1

Question 1

1. __________ is defined as the state of the atmosphere at a particular place and time.

Answer 1

weather

Question 2

2. Climate is defined as weather conditions at some locality averaged over a standard period of _____ years.

Answer 2

30 years

Question 3

3. The climate of some locality governs
   a. the type of crops that can be cultivated.
   b. the fresh water supply.
   c. the average heating and cooling requirements for homes.
   d. All of the above are correct.

Answer 3

d. All of the above are correct.

Question 4

4. Depending on local topography, the maximum range of broadcasts of the NOAA weather radio is about ____________ kilometers.
   a. 65
   b. 100
   c. 20
   d. 30

Answer 4

65

Question 5

5. ____________ is used to describe the weight of the overlying air.
   a. Relative humidity
   b. Dewpoint
   c. Pressure
   d. Temperature

Answer 5

Pressure

Question 6

6. __________ pressure systems are usually accompanied by fair weather and __________ pressure systems are usually accompanied by stormy weather.
   a. High……………low
   b. Low……………high

Answer 6

High —–low

Question 7

7. ____________ is (are) typically found near the center of a high pressure system.
   a. Strong winds
   b. Light winds or calm air
   c. Rainy weather
   d. Lightning

Answer 7

Light winds or calm air

Question 8

8. Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds in a low pressure system blow
   a. clockwise and inward.
   b. clockwise and outward.
   c. counterclockwise and inward.
   d. counterclockwise and outward.

Answer 8

Counterclockwise and inward

Question 9

9. From your experience, weather systems usually cross the coterminous United States in
   a. less than an hour.
   b. several days.
   c. one to two months.
   d. several years.

Answer 9

Several days

Question 10

10. Weather systems in the middle latitudes of the Earth generally move in the direction towards the
    a. east.
    b. south.
    c. west.
    d. north.

Answer 10

east

Question 11

11. Viewed from above in the Northern Hemisphere, surface winds blow ___________ about the center of a high pressure system.
    a. clockwise and outward
    b. clockwise and inward
    c. counterclockwise and outward
    d. counterclockwise and inward

Answer 11

clockwise and outward

Question 12

12. Air temperatures tend to be relatively low to the ___________ of a low pressure system.
    a. east and south
    b. north and west

Answer 12

north and west

Question 13

13. As a general rule, lows that track from west to east across southern Canada produce ___________ precipitation compared to lows that track along the Gulf of Mexico coast.
    a. more
    b. less
    c. about the same amount of

Answer 13

less

Question 14

14. An air mass is a huge volume of air that is relatively uniform horizontally in
    a. temperature.
    b. humidity.
    c. Both of the above are correct.

Answer 14

both are correct

Question 15

15. A front is a narrow zone of transition between air masses that contrast in
    a. temperature.
    b. humidity.
    c. Either or both of the above are correct.

Answer 15

either or both

Question 16

16. The temperature and moisture characteristics of an air mass depend on
    a. the phase of the Moon.
    b. the properties of the surface over which the air mass resides and travels.
    c. conditions in the upper atmosphere.
    d. None of the above is correct.

Answer 16

b. the properties of the surface over which the air mass resides and travels.

Question 17

17. Often associated with a front is (are)
    a. cloudiness.
    b. precipitation.
    c. ascending air.
    d. All of the above are correct.

Answer 17

all

Question 18

18. __________ fronts are associated with cloudiness and precipitation over a broad geographical area.
    a. Cold
    b. Warm

Answer 18

cold

Question 19

19. At the same humidity (water vapor concentration), a cold air mass is _________ a warm air mass.
    a. denser than
    b. less dense than
    c. equally as dense as

Answer 19

denser than

Question 20

20. Most cloudiness and precipitation associated with a cold front occur as a relatively _________ band along or just ahead of where the front intersects Earth’s surface.
    a. narrow
    b. broad

Answer 20

narrow

Question 21

21. In North America, tornadoes are most common
    a. along the U.S. East Coast.
    b. along the U.S. Pacific Coast.
    c. in the central United States.
    d. in Alaska.

Answer 21

Central US

Question 22

22. The surface winds in a _________ pressure system bring contrasting air masses together to form fronts.
    a. low
    b. high

Answer 22

low

Question 23

A horizontal wind is named for the direction ___________ the wind blows.

a. toward which
b. from which

Answer 23

from which

Question 24

24. Typically, the day’s ___________ temperature occurs around sunrise.
    a. maximum
    b. average
    c. minimum

Answer 24

minimum

Question 25

25. Often the day’s highest air temperature and lowest relative humidity occur
    a. around midnight.
    b. near sunrise.
    c. during early to mid-afternoon.
    d. None of the above is correct.

Answer 25

*c. during early to mid-afternoon.

Question 26

On average, 10 cm of freshly fallen snow melt down to _____ cm of liquid water.

a. 5
b. 10
c. 1.0
d. 0.1

Answer 26

1.0

Question 27

A northeast wind blows from the __________ toward the __________.

a. southwest. . . . . . .northwest
b. southeast. . . . . . .northeast
c. northeast. . . . . . .southwest
d. west. . . . . . .east

Answer 27

Northeast ….southwest

Question 28

The National Weather Service issues a weather __________ when hazardous weather is considered possible based on current or anticipated atmospheric conditions.

a. watch
b. warning

Answer 28

Watch

Question 29

A geostationary satellite orbits Earth at a _________ altitude than a polar-orbiting satellite.

a. lower
b. higher

Answer 29

Higher

Question 30

All other factors being equal, temperatures are _________ during clear nights.

Answer 30

coldest

Question 31

All other factors being equal, an overcast sky _________ the day’s maximum temperature.

a. lowers
b. raises
c. has no effect upon

Answer 31

lower

Question 32

32. An infrared satellite image is more useful than a visible satellite image __________.
    a. during daylight
    b. at night

Answer 32

*b. at night

Question 33

On an infrared satellite image, high clouds appear __________ low clouds.

a. brighter than
b. darker than
c. the same as

Answer 33

*a. brighter than

Question 34

In the portion of the atmosphere where most clouds occur, the air temperature _________ with increasing altitude.

a. rises
b. drops
c. is constant

Answer 34

drops

Question 35

Clouds appear on __________ satellite images.

a. visible
b. infrared
c. water vapor
d. All of the above are correct.

Answer 35

*d. All of the above are correct.

Question 36

36. Weather radar monitors the movement of
    a. cloud particles.
    b. precipitation.

Answer 36

*b. precipitation.

Question 37

Meteorologists monitor the movement of plumes of water vapor at higher altitudes of the atmosphere using

a. ground-based radar.
b. water vapor satellite imagery.
c. visible satellite imagery.

Answer 37

water vapor satellite

Question 38

On a water vapor satellite image, dry air is indicated by

a. areas of black.
b. areas of gray.
c. areas of bright white.

Answer 38

areas of black

Question 39

Weather radar emits pulses of __________ energy that are reflected by precipitation particles (e.g., raindrops, snowflakes).

a. radio
b. visible
c. infrared
d. microwave

Answer 39

*d. microwave

Question 40

40. Weather radar utilizes the _________ effect to monitor the motion of precipitation particles.
    a. Coriolis
    b. Doppler
    c. tornado
    d. dewpoint

Answer 40

*b. Doppler

Question 41

41. A cloud in contact with the Earth’s surface is known as
    a. a cumuliform cloud.
    b. fog.
    c. a cirrus cloud.
    d. a thunderstorm.

Answer 41

*b. fog.

Question 42

Wispy-appearing clouds that occur at high altitudes are composed of mostly

a. tiny liquid water droplets.
b. tiny ice crystals.
c. methane.
d. solid carbon dioxide.

Answer 42

*b. tiny ice crystals.

Question 43

43. __________ clouds occur at relatively high altitudes and have a fibrous or wispy appearance.
    a. Ice-crystal
    b. Water-droplet

Answer 43

Ice crystal

Question 44

Clouds that form as horizontal layers are described as

a. cumuliform.
b. fog.
c. stratiform.
d. ice-crystal clouds.

Answer 44

*c. stratiform.

Question 45

Cumuliform clouds _________ form along or ahead of a cold front.

a. never
b. typically
c. always

Answer 45

typically

Question 46

Clouds located at different altitudes __________ move in the same direction indicating __________ in the horizontal wind direction with altitude.

a. always. . . . . . . a change
b. sometimes. . . . . . . no change
c. sometimes. . . . . . . a change

Answer 46

Sometimes

Question 47

___________ usually indicate fair weather.

a. Scattered cumulus clouds
b. Stratiform clouds

Answer 47

Scattered cumulus clouds

Question 48

47. Cumulus clouds that exhibit considerable vertical growth are ___________ to produce precipitation.
    a. likely
    b. unlikely

Answer 48

*a. likely

Question 49

48. A thunderstorm cloud:
    a. cumulus
    b. cirrus
    c. cumulonimbus
    d. stratiform

Answer 49

*c. cumulonimbus

Question 50

49. __________ weather is usually associated with cumulonimbus clouds.
    a. Fair
    b. Stormy

Answer 50

stormy