conduction in transferring heat around the globe.
C) about equally effective as atmospheric conduction in transferring heat around the globe.
D) an unimportant process in transferring heat around the globe.

Question 22

__________ plays an important role in heat transfer and storage because it commonly occurs naturally on Earth in all three states: solid, liquid, and gas.

A) Hydrogen
B) Air
C) Rock
D) Water

Question 23

The sky appears blue because:

A) the blue component of sunlight scatters more than the other frequencies and colors the atmosphere.
B) light is reflected by the Earth's oceans.
C) there is no atmosphere to scatter the light in the uppermost atmosphere.
D) only blue frequencies are transmitted by the Sun.

Question 24

On the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, sunlight strikes Earth from directly overhead at the tropic of __________.

A) Aries
B) Centaurus
C) Cancer
D) Capricorn
Multiple Choice

Question 25

A mirror has an albedo:

A) of 10 percent.
B) of 1 percent.
C) of almost 100 percent.
D) similar to that of a building.

Question 26

On __________, every place on Earth receives 12 hours of sunlight and 12 hours of darkness.

A) the equinox
B) the solstice
C) the 4^th of July
D) Thanksgiving Day

Question 27

Which is not an electromagnetic wave?

A) light
B) sound
C) X-rays
D) infrared rays

Question 28

Clouds have an albedo of __________ percent.

A) 10
B) 1-2
C) 50-55
D) 80-90

Question 29

__________ absorbs infrared radiation in the atmosphere.

A) Oxygen
B) Nitrogen
C) Carbon dioxide
D) Helium

Question 30

The Earth remains warm at night because:

A) the albedo absorbs and retains much of the radiation emitted by the Earth's surface.
B) the atmosphere absorbs and retains much of the radiation emitted by the Moon.
C) the atmosphere absorbs and retains much of the radiation emitted from the Earth's surface.
D) dark sky retains more heat than blue sky.

Question 31

When an object absorbs radiation, the:

A) photons disappear and are converted to another form of energy.
B) energy is lost.
C) photons reflect out to space.
D) photons slow down.

Question 32

Frequency means __________ per __________.

A) number of wave cycles, meter
B) wavelength, meter
C) number of wave cycles, second
D) wavelength, minute

Question 33

Snow/ice has an albedo of __________ percent.

A) 10
B) 1-2
C) 80-90
D) 100

Question 34

The region of the globe directly beneath the Sun is warmer because it receives:

A) the least concentrated radiation.
B) the most concentrated radiation.
C) light of a different frequency.
D) light of a different wavelength.

Question 35

Albedo is the:

A) proportional reflectance of a surface.
B) absolute absorption of a surface.
C) distribution of radiation in all directions by a surface.
D) blue light scattering of a surface.

Question 36

When a substance changes from one state to another, __________ heat is absorbed or released.

A) latent
B) specific
C) special
D) temperate

Question 37

If scientists were to spread a thin layer of ashes on the Antarctic ice cap, we would expect that the albedo of the region would:

A) increase, leading to regional warming.
B) increase, leading to regional cooling.
C) decrease, leading to regional warming.
D) decrease, leading to regional cooling.

Question 38

__________ is the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of a substance by 1°C.

A) Specific volume
B) Specific heat
C) Arbitrary heat
D) Heat advection

Question 39

Why doesn't Earth get hot enough to boil oceans and melt rocks from the radiant energy it absorbs from the Sun?

A) The energy disappears.
B) The atmosphere cools the Earth.
C) The Sun sets at night.
D) Rocks, soil, and water re-radiate all of the energy they absorb from the Sun.

Question 40

__________ measures the total energy in a sample.

A) Temperature
B) Heat
C) Conduction
D) Specific heat

Question 41

The amount of radiation that the Earth receives from the Sun is so tiny that it hardly warms the Earth's surface.

Question 42

If the air is filled with dust or water droplets, all of the wavelengths scatter, and the sky becomes red.

Question 43

Photons appear when they are emitted and disappear when they are absorbed.

Question 44

Evaporation from a body of water:

A) cools the water and air around it.
B) cools the water, but warms the air around it.
C) warms the water and air around it.
D) has not effect on the temperature of the water and air around it.

Question 45

Snowfields and glaciers have low albedos.

Question 46

Photons travel through space at only one speed.

Question 47

Air is a good conductor of heat.

Question 48

If you place a pan of water and a rock outside on a hot summer day, the:

A) rock and the water heat to equal temperatures.
B) water becomes hotter than the rock.
C) rock becomes hotter than the water.
D) rock receives a larger quantity of solar radiation.

Question 49

If Earth had no atmosphere, radiant heat loss would be so rapid that the Earth's surface would cool drastically at night.

Question 50

Clouds warm the Earth's surface at night.

Question 51

Visible light is a large portion of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Question 52

Continental interiors are commonly cooler in summer and warmer in winter than coastal areas.

Question 53

Locations at the same latitude, which receive the same amount of solar radiation:

A) will have the same climate.
B) can have different climates.
C) are not affected by their heat storage properties.
D) have the same temperatures during the summer months only.

Question 54

Light behaves as both an electrical and magnetic wave.

Question 55

All areas of the globe receive the same total number of hours of sunlight every year.

Question 56

The most important greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are:

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

Question 57

If the Earth's albedo were to rise by growth of glaciers or increase in cloud cover, the surface of our planet would cool.

Question 58

If Earth had no atmosphere, sunlight would travel directly to the surface, and the Sun would look white in a black sky.

Question 59

The Earth emits higher energy radiation than the Sun does.

Question 60

Ocean currents:

A) play no role in determining the average temperature of a region.
B) are the only factor that determines the average temperature of a region.
C) play a major role in determining the average temperature of a region.
D) play a role in determining the average temperature of a region during the summer months only.
True/False