Deck 3: Introduction to the Atmosphere

Question 1

The normal percent of water vapor in dry air is ________ percent.

A) 0-4
B) 5-10
C) 15-20
D) 25-30
E) 45-50

Answer 1

A

Question 2

The segment of the atmosphere which blends into interplanetary space is called the ________.

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

Answer 2

B

Question 3

The main component of the lower atmosphere by total volume is ________.

A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) helium
D) argon
E) water vapor

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The segment of the atmosphere in which gases maintain an approximately uniform composition is the ________.

A) homosphere
B) exosphere
C) ionosphere
D) stratosphere
E) troposphere

Question 5

A variable gas in the atmosphere nearly absent from the higher elevations is ________.

A) carbon dioxide
B) ozone
C) sulfur dioxide
D) carbon monoxide
E) water vapor

Question 6

The atmospheric layer in which gases do not maintain a uniform composition is the ________.

A) ionosphere
B) homosphere
C) troposphere
D) heterosphere
E) none of the above

Question 7

A major characteristic of the troposphere is the ________.

A) decrease of temperature with increasing altitude
B) presence of the ozone layer
C) total absence of water vapor
D) increase of pressure with altitude
E) hottest temperatures in the atmosphere

Question 8

The third most plentiful gas in the Earth's lower atmosphere is ________.

A) nitrogen
B) oxygen
C) argon
D) neon
E) helium

Question 9

With the exception of water vapor, ________ is the most plentiful of the variable gases in the atmosphere.

A) argon
B) carbon dioxide
C) sulfur dioxide
D) ozone
E) carbon monoxide

Question 10

It is really improper to discuss or classify climate with any record less than ________.

A) several weeks
B) 1 year
C) 5 years
D) several decades
E) 100 years

Question 11

The lower 80 kilometers or so in the atmosphere in which gases are found in uniform proportions is the ________.

A) heterosphere
B) homosphere
C) ionosphere
D) exosphere
E) stratosphere

Question 12

The ________ is the layer of the atmosphere where electrified atoms are plentiful.

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

Question 13

The controls of weather and climate include all but which of the following?

A) the distribution of land and water
B) latitude
C) the plane of the Equator
D) the general circulation of the ocean currents
E) altitude

Question 14

One-half of the atmosphere lies below the elevation of ________ kilometers.

A) 0.56
B) 5.6
C) 56
D) 560
E) 5,600

Question 15

Oxygen (O₂) is being added to the atmosphere by

A) solar radiation.
B) animal decomposition.
C) meteorites.
D) vegetation.
E) the burning of coal.

Question 16

Above ________ kilometer(s), the atmospheric pressure is so slight as not to register on an ordinary barometer.

A) 0.8
B) 8
C) 80
D) 800
E) 8,000

Question 17

At an elevation of 16 kilometers (in the lower stratosphere), atmospheric pressure is approximately one-________ of what it is at the surface.

A) tenth
B) thousandth
C) quarter
D) half
E) hundredth

Question 18

The main impact of ozone on life on the Earth's surface is to ________.

A) provide oxygen for the atmosphere
B) reduce ultraviolet solar radiation
C) serve as nucleus for cloud formation
D) act as a lid preventing gases from escape
E) initiate violent storms

Question 19

The side of a mountain sheltered from prevailing winds is the ________.

A) windward
B) leeward
C) Coriolis
D) meridional
E) sunnier

Question 20

________ is (are) crucial to the formation of clouds in the atmosphere.

A) Ozone
B) Argon
C) Neon
D) Particulates
E) Lightning

Question 21

Nitrogen is the ________ component of the atmosphere in terms of volume.

A) main
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Question 22

Over warm oceans, water vapor is at its maximum and comprises about ________ percent of the volume of the atmosphere.

A) 1
B) 4
C) 10
D) 25
E) 50

Question 23

Air is best described as a(n)

A) chemical compound.
B) element.
C) mixture.
D) colloid.
E) particulate.

Question 24

On the average, the tropopause is highest above the surface over the ________.

A) North Pole
B) Arctic Circle
C) South Pole
D) Equator
E) Antarctic Circle

Question 25

The most basic factor causing the distribution of hot and cold temperatures over Earth's surface is ________.

A) the general circulation
B) oceanic circulation
C) latitude
D) topography
E) storms

Question 26

Argon is the ________ most plentiful gas in the atmosphere.

A) single
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Question 27

________ is (are) responsible for placing oxygen in the atmosphere.

A) Automobile exhaust
B) Burning
C) Chlorofluorocarbons
D) Lightning strikes
E) Plants

Question 28

The homosphere includes the lowest ________ kilometers of the atmosphere.

A) 0.8
B) 8
C) 80
D) 800
E) 8,000

Question 29

Most surface winds in the tropics ________.

A) come from the east
B) come from the west
C) originate in the Sahara
D) originate in the Amazon basin
E) originate in the Australian desert

Question 30

Thousands of kilometers above the surface is the upper limit of the ________.

A) atmosphere
B) homosphere
C) troposphere
D) thermosphere
E) none of the above

Question 31

Water vapor is nearly absent ________.

A) in the upper reaches of the atmosphere
B) in the lower reaches of the atmosphere
C) in the troposphere
D) in the atmosphere over sea surfaces
E) in the atmosphere over land surfaces

Question 32

The approximate, indistinct outer boundary of the atmosphere extends outward at least ________ kilometers above the surface.

A) 1,000
B) 2,500
C) 5,000
D) 6,000
E) thousands of kilometers

Question 33

In general, warm ocean currents are located ________ of the continents.

A) east
B) west
C) equatorward
D) poleward
E) south

Question 34

Oxygen is the ________ component of the atmosphere in terms of volume.

A) main
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Question 35

A main absorber of ultraviolet radiation in the atmosphere is ________.

A) argon
B) neon
C) ozone
D) carbon dioxide
E) dust

Question 36

The exosphere marks the outward limit of the ________.

A) troposphere
B) stratosphere
C) atmosphere
D) thermosphere
E) geosphere

Question 37

The influence on climate of carbon dioxide is mainly due to its ability to absorb ________.

A) water
B) infrared radiation
C) helium
D) argon
E) ions

Question 38

Which of the following is NOT gaseous in the atmosphere?

A) argon
B) clouds
C) neon
D) helium
E) water vapor

Question 39

Mountains act as major climatic barriers with the sheltered or ________ side receiving less moisture than the exposed side.

A) windward
B) struck
C) leeward
D) Coriolis
E) north

Question 40

Vertical mixing and turbulence are most characteristic of the ________.

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

Question 41

Which of the following is an atmospheric gas?

A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) carbon dioxide
D) water vapor
E) They are all gases.

Question 42

Which is a danger of increased ultraviolet exposure at the Earth's surface?

A) the killing of microorganisms on the ocean surface
B) the suppression of the human immune system
C) the increase of skin cancer in humans
D) the diminishing of yields in many crops
E) all of the above

Question 43

Which of the following is NOT a natural characteristic of the troposphere?

A) contains most of the atmospheric water vapor
B) is the lowest layer of the atmosphere
C) has the highest pressures in the atmosphere
D) has the hottest temperatures in the atmosphere
E) is the layer associated with "weather"

Question 44

Which of the following is a "climate element" and NOT a "weather element"?

A) temperature
B) moisture
C) pressure
D) wind
E) latitude

Question 45

In the atmosphere, the temperature decreases with increasing altitude in the ________ and the ________.

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

Question 46

Which of the following would be most variable at your location on a day-to-day basis?

A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) carbon dioxide
D) water vapor
E) They all vary.

Question 47

A "hole" in the ozone layer was first discovered over

A) Antarctica
B) the Equator
C) the United States
D) Africa
E) Hollywood

Question 48

Clouds owe their existence to the presence of atmospheric ________.

A) particulates
B) oxygen
C) argon
D) sunlight
E) carbon dioxide

Question 49

Given the relationship between altitude and atmospheric pressure, the pressure at 20 kilometers above the surface is

A) almost the same as it is at the surface.
B) too high for humans.
C) tiny, compared to sea level.
D) about three-quarters that of sea level.
E) barely high enough for humans to breathe.

Question 50

Which of the following is a major source of nitrogen in the atmosphere?

A) meteorite collisions
B) photosynthesis
C) the breakdown of ozone
D) decay of organic matter
E) chlorofluorocarbons

Question 51

Together, oxygen and nitrogen comprise what percentage of the atmosphere?

A) less than 1%
B) less than 10%
C) about 25%
D) about 75%
E) more than 95%

Question 52

Chlorine in the stratosphere will turn ozone directly into

A) smog.
B) oxygen (O₂).
C) chlorofluorocarbons.
D) air.
E) nitrogen.

Question 53

The warm zone near the top of the stratosphere is the result of heating from

A) atmospheric pollution.
B) the rise of air.
C) the output of volcanoes.
D) thermal infrared emissions from clouds.
E) the absorption of solar energy.

Question 54

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is

A) a small fraction of 1%.
B) approximately 10%.
C) approximately 30%.
D) approximately 50%.
E) approximately 75%.

Question 55

Which of the following is NOT considered a climatic control?

A) temperature
B) latitude
C) general circulation of oceans
D) topographic barriers
E) distribution of land and water

Question 56

Which of the following substances is closely associated with the breakdown of the ozone layer?

A) carbon dioxide
B) chlorofluorocarbons
C) nitrogen oxides
D) water vapor
E) infrared radiation

Question 57

Which of the following is an important source of particles in the atmosphere?

A) salt from the sea
B) volcanic eruptions
C) emissions from engines
D) soot from fires
E) all of the above

Question 58

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of air?

A) It is a chemical compound.
B) It is odorless.
C) It is tasteless.
D) It is colorless.
E) It is mostly packed close to the Earth's surface.

Question 59

If one were 30 kilometers above sea level, one would be in the part of the atmosphere known as the

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

Question 60

The ozone layer is in that portion of the atmosphere known as the

A) troposphere.
B) mesosphere.
C) stratosphere.
D) heterosphere.
E) ionosphere.

Question 61

The source of heating in the thermosphere is the absorption of ________.

A) infrared rays from the Sun
B) infrared rays from the Earth
C) visible energy from the Sun
D) ultraviolet rays from the Sun
E) light rays reflected from the Earth

Question 62

Which atmospheric layer is directly above the tropopause?

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

Question 63

Which of the following statements about the atmosphere is TRUE?

A) Pressure increases with elevation.
B) Most of its mass is relatively close to the ground.
C) It has a sharply defined top called the atmopause.
D) Temperature decreases uniformly with height.
E) It is well-mixed from bottom to top.

Question 64

Which of the following best describes the atmosphere at any single location on a day-to-day basis?

A) The major components vary widely.
B) Water vapor is constant.
C) Particulates are constant.
D) all of the above
E) none of the above

Question 65

Ozone is actually

A) a form of carbon dioxide.
B) three-atomed oxygen.
C) more healthy to breathe than is oxygen.
D) a pollutant caused by the burning of fossil fuels.
E) the most common substance in the troposphere.

Question 66

The source of warming in the upper stratosphere is ________.

A) energy absorbed by ozone
B) thermal infrared energy absorbed from the Sun
C) heat released from water vapor
D) increasing amounts of carbon dioxide
E) not yet understood by science

Question 67

________ is (are) a source of chlorofluorocarbons.

A) Human-produced chemicals
B) Air conditioning
C) Manufacture of plastics
D) Aerosol sprays
E) all of the above

Question 68

The smallest atmospheric particles can remain suspended in the atmosphere for a period of

A) seconds.
B) minutes.
C) hours.
D) days.
E) years.

Question 69

Which of the following is an important function of Earth's atmosphere?

A) insulates the surface against temperature extremes
B) maintains a water supply
C) supplies the oxygen for life
D) screens out much of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation
E) all of the above

Question 70

Which of the following climatic controls can be considered to be the "most important"?

A) longitude
B) latitude
C) elevation
D) distribution of land and water
E) storms

Question 71

The order of the atmospheric thermal layers from the surface up into the atmosphere is:

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

Question 72

The stratosphere derives its name from which property?

A) It is the hottest layer of the atmosphere.
B) It is the coldest layer of the atmosphere.
C) It is the layer closest to the ground.
D) It is the layer with the most clouds.
E) It is a layer with little vertical mixing.

Question 73

It is thought that the Earth's climate is being changed rapidly by

A) human-caused releases of impurities.
B) increased oxygen content.
C) natural sources of change.
D) dust from volcanoes.
E) decreases in carbon dioxide.

Question 74

"Weather" and "climate"

A) describe the day-to-day state of the atmosphere.
B) are terms which cannot be used in science.
C) refer to the atmosphere as studied on different time scales.
D) are synonymous terms.
E) differ in that "weather" is studied in Geography and "climate" is not.

Question 75

The coldest temperature in the atmosphere can be found at the ________.

A) tropopause
B) exopause
C) stratospause
D) thermopause
E) mesopause

Question 76

Which of the following is NOT a characteristic of the atmosphere?

A) It contains water vapor.
B) It is poorly mixed in the heterosphere.
C) It is not readily compressed.
D) It is very well mixed near the Earth's surface.
E) It has clouds which float in it.

Question 77

"Weather" and "climate" are

A) synonyms.
B) differentiated because climate studies the stratosphere.
C) both atmospheric studies based on many decades of data.
D) differentiated because climate studies the long term.
E) differentiated because weather is not covered in your textbook.

Question 78

Which of the following exists highest in the atmosphere?

A) troposphere
B) mesopause
C) tropopause
D) stratosphere
E) stratopause

Question 79

Which of the following can be found lowest in the atmosphere?

A) exosphere
B) ionosphere
C) thermosphere
D) ozone layer
E) tropopause

Question 80

Some particulates absorb the water vapor around them. They are said to be ________.

A) hygroscopic
B) hydrophobic
C) heavy
D) gases
E) precipitation