Weather occurs as the atmosphere
a. acts to distribute energy imbalances
b. moves warm air poleward, cold air equatorward
c. converts potential energy to kinetic energy
d. all of the above
Surface winds are the fastest when
a. the pressure contours are closest together
b. there is a trough
c. there is a ridge
d. the contours are east-west
The location on the earth where the sun is directly overhead
a. varies between 23 1/2 N and 23 1/2 south
b. is always the same at noon
c. is always at the equator at noon
d. is called a solstice
Which of the following is not used to measure humidity?
a. human hair
b. a wet shoestring on a thermometer
c. a psychrometer
d. a differential barometer
The solar constant is defined to be
a. the average energy emitted by sun
b. the average solar energy received at the surface of the earth
c. the annual average energy received at noon at Greenwich, England
d. the energy received on a surface at the top of the atmosphere such that the sun is directly overhead
A couple of days after a heavy snow one can notice "cups" with little snow around the bases of large trees because
a. drifting is prevented there
b. tree branches shield the night sky
c. snow absorbs infrared radiation emitted by the trees
d. snow absorbs solar radiation reflected by the trees
The equinox
a. means equal night
b. occurs twice a year
c. occurs when the sun is directly over the equator
d. all of the above
Dew occurs when
a. the saturation pressure equals the dew point temperature
b. the saturation temperature equals the wet bulb temperature
c. the temperature equals the dew point temperature
d. all of the above
On sunny days we frequently see "false" images of cars and sky on the road as a result of
a. reflection of light
b. diffraction of light
c. refraction of light
d. emission of light
Heat and temperature are the same
True
False
Select the correct statement
a. ultraviolet radiation is less energetic than infrared radiation
b. red colors have longer wavelengths then blue colors
c. solar radiation is only in the visible range
d. all of the above
On the first day of summer in the northern hemisphere (June 22)
a. each latitude in the N.H. will have 12 or more hours of sunlight
b. the sun is directly overhead at noon at each latitude in the N.H.
c. the earth is closest to the sun in its orbit
d. all of the above
Atmospheric pressure is a measure of
a. air density
b. the mean temperature in a column of unit area
c. the storm potential
d. the weight of molecules in a column of unit area
The direction of the winds on a 500 mb chart are:
a. parallel to the isotherms
b. across the isotherms
c. parallel to the height contours
d. across the height contours
Which is correct? Pressure decreases with height.
a. if the temperature cools with height
b. if the temperature warms with height
c. below the 500 mb level
d. always
The wavelength of maximum emission
a. for the sun is 0.55 but for the earth radiation is uniform
b. for the earth is absent
c. of the sun is in the visible range and for the earth in the infrared portions
d. for both the sun and earth are the same, only the sun is brighter
An enclosed truck load of birds would weigh more when the birds were perched than when they flutter about.
True
False
Fans can protect fruit trees from damaging cold
a. when there is a temperature inversion
b. if they blow just above the canopy
c. if they blow just below the canopy
d. only during daytime
The specific heat for water is twice that for ice, thus it we add 2 units of energy to a unit mass of each
a. the water will change two degrees and the ice only one
b. the ice will change two degrees and the water only one
c. the water will change 1/2 a degree and the ice two degrees
d. the water will be twice as hot as the ice
Nights are often cooler in desert regions than in the midwest because
a. water molecules reflect thermal radiation from the earth
b. water molecules emit radiation back to the earth
c. sand is drier than soil so it cools more quickly
d. all of the above
Which of the following is not necessary to see a rainbow
a. sun behind observer
b. water drops
c. ice crystals
d. sun not high in the sky
Down jackets are warm because
a. feathers keep out the cold
b. feathers trap heat
c. air is a poor conductor
d. air is replaced by feathers
The maximum thermometer column
a. has a constriction
b. contains alcohol
c. uses an index
d. all of the above
High latitudes in the winter hemisphere are cold because
a. the solar beam is distributed over a larger area than for the equator
b. the duration of daylight is less than for lower latitudes
c. the path of the solar beam through the atmosphere is larger at higher latitudes, thus there are greater scattering and absorption losses.
d. all of the above
Halos are seen when sunlight is by ice crystals and sun dogs occur when occurs.
a. refraction, reflection
b. reflection, refraction
c. reflection, reflection
d. refraction, refraction
The most important variable gases in the atmosphere are:
a. nitrogen and oxygen
b. water vapor and carbon dioxide
c. oxygen and ozone
d. oxygen and carbon dioxide
The reason we have seasons is
a. the orbit of the earth about the sun is nearer in summer
b. the orbit of the sun about the earth is nearer the sun in summer
c. the axis of the earth tilts at 23 1/2o
d. the axis of the earth is more vertical in summer
The event which "set up" the cold air outbreak that shut down ISU was
a. an extensive snow cover over all of Canada and half the U.S.
b. a zonal wind pattern out of Canada
c. a large pool of cold air in the northward extension of the Rockies
d. all of the above
The saturation vapor pressure changes with
a. pressure
b. temperature
c. density
d. all of the above
The jet stream
a. divides cold and warm air masses
b. is east to west during the summer and north to south during the winter
c. has only become significant after air traffic has become so prevalent
d. is easily seen as the long thin clouds in the sky
Which of the following contribute to the blue color of the sky.
a. air molecules absorb blue light most
b. air molecules scatter blue light most
c. air molecules emit blue light most
d. air molecules absorb all colors of the solar beam except blue
Igloos are "warm" because
a. ice is a poor conductor
b. their hemispheric shape reflects night radiation
c. they are white
d. their thermal conductivity is large
Clouds influence daytime temperatures
a. by reflecting energy from the earth
b. by absorbing energy from the sun
c. by reflecting energy from the sun
d. radiating visible light
Homes are cooled inexpensively in Tucson, Arizona by blowing air over
a. wet wood fiber pads
b. water spray mists
c. ceramic tubes that conduct moisture
d. all of the above
Clouds influence night temperatures because
a. they absorb longwave radiation emitted from the earth and serve as an energy source to emit energy back
b. they are mostly white, even at night, and are excellent radiation reflectors
c. they act like a blanket and trap energy because they are poor conductors
d. they inhibit advection
Typically air cools as one gets further above the ground because
a. air molecule are further apart
b. wind are stronger with height
c. the atmosphere has more space to radiate
d. the infrared energy emitted from ground is the main energy source for the
atmosphere
Cloud appear white because
a. cloud size droplets do not selectively scatter any particular color of light
b. cloud drops emit all colors equally
c. cloud drops are "white" so clouds look white
d. all of the above
Hidden or untapped heat is called heat.
a. potential
b. latent
c. sensible
d. thermal
The temperature of the earth
a. rises when the input of radiation from the sun exceeds the loss of infrared radiation from the earth and atmosphere
b. is a maximum when the sun is overhead
c. begins to decrease at sunset
d. all of the above
Boiling occurs when
a. heat added exceeds heat emitted
b. pressure equals the saturation vapor pressure
c. heat added equals the latent heat
d. convection equals conduction
We can drink a cola through a straw because
a. of capillary action
b. the atmosphere pushes the cola up for us
c. we shut off gravity when we suck on the straw
d. the weight of the cola in the straw is less than the weight of the cola in the glass
A rainbow is a result of sun light
a. reflection and refraction
b. refraction and diffraction
c. reflection only
d. diffraction only
Snow stays cold because
a. it comes from the sky
b. it emits as a black body but reflects most of the sun light
c. ice crystals are hexagonal, thus has extensive surface area
d. it is an excellent conductor of heat energy to both the ground and the air
The sun appears red or orange at sunrise and sunset.
a. because of the longer path through the atmosphere the sunlight becomes tinted as a result of pollution in the lower atmosphere
b. because of the relative position of the earth and sun, the coolest layers of the sun are seen
c. because of the longer path through the atmosphere, water vapor absorption removes the other colors.
d. because of the longer path through the atmosphere, all of the shorter wavelengths are scattered out of the beam.
Which two humidity variables are most similar?
a. relative humidity, specific humidity
b. relative humidity, mixing ratio
c. specific humidity, mixing ratio
d. dew point temperature, relative humidity