Question 1

________ is (are) responsible for placing oxygen in the atmosphere.
A) Automobile exhaust
B) Burning
C) Chlorofluorocarbons
D) Lightning strikes
E) Green plants

Accepted Answer

Green plants, through the process of photosynthesis, release oxygen into the atmosphere as a byproduct.

Question 2

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%

Accepted Answer

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is actually around 0.04%, which is a very small fraction of 1%.

Question 3

Oxygen (O₂)is being added to the atmosphere by ________. A) solar radiation B) animal decomposition C) meteorites D) vegetation E) the burning of coal

Accepted Answer

Oxygen is produced during photosynthesis by plants and other photosynthetic organisms. This released oxygen is one of the primary sources of atmospheric oxygen on Earth.

Question 4

Nitrogen is the ________ component of the atmosphere in terms of volume.
A) main
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Accepted Answer

Nitrogen makes up about 78% of the Earth's atmosphere, making it the main component in terms of volume.

Question 5

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 resists being compressed.
D) It is very well mixed near the Earth's surface.
E) It has clouds which float in it.

Accepted Answer

The atmosphere does not resist being compressed; in fact, it is compressible, which is why air pressure decreases with altitude.

Question 6

The third most plentiful gas in the Earth's lower atmosphere is ________.
A) nitrogen
B) oxygen
C) argon
D) neon
E) helium

Accepted Answer

The Earth's lower atmosphere (troposphere) consists mostly of nitrogen (78%) and oxygen (21%). The third most plentiful gas is argon, which makes up around 0.9% of the atmosphere. Neon and helium are present in even smaller amounts.

Question 7

Over warm oceans, water vapor comprises about ________ percent of the volume of the atmosphere.
A) 1
B) 4
C) 10
D) 25
E) 50

Accepted Answer

Over warm oceans, water vapor can comprise up to about 4 percent of the volume of the atmosphere. This percentage can vary depending on temperature and location, but 4% is a representative figure for warm oceanic regions.

Question 8

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

Accepted Answer

Water vapor is a greenhouse gas and tends to stay in the lower atmosphere (troposphere) where it can contribute to warming. As altitude increases, the air gets cooler and cannot hold as much water vapor, so it condenses into clouds and precipitation. Therefore, water vapor is nearly absent in the upper reaches of the atmosphere.

Question 9

By volume, which of the following comprises most of Earth's atmosphere?
A) carbon monoxide
B) chlorofluorocarbons
C) ozone
D) carbon dioxide
E) argon

Accepted Answer

Argon makes up 0.934% of the Earth's atmosphere by volume, making it the most abundant gas after nitrogen and oxygen. The other choices - carbon monoxide, chlorofluorocarbons, ozone, and carbon dioxide - make up only negligible amounts of the atmosphere by volume.

Question 10

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

Accepted Answer

The normal percent of water vapor in dry air is typically in the range of 0-4%. While the amount of water vapor in the air can vary depending on factors such as temperature and location, the average relative humidity in the atmosphere is around 70%, and this corresponds to a water vapor content of about 0.25% by volume. However, this value can be lower in arid regions and higher in humid areas, but overall, the range of 0-4% is considered normal for dry air.

Question 11

About 10,000 kilometers above the surface is the upper limit of the ________.
A) atmosphere
B) homosphere
C) troposphere
D) thermosphere
E) ionosphere

Accepted Answer

The upper limit of the atmosphere is considered to be around 10,000 kilometers above the Earth's surface, where it transitions into outer space.

Question 12

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

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide has the ability to absorb infrared radiation, which is radiated from Earth's surface and then re-radiated back into the atmosphere. This absorbed radiation contributes to the greenhouse effect, leading to an increase in global temperatures.

Question 13

The approximate 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) 10,000

Accepted Answer

The approximate boundary of the atmosphere is considered to be the end of the exosphere, which extends up to about 10,000 kilometers above the surface of the Earth.

Question 14

Argon is the ________ most plentiful gas in the atmosphere.
A) single
B) second
C) third
D) fourth
E) fifth

Accepted Answer

Argon is the third most plentiful gas in the atmosphere, after nitrogen and oxygen.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT gaseous in the atmosphere?
A) argon
B) clouds
C) neon
D) helium
E) water vapor

Accepted Answer

Clouds are not gaseous in the atmosphere. They are visible masses of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the atmosphere. The other options (argon, neon, helium, and water vapor) are all gases that can be found in the atmosphere.

Question 16

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

Accepted Answer

All of the options listed are important functions of Earth's atmosphere. It insulates the surface against temperature extremes, maintains a water supply, supplies the oxygen for life, and screens out much of the Sun's ultraviolet radiation.

Question 17

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

Accepted Answer

Carbon dioxide is the most plentiful of the variable gases in the atmosphere, after water vapor. The other answer choices listed are either present in much smaller amounts or are relatively constant in their concentration in the atmosphere.

Question 18

The main component of the lower atmosphere by total volume is ________.
A) oxygen
B) nitrogen
C) helium
D) argon
E) water vapor

Accepted Answer

Nitrogen makes up approximately 78% of the Earth's atmosphere by volume, making it the main component of the lower atmosphere.

Question 19

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) a naturally occurring substance

Accepted Answer

Ozone is a form of oxygen, but instead of the usual two atoms of oxygen that make up oxygen gas (O2), ozone is made up of three atoms of oxygen (O3).

Question 20

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

Accepted Answer

At about 80 kilometers above Earth's surface, the atmospheric pressure is extremely low, making it difficult for standard barometers, which are designed to measure pressure within the more dense layers of the atmosphere, to detect any significant pressure.

Quiz 3: Introduction to the Atmosphere

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

The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is ________.

Oxygen (O₂) is being added to the atmosphere by ________.

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

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

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

Over warm oceans, water vapor comprises about ________ percent of the volume of the atmosphere.

Water vapor is nearly absent ________.

By volume, which of the following comprises most of Earth's atmosphere?

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

About 10,000 kilometers above the surface is the upper limit of the ________.

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

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

Argon is the ________ most plentiful gas in the atmosphere.

Which of the following is NOT gaseous in the atmosphere?

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

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

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

Ozone is actually ________.

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