General Meteorology and Surface Weather Observations Flashcards
How many degrees centigrade does the temperature decrease per 1,000 meters of altitude in the troposphere?
A. 3.5
B. 4.5
C. 5.5
D. 6.5
6.5
The stratosphere is characterized by
A. Noctilucent clouds, a “D” layer, and excellent flying conditions.
B. A constantly warming temperature, mother-of-pearl clouds, and generally poor flying weather.
C. A max temp of 7°C, the strongest concentration of ozone, dense cirrus clouds, and occasionally poor flying conditions.
D. A temperature that remains isothermal to about 100,000 feet, the strongest concentration of ozone, and excellent flying conditions.
A temperature that remains isothermal to about 100,000 feet, the strongest concentration of ozone, and excellent flying conditions.
Above 13 miles, the radiation from the sun breaks down the oxygen in the atmosphere into
A. Ozone gas
B. Argon gas
C. Carbon dioxide
D. Gaseous nitrogen
Ozone gas
Which is TRUE of water vapor in the atmosphere?
A. It absorbs ultraviolet radiation
B. The most the air can hold is 6 percent
C. The more water vapor, the lighter the air will be
D. It keeps the earth from becoming too hot by absorbing solar radiation
The more water vapor, the lighter the air will be
The earth’s atmosphere receives the most heating through the process of
A. Direct solar radiation
B. Atmospheric scattering
C. Reradiated energy from the earth’s surface
D. Reradiated energy from clouds and other atmospheric components
Reradiated energy from the earth’s surface
The two atmospheric gases most responsible for the absorption of incoming solar radiation are
A. Oxygen and ozone
B. Ozone and water vapor
C. Oxygen and water vapor
D. Ozone and carbon dioxide
Oxygen and ozone
Explain why the sky is blue?
A. Short-wave radiation is reflected by atmospheric particles larger than .5 microns.
B. Short-wave radiation is reflected by atmospheric particles smaller than .5 microns.
C. Long-wave radiation is reflected by atmospheric particles larger than .5 microns.
D. Long-wave radiation is reflected by atmospheric particles smaller than .5 microns.
Short-wave radiation is reflected by atmospheric particles smaller than .5 microns.
The driving mechanism that is mainly responsible for the earth’s large-scale atmospheric circulations is the
A. Unequal heating of the earth
B. Rotation of the earth
C. Hadley cell
D. Polar cell
Unequal heating of the earth
The three circulation cells in the three-cell circulation theory are
A. Subtropical, Hadley, and Ferrel
B. Polar, subtropical, and Hadley
C. Subtropical, polar, and Ferrel
D. Polar, Hadley, and Ferrel
Polar, Hadley, and Ferrel
Which force is the “equal and opposite reaction” to the center-seeking force?
A. Inertia
B. Coriolis
C. Centrifugal
D. Centripetal
Centrifugal
Centrifugal force will increase when there is a decrease in
A. Mass
B. Centripetal force
C. The speed of rotation
D. The radius of rotation
The radius of rotation
Coriolis force is created by
A. The cyclonic rotation of the earth
B. The anticyclonic rotation of the earth
C. An opposing force to pressure gradient
D. An apparent force and therefore, it does not exist
The cyclonic rotation of the earth
If you throw a ball towards a stationary target form the window of a speeding vehicle, Coriolis force will cause the ball to miss the target
A. To the right
B. To the left
C. Downward
D. Upward
To the right
The force that is responsible for starting the horizontal movement of air over earth’s surface is
A. Gravity
B. Coriolis
C. Centrifugal
D. Pressure gradient
Pressure gradient
To achieve geostrophic windflow, there must be a balance between
A. Pressure gradient force and centrifugal force
B. Pressure gradient force and Coriolis force
C. Coriolis force and centrifugal force
D. Coriolis force and friction
Pressure gradient and Coriolis force
