Deck 1: The Turbulent Atmosphere

Question 1

Condensation is more likely to occur:

A)when the air cools.
B)when the wind is calm.
C)when winds blow from the ocean over land.
D)at night.

Answer 1

A

Question 2

In a volume of air near the earth's surface,__________ occupies 78 percent
And __________ nearly 21 percent.

A)nitrogen,oxygen
B)hydrogen,oxygen
C)oxygen,hydrogen
D)nitrogen,water vapor
E)hydrogen,helium

Answer 2

A

Question 3

The only substance near the earth's surface that is found naturally in the atmosphere as a solid,liquid,and a gas is:

A)carbon dioxide.
B)water.
C)molecular oxygen.
D)ozone.
E)carbon.

Answer 3

B

Question 4

The gas that absorbs most of the harmful ultraviolet radiation in the stratosphere is:

A)water vapor.
B)nitrous oxide.
C)carbon dioxide.
D)ozone.
E)chlorofluorocarbons.

Question 5

The gas that shows the most variation from place to place and from time to time in the lower atmosphere is:

A)ozone (O₃).
B)carbon dioxide (CO₂).
C)water vapor (H₂O).
D)methane (CH₄).
E)argon (Ar).

Question 6

At the 500 mb level,the amount of oxygen inhaled in a single breath is __________ of that inhaled at sea-level.

A)about the same
B)about one-quarter
C)about one-half
D)about three-quarters

Question 7

Water vapor is:

A)a gas.
B)a cloud droplet.
C)a rain drop.
D)a snowflake.

Question 8

Where cold surface air is replacing warm air,the boundary separating the different bodies of air is termed a:

A)parallel of latitude.
B)tornado.
C)cold front.
D)warm front.

Question 9

At night,when the weather is extremely cold and dry,

A)atmospheric pressure increases with increasing altitude.
B)atmospheric pressure remains constant with increasing altitude.
C)atmospheric pressure decreases with increasing altitude.
D)atmospheric pressure first increases,then decreases with increasing altitude.

Question 10

The word "weather" is defined as:

A)the average of the weather elements.
B)the climate of a region.
C)the condition of the atmosphere at a particular time and place.
D)any type of falling precipitation.

Question 11

Much of Tibet lies at altitudes over 18,000 feet where the pressure is about 500 mb.At such altitudes,the Tibetans are above roughly:

A)10% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
B)25% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
C)50% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.
D)75% of the air molecules in the atmosphere.

Question 12

Which of the following weather elements always decreases as we climb upward in the atmosphere?

A)wind
B)temperature
C)pressure
D)moisture
E)all of the above

Question 13

The most abundant greenhouse gas in the earth's atmosphere is:

A)carbon dioxide (CO₂).
B)nitrous oxide (N₂O).
C)water vapor (H₂O).
D)methane (CH₄).
E)chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).

Question 14

Referring to Table 1.3: If you were to take a breath of pure oxygen,from a tank,you'd be getting about __________ the amount of oxygen you'd get by taking a normal breath of our atmosphere.

A)one-fifth
B)half
C)twice
D)three times
E)five times

Question 15

Which of the following is most likely associated with fair weather?

A)high pressure area
B)low pressure area
C)a cold front
D)a warm front

Question 16

Which relates to weather rather than climate?

A)The average temperature for the month of January is 28 ^oF
B)the lowest temperature ever recorded in Frozenlake,Minnesota is -57 ^oF
C)the foggiest month of the year is December
D)I like the warm,humid summers
E)Outside it is cloudy and snowing

Question 17

Almost all of the earth's weather occurs in the:

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

Question 18

The earth's atmosphere is divided into layers based on the vertical profile of:

A)air pressure.
B)air temperature.
C)air density.
D)wind speed.

Question 19

Since the turn of this century,CO₂ in the atmosphere has:

A)been increasing in concentration.
B)been decreasing in concentration.
C)remained at about the same concentration from year to year.
D)disappeared entirely.

Question 20

The atmospheric layer in which we live is called the:

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

Question 21

How likely are you to die from a weather-related event?

Question 22

The ozone hole is an actual hole in the atmosphere,a region of complete vacuum.

Question 23

Stratospheric ozone is a health hazard for people with respiratory illnesses.

Question 24

Hurricane winds are generally stronger than tornado winds.

Question 25

Hurricanes inflict most of their damage after crossing from the ocean onto the land.

Question 26

What causes air pressure? Why does air pressure decrease with increasing altitude?

Question 27

Standing at the top of a tall mountain,a breath of air would contain a lot fewer molecules than a breath of air taken at sea level,but the proportion of oxygen in the two breaths of air,relative to the other constituents,would remain the same.

Question 28

Referring to Figure 1.12: There is a lot of mixing and overturning of air in the mesosphere.

Question 29

What does it mean when the air is saturated?

Question 30

Calm,tranquil weather is sometimes extremely hazardous.

Question 31

Turbulent wind shear zones and downbursts are hazards caused by thunderstorms.

Question 32

Describe the relationship between gravity and weight.

Question 33

Heat waves are generally considered to be little more than a nuisance and are not responsible for considerable loss of life.

Question 34

Why does air pressure change much more with vertical distance than it does with horizontal distance?

Question 35

Why is there very little water vapor above the tropopause?

Question 36

Water vapor shows more variation from place to place and from time to time than any other atmospheric gas.

Question 37

Why does rising air produce clouds?

Question 38

Could air pressure ever increase with increasing altitude? Why or why not?

Question 39

Only a tiny fraction of the atmosphere is carbon dioxide.Why is it so important?

Question 40

Under what circumstances might a person breathe stratospheric air? How often is it likely to happen in a student's lifetime?