Weather and Climate

Question 1

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a solid state to a liquid state?

Answer 1

Melting

Question 2

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a solid state to a gaseous state

Answer 2

Sublimation

Question 3

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a liquid state to a solid state?

Answer 3

Freezing

Question 4

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a gaseous state to a liquid state?

Answer 4

Condensation

Question 4

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a liquid state to a gaseous state?

Answer 4

Evaporation

Question 5

What is the phase change of water in which water goes from a gaseous state to a solid state?

Answer 5

Deposition

Question 6

What is the process where water evaporates into the atmosphere through plants?

Answer 6

Transpiration

Question 7

What is the process where melting snow flows over the ground’s surface as water, contributing to rivers and streams?

Answer 7

Snowmelt runoff

Question 8

What is the process where excess water flows over the land surface instead of soaking into the ground, contributing to rivers and streams?

Answer 8

Surface runoff

Question 9

Where does Nevada’s water come from?

Answer 9

The Rocky Mountains

Question 10

What is the percentage measure of how close the air is to being saturated?

Answer 10

Relative humidity

Question 11

What is the weight of water vapor in the air, measured by grams per kilogram of air?

Answer 11

Specific Humidity

Question 12

What is the formula for relative humidity?

Answer 12

Specific humidity / Saturation mixing ratio

Question 13

What is the formula for specific humidity?

Answer 13

Mass of water vapor / Mass of water vapor + mass of dry air

Question 14

What determines the saturation mixing ratio?

Answer 14

Temperature

Question 15

What is the temperature at which the air must be cooled to be saturated with water vapor called?

Answer 15

Dew point

Question 16

What are the requirements for condensation to occur?

Answer 16

• Air is saturated (100% RH)
• Condensation nuclei is present
• Temperature of air has reached dew point

Question 17

What is the altitude at which a parcel of air becomes saturated called?

Answer 17

Lifting condensation level

Question 18

What are the five “stages” of forming clouds?

Answer 18

1. Evaporation/transpiration
2. Rising
3. Cooling
4. Condensation
5. Cloud formation

Question 19

Which types of clouds form at low altitudes?

Answer 19

stratus, stratocumulus, nimbostratus

Question 20

Which types of clouds form at medium altitudes?

Answer 20

altocumulus, altostratus

Question 21

Which types of clouds form at high altitudes?

Answer 21

cirrus, cirrostratus, cirrocumulus

Question 22

What is the process in which when air descends, it compresses, therefore increasing in temperature without a change in heat called?

Answer 22

Adiabatic warming

Question 23

What is the process in which when air rises, it expands, therefore decreasing in temperature without a change in heat called?

Answer 23

Adiabatic cooling

Question 24

What is the process by which air is forced to rise called?

Answer 24

Atmospheric lifting

Question 25

What causes atmospheric lifting?

Answer 25

convection, orographic uplift, convergence, and/or weather fronts

Question 26

What is the name of the side of a barrier that faces prevailing winds?

Answer 26

Windward

Question 27

What is the name of the side of a barrier that is sheltered from the wind?

Answer 27

Leeward

Question 28

What are the two methods of changing humidity?

Answer 28

Changing the water vapor and/or temperature in the air

Question 29

What are the two methods of increasing humidity?

Answer 29

Add water vapor to the air, decrease air temperature

Question 30

What are the two methods of decreasing humidity?

Answer 30

Remove water vapor from the air, increase air temperature

Question 31

What type of air mass is cold and dry, and forms over lands in high latitudes?

Answer 31

Continental polar

Question 32

What type of air mass is hot and dry, and forms over deserts?

Answer 32

Continental tropical

Question 33

What type of air mass is cold and moist, and forms over cold ocean waters?

Answer 33

Maritime polar

Question 34

What type of air mass is warm and humid, and forms over warm ocean waters?

Answer 34

Maritime tropical

Question 35

What type of air mass is very cold and dry, and forms over Arctic regions?

Answer 35

Arctic

Question 36

What are the boundaries between air masses?

Answer 36

Fronts

Question 37

What does the following symbol represent: A blue line with multiple triangles on one side.

Answer 37

Cold front

Question 38

What does the following symbol represent: A red line with multiple half-circles on one side.

Answer 38

Warm front

Question 39

What does the following symbol represent: A purple line with alternating triangles and half-circles on one side.

Answer 39

Occluded front

Question 40

What does the following symbol represent: A line whose color alternates between red and blue, and has alternating triangles and half-circles placed on opposite sides and corresponding with the alternating colors.

Answer 40

Stationary front

Question 41

What occurs when a cold air mass advances into an area occupied by a warm air mass?

Answer 41

Cold front

Question 42

What occurs when a warm air mass advances into an area occupied by a cold air mass?

Answer 42

Warm front

Question 43

What occurs when a faster-moving cold front catches up to a slower-moving warm front?

Answer 43

Occluded front

Question 44

What occurs when two different air masses meet but neither has the force to displace the other?

Answer 44

Stationary front