Course Introduction
Atmospheric Science
Exam Bank
Atmospheric Science explores the physical and chemical processes that govern the behavior of the Earth's atmosphere. The course covers fundamental topics such as atmospheric structure and composition, weather phenomena, climate processes, energy transfer, cloud formation, atmospheric circulation, and the impact of human activities on air quality and climate change. Students will gain an understanding of meteorological principles, observational techniques, and predictive models, equipping them with the knowledge needed for further study or careers related to weather forecasting, environmental science, and climate research.
Recommended Textbook
Understanding Weather and ClSMate 7th Edition by Edward Aguado
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17 Chapters
1870 Verified Questions
1870 Flashcards
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Page 2
Chapter 1: Energy and Mass
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110 Verified Questions
110 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Carbon dioxide is an important variable gas because:
A)it is widely distributed throughout the atmosphere.
B)it is a "greenhouse" gas.
C)it has been increasing steadily since the early 900s.
D)all of the above
Answer: D
Q2) The four layers of the atmosphere from the top down are:
A)troposphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere.
B)thermosphere, stratosphere, mesosphere, troposphere.
C)stratosphere, mesosphere, thermosphere, troposphere.
D)thermosphere, mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere.
Answer: D
Q3) The scientific method,a framework for answering scientific questions,is essentially
A)a strict procedure for proving the truth of something
B)a way to verify facts that are already known
C)a convention regarding what it means to "know" something
D)a large collection of facts
Answer: C
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3
Chapter 2: Solar Radiation and the Seasons
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108 Verified Questions
108 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The Northern Hemisphere has its maximum tilt toward the Sun on the A)December solstice.
B)March equinox.
C)September equinox.
D)June solstice.
Answer: D
Q2) Differences in emissivity of a substance are governed by differences in A)moisture.
B)pressure.
C)temperature.
D)wind speed.
Answer: C
Q3) On the June solstice,the area poleward of the ________ experiences 24 hours of darkness.
Answer: Antarctic Circle
Q4) The earth's radiation is strongest in this portion of the spectrum,the ________. Answer: longwave (or infrared)portion
Q5) Heat transfer through fluid mixing is called ________. Answer: convection
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Chapter 3: Energy Balance and Temperature
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104 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) Why is the sky blue?
Answer: Scattering agents smaller than about one-tenth the wavelength of incoming radiation disperse radiation in a manner known as Rayleigh scattering.Rayleigh scattering is performed by individual gas molecules in the atmosphere.It primarily affects shorter wavelengths.Rayleigh scattering is particularly effective for visible light,especially those colors with the shortest wavelengths,so blue light is more effectively scattered by air molecules than is longer-wavelength red light.
Q2) On which of these dates would the earth have the most energy available?
A)perihelion
B)summer solstice
C)aphelion
D)vernal equinox
Answer: A
Q3) Compared to land,water bodies:
A)are more greatly influenced by continentality.
B)have a lower specific heat.
C)warm more quickly.
D)cool more slowly.
Answer: D
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Page 5
Chapter 4: Atmospheric Pressure and Wind
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108 Verified Questions
108 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) The difference between the highest and lowest sea level pressure in the continental United States typically differs by about:
A)24 mb.
B)100 mb.
C)9 percent.
D)14 percent.
Q2) Northern Hemisphere winds rotate clockwise around these: ________.
Q3) The difference between speed and velocity is that velocity additionally incorporates: A)time.
B)distance.
C)mass.
D)direction.
Q4) The layer in the atmosphere where friction is important in determining wind speed: A)thermosphere.
B)ionosphere.
C)planetary boundary layer.
D)hydrosphere.
Q5) Isobar spacing on a weather map gives an indication of the ________.
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Chapter 5: Atmospheric Moisture
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Sample Questions
Q1) Increasing temperatures leading to increasing water vapor amounts leading to increasing absorption of longwave radiation is an example of a
A)negative feedback
B)positive feedback
C)neutral feedback
D)adiabatic feedback
Q2) Water is unique because:
A)it can be forced through pipes at considerable pressure.
B)its coefficient of expansion as it freezes is linear.
C)it exists in all three states naturally at the same time.
D)it vaporizes at a very low temperature.
Q3) A rising parcel of unsaturated air cools at the ________.
Q4) As the Earth warms,its surface emits more longwave radiation.What is the most likely effect on global temperature?
A)should rise
B)should fall
C)should stay the same
Q5) Across the United States it is generally true that the amount of water vapor in the atmosphere ________ with distance from a moisture source.
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Chapter 6: Cloud Development and Forms
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Sample Questions
Q1) Which of the following pairs of clouds are the primary precipitation-producing ones?
A)stratus and nimbostratus
B)nimbostratus and cumulonimbus
C)stratocumulus and cumulonimbus
D)altostratus and nimbostratus
Q2) The cloudiest city in Canada is in the province of:
A)British Columbia.
B)Yukon.
C)Quebec.
D)Labrador.
Q3) How does orographic uplift create clouds? Why is there a rain shadow?
Q4) Halos are formed in ________ clouds.
Q5) This is not a form of low cloud:
A)stratus.
B)nimbostratus.
C)nimbocumulus.
D)stratocumulus.
Q6) Describe the modern modifications made to Howard's original cloud classification scheme.
Page 8
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Chapter 7: Precipitation Processes
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Sample Questions
Q1) What are the conditions that lead to lake-effect snow? Why does the effect only extend for a few miles?
Q2) Hail forms:
A)during the coldest time of year because it is the largest form of precipitation.
B)as a result of added uplift over mountains.
C)during the warmest time of the year because this is when the thunderstorm updrafts are strongest.
D)only in the summer and early fall.
Q3) Graupel:
A)has sharp edges.
B)can be as large as hail.
C)can provide the nuclei for hail.
D)does not contain air bubbles.
Q4) In the collision-coalescence process,the entire cloud is:
A)raining.
B)snowing.
C)below freezing.
D)above freezing.
Q5) List two common sources of rain gauge measurement error.
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Chapter 8: Atmospheric Circulation and Pressure
Distributions
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Sample Questions
Q1) El NiƱo seems to entail all of the following,except:
A)a significant change in the Walker circulation.
B)the occurrence of the Southern Oscillation.
C)weaker trade winds.
D)lower evaporation rates in the eastern Pacific.
Q2) Monsoons are most dramatic on this continent:
A)North America.
B)Europe.
C)South America.
D)Asia.
Q3) How does the aviation industry deal with strong winds in the upper atmosphere?
Q4) The polar front:
A)is not associated with the polar jet stream.
B)is a region of small changes in the slope of pressure surfaces.
C)is a region marked by a sharp change in horizontal temperature.
D)is a boundary between two regions of cold air.
Q5) Give the important components of both the single-cell and three-cell models of atmospheric circulation and analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each model.
Q6) Describe the role of the Santa Ana in contributing to California wildfires.
Q7) Use the Sahel region to explain the consequences of the migration of the ITCZ. Page 10
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Chapter 9: Air Masses and Fronts
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Sample Questions
Q1) cT air masses usually form
A)in summer.
B)in high-latitude areas.
C)in moderately cool areas.
D)large quantities of rain-producing clouds.
Q2) Large bodies of air that share similar moisture and temperature characteristics are known as ________.
Q3) Warming and cooling of the atmosphere varies across the globe due to A)ocean currents.
B)the unequal distribution of land and water.
C)global warming.
D)wind shear.
Q4) Continental polar air masses that form in summer are
A)less humid than winter cP air masses.
B)colder than winter cP air masses.
C)more likely to stay at higher latitudes than winter cP air masses.
D)less cloudy than winter cP air masses.
Q5) ________ air masses are colder than continental polar air masses.
Q6) Would you expect to find a cA air mass in the Southern Hemisphere? Explain.
Q7) A(n)________ front always slopes back over itself.
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Chapter 10: Midlatitude Cyclones
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Sample Questions
Q1) As a cold front moves into a warm air mass
A)there is a substantial horizontal pressure gradient at heights of a kilometer or more above the surface of the two air masses.
B)the cold front has a smaller vertical pressure gradient than does the warm air.
C)the cold front slopes backward at a ratio of between 1:5 and 1:20.
D)the warm air subsides and is overrun by the cold front.
Q2) The warm sector between the warm and cold fronts is generally characterized by A)southeasterly winds.
B)squall lines immediately to the west of the warm front.
C)clear conditions.
D)declining dew points.
Q3) Describe the major aspects of the conveyor belt model.
Q4) Name two common types of mid-latitude cyclones that travel across the United States.
Q5) Explain the physical processes behind speed divergence,speed convergence,diffluence,and confluence.
Q6) This occurs when air stretches out horizontally due to variations in wind direction:
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Chapter 11: Lightning, thunder, and Tornadoes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain why non-convertible automobiles are well protected against lightning.
Q2) When a large number of runaway electrons accumulates in a small volume,the energy is released in a process called a
A)electron conveyer.
B)positive discharge.
C)runaway breakdown.
D)volumetric discharge.
Q3) Most tornado damage is caused by ________.
Q4) The sound of thunder caused by a lightning strike reaches your ears ________ the light from the lightning flash reaches your eyes.
A)before
B)at the same time as C)after
Q5) What state has the highest tornado density?
A)Oklahoma
B)Texas
C)Kansas
D)Missouri
Q6) Give two safety rules for tornadoes.
Page 14
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Chapter 12: Tropical Storms and Hurricanes
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Sample Questions
Q1) Explain why hurricanes weaken before they reach the coast of California.
Q2) Eyewall replacement occurs
A)within very weak hurricanes.
B)within very strong hurricanes.
C)at the beginning of a typical hurricane's life cycle.
D)at the end of a typical hurricane's life cycle.
Q3) Most hurricanes in the North Atlantic Ocean begin as A)thunderstorms.
B)squall lines.
C)the result of traditional cyclogenesis.
D)an easterly wave.
Q4) Provide a synopsis of Atlantic hurricane activity since the mid-1990s,including trends and possible explanations.
Q5) Hurricanes
A)have both warm and cold fronts.
B)contain numerous thunderstorms arranged in a pinwheel formation.
C)have maximum windspeeds near their outer edges.
D)have minimum precipitation just outside the eyewall.
Q6) What are the values for the size,pressure changes,and lifespan of the typical hurricane?
Page 15
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Chapter 13: Weather Forecasting and Analysis
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121 Flashcards
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Sample Questions
Q1) A central circle on a station model that is 75 percent black and 25 percent white tells you
A)there is a 75 percent chance of rain.
B)the cloud cover ranges over 70 to 80 percent of the sky.
C)the northwest quadrant of the sky is clear, while the remainder of the sky is cloudy.
D)it is currently raining in moderate amounts.
Q2) This type of forecast would predict average conditions for a three-month period: ________.
Q3) Which of the following is not a consideration when making a weather forecast?
A)cloud cover
B)humidity
C)nearby seismic activity
D)updrafts and downdrafts
Q4) Model output statistics
A)are for primary variables only.
B)are not developed for numerical models.
C)attempt to take into account local factors such as topography.
D)do not include the probability of precipitation values.
Q5) Explain how weather forecasting blends art and science.
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Chapter 14: Human Effects on the Atmosphere
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Sample Questions
Q1) What is the Air Quality Index (AQI)?
Q2) Which of the following is considered to be the smoggiest of U.S.national parks?
A)Grand Canyon National Park
B)Sequoia/Kings Canyon National Park
C)Crater Lake National Park
D)Shenandoah National Park
Q3) Carbon monoxide is
A)a non-lethal gas that forms as the result of combustion.
B)an extremely deadly gas because it emulates oxygen in the blood stream.
C)a solid that can be filtered.
D)a particulate that settles via gravity.
Q4) Hydrocarbons
A)typically contain other elements besides carbon and hydrogen.
B)occur only in particulate forms.
C)are released into the atmosphere primarily through natural processes.
D)cause substantial health problems in cities with high levels of air pollution.
Q5) The most important source of airborne pollutants is ________.
Q6) According to the Environmental Protection Agency,this is the most important agent of photochemical smog: ________.
Q7) These compounds are made entirely of hydrogen and carbon: ________.
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Chapter 15: Earths Climates
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Sample Questions
Q1) In the Koeppen system,the type of climates that are unique because their distribution is not governed by geographic location but by topography,are the A)ice cap climates.
B)tundra climates.
C)humid continental climates.
D)highland climates.
Q2) A vegetation type that occurs in a tropical climate and consists of grasslands and interspersed trees is the ________.
Q3) Climate is defined over periods of at least ________ years.
Q4) This is the only climate zone in which precipitation is the defining characteristic.
A)tropical
B)mild mid-latitude
C)severe mid-latitude
D)dry
Q5) Tropical wet climates are typically contained within about this many degrees latitude of the equator: ________.
Q6) New York City has this type of climate: ________.
Q7) Los Angeles,California,has this type of climate: ________.
Page 18
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Chapter 16: Climate Changes: Past and Future
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Sample Questions
Q1) Solar scientists determine that the number of sunspots is increasing.Describe both the short-term and the long-term impact on solar radiation.
Q2) During the current geologic period,ice volume changes have been largest in A)the Southern Hemisphere. B)Asia.
C)Europe.
D)the Northern Hemisphere.
Q3) The time scale of climate change
A)is well defined and immutable.
B)is difficult to pin down for a wide variety of reasons.
C)can be measured and tracked with satellite data.
D)is easy to follow because climate changes little in spatial variation.
Q4) The shape of millennial oscillations is A)peaked.
B)sinusoidal.
C)indeterminate.
D)square-like.
Q5) In the context of climate change,what is a forcing agent?
Q6) Explain how caves are used to analyze past climates.
Q7) Describe three methods used to study past climates.
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Chapter 17: Atmospheric Optics Online Only in
Masteringmeteorology
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62 Verified Questions
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Sample Questions
Q1) Characterize the conditions of the atmosphere that are favorable for the formation of an inferior mirage.
Q2) Mirages are caused by
A)apparent horizontal displacements of objects by refraction.
B)apparent upward or downward displacements of objects by reflection.
C)apparent upward or downward displacements of objects by refraction.
D)apparent horizontal displacements of objects by reflection.
Q3) Explain how a secondary rainbow is formed.
Q4) ________ are formed by the interaction of light with ice crystals.
A)Primary rainbows
B)Secondary rainbows
C)Haloes
D)Glories
Q5) Halos are associated with
A)stratus clouds.
B)thunderstorms.
C)cumulus clouds.
D)cirrostratus clouds.
Q6) Explain how a primary rainbow is formed.
Q7) The brightest and most common rainbows are ________. Page 20
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Page 21