Question 1

On the average,which of the following is true regarding the distribution of shortwave and longwave energy at Earth's surface by latitude?

Accepted Answer

The distribution of shortwave and longwave energy at Earth's surface by latitude shows an imbalance of net radiation from the equator to the poles. The equatorial zone receives more energy than it loses, while the polar regions lose more energy than they gain. This leads to a net transfer of energy from the equator to the poles, which drives the Earth's atmospheric and oceanic circulations. Therefore, option C is the correct answer.

Question 2

The sky (lower tropopause)appears blue in colour because of

Accepted Answer

The blue color of the lower tropopause is due to scattering. The molecules in the atmosphere scatter sunlight in all directions and blue light is scattered more than other colors because it travels in smaller, shorter waves. This creates the blue color of the sky that we see during the day.

Question 3

The sky is blue because

Accepted Answer

The gasses in the atmosphere, specifically nitrogen and oxygen, scatter blue light well, causing the sky to appear blue.

Question 4

Conduction refers to

Accepted Answer

Conduction refers to the molecule-to-molecule transfer of heat energy that diffuses through the material. This can occur in solids, liquids, and gases, and is primarily driven by differences in temperature between adjacent molecules. Conduction plays an important role in heat transfer in many different contexts, from cooking food to cooling electronic devices. Choices A, B, D, and E do not accurately describe conduction.

Question 5

The Earth-atmosphere radiation system is best described by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

The Earth-atmosphere radiation system is not in balance if the surface and the atmosphere are considered separately. The surface receives more incoming radiation than it emits, while the atmosphere emits more radiation to space than it receives from the surface. Thus, the system as a whole is in balance, but not the individual components. Option B and C are incorrect as they show a negative and positive radiation balance respectively, which is not applicable to the system as a whole. Option D is incorrect as radiation is the primary mode of heat transfer in the atmosphere. Option E is incorrect as latent heat plays a significant role in the Earth-atmosphere radiation system.

Question 6

According to the principle of Rayleigh scattering,which of the following is true?

Accepted Answer

According to the principle of Rayleigh scattering, small molecules scatter short wavelengths of light more than long wavelengths. This is because shorter wavelengths have higher energy, and the scattering intensity is proportional to the fourth power of the frequency of the light. Thus, small molecules scatter blue light more than red light, which is why the sky appears blue during the day.

Question 7

An increase in the amount of high altitude,thin clouds would

Accepted Answer

High altitude, thin clouds are primarily made up of ice crystals which have a warming effect on the planet. This is because they trap some of the outgoing longwave radiation (heat) emitted by the Earth's surface and radiate it back towards the surface, similar to the greenhouse effect. This process is known as cloud-greenhouse forcing. Therefore, an increase in the amount of high altitude, thin clouds would warm the planet. Option A is incorrect because cloud-albedo forcing is associated with low altitude, thick clouds which reflect more of the incoming solar radiation (insolation) back into space, resulting in a cooling effect. Option C is incorrect because an increase in the amount of high altitude, thin clouds would affect the amount of insolation reaching the surface, although the effect would be relatively small compared to the warming effect.

Question 8

When a surface assimilates radiation,the process is called

Accepted Answer

Absorption is the process by which a surface takes in radiation, converting it to heat or other forms of energy. This is in contrast to transmission, which occurs when radiation passes through a surface without being absorbed. Diffuse radiation refers to radiation that is scattered in many different directions, while refraction is the bending of radiation as it passes through a medium with different refractive properties. Conduction refers to the transfer of heat or energy through a material.

Question 9

On a cloudy day,Earth's surface receives

Accepted Answer

On a cloudy day, the clouds scatter and reflect the incoming solar radiation in different directions, which causes the majority of the radiation to be diffuse rather than direct. Therefore, the Earth's surface receives diffuse radiation on a cloudy day.

Question 10

The rising temperature of an absorbing surface can best be described by which of the following?

Accepted Answer

As the temperature of a surface increases, it emits radiation at shorter wavelengths, according to Wien's Law.

Question 11

A graph showing the relationship between insolation and air temperature through the course of day shows

Accepted Answer

The answer of A graph showing the relationship between insolation...

Question 12

If the amount of cloud cover increases in response to greenhouse warming,this will ________ Earth's albedo and promote ________.(For this question,assume that albedo effects dominate the temperature response. )

Accepted Answer

Increased cloud cover generally raises Earth's albedo, reflecting more sunlight back into space, which promotes cooling.

Question 13

The Mount Pinatubo eruption in June 1991 affected the atmosphere in which of the following ways?

Accepted Answer

The Mount Pinatubo eruption released large amounts of volcanic ash and sulfur dioxide into the atmosphere, forming aerosols that increased the Earth's albedo and led to a temporary cooling effect, resulting in a worldwide decrease in surface temperatures for a couple of years.

Question 14

Which of the following is related to Earth's albedo?

Accepted Answer

Earth's albedo is the measure of how much solar radiation is reflected back into space by the Earth's surface, mainly due to reflection. Therefore, the choice related to Earth's albedo is B) reflection. The other choices, transmission, convection, refraction, and conduction, are not related to Earth's albedo.

Question 15

If a surface absorbs insolation,

Accepted Answer

When a surface absorbs insolation, its temperature increases as the absorbed energy is converted into heat. This is known as the absorption of solar radiation, and is the primary mechanism of heating for Earth's surface.

Question 16

The analogy of a greenhouse is

Accepted Answer

The greenhouse analogy is a useful model to understand how atmospheric gases trap heat and cause global warming. However, it is not entirely accurate since greenhouse gases do not trap heat but absorb and re-emit it, causing a warming effect. Therefore, choice C is the most appropriate answer.

Question 17

Air pollution acts to ________ the albedo of cities and therefore ________ the urban heat island effect.

Accepted Answer

Air pollution, particularly from particles and black carbon, can darken surfaces and reduce their reflectivity, which in turn increases the absorption of solar radiation and contributes to the urban heat island effect. Therefore, increasing air pollution would lead to an increase in the urban heat island effect.

Question 18

A vertical air current that is generated by temperature-induced density differences is an example of heat transfer by

Accepted Answer

Convection is the transfer of heat by the mass movement of a fluid, such as air or water, resulting from the differences in temperature and density. A vertical air current generated by temperature-induced density differences is an example of this type of heat transfer.

Question 19

The sky on Venus is yellow in colour.This means that

Accepted Answer

The yellow color of the sky on Venus is due to the scattering of sunlight by the thick clouds and gases in its atmosphere, which are different in composition and size compared to Earth's atmosphere.

Question 20

The relationship between the insolation curve and the air temperature curve on a graph of daily surface energy

Accepted Answer

The insolation curve and the air temperature curve exhibit a lag of several hours between the plotted lines. This is because the maximum temperature is not reached until a few hours after the maximum insolation is received.

Quiz 4: Atmosphere and Surface Energy Balances