Atmospheric knowledge

Question 1

Troposphere

Answer 1

–20,000 ft at poles –60,000 ft at Equator

Question 2

Stratosphere

Answer 2

–120,000 ft –20 miles

Question 3

Mesophere

Answer 3

–300,000 ft –50 miles

Question 4

Three sphere above Mesosphere

Answer 4

Aurora ———— Ionosphere ———— Thermosphere ———— Mesosphere

Question 5

Tropopause

Answer 5

Boundary between Troposphere and Stratosphere

Question 6

Ozone Layer

Answer 6

Higher end of Stratosphere

Question 7

When flying, above which altitude does one need supplemental oxygen?

Answer 7

Above 10,000 ft

Question 8

Composition of air:

Answer 8

78% Nitrogen 21% Oxygen 1% Argon The rest is carbon dioxide, hydrogen and other rare gases.

Question 9

Cirrocumulus

Answer 9

–Above 18,000 ft –Small dots

Question 10

Cirrus

Answer 10

–Above 18,000 ft –Palm tree tops

Question 11

Altocumulus

Answer 11

–6,000 ft to 20,000 ft –Large dots

Question 12

Altostratus

Answer 12

–6,000 ft to 20,000 ft –Flat with spikey edges

Question 13

Cumulonimbus

Answer 13

—Near ground to 50,000 ft –Messy stack

Question 14

Cumulus

Answer 14

–Below 6,000 ft –Tidy stack

Question 15

Stratus

Answer 15

–Below 6,000 ft –flat, long

Question 16

Stratocumulus

Answer 16

–Below 6,000 ft –Long with puffy tops

Question 17

Cumulus, from Latin to English

Answer 17

A heap, e.g. a heap of cotton balls.

Question 18

Stratus, from Latin to English

Answer 18

A covering or blanket.

Question 19

Cirrus, from Latin to English

Answer 19

A curl, e.g. curls of white hair.

Question 20

The whitest, highest clouds. They’re made of tiny ice crystals.

Answer 20

–Cirrus –18,000 ft or higher)

Question 21

High level clouds

Answer 21

–20,000 ft plus –Below freezing, made of ice crystals –Cirrus, cirrocumulus, cirrostratus

Question 22

Middle level clouds

Answer 22

–6,500 ft plus –Altocumulus, altostratus, nimbostratus

Question 23

Low level clouds

Answer 23

–Base below 6,000 ft –Stratocumulus, stratus, cumulus, nimbostratus

Question 24

Towering, vertically rising clouds

Answer 24

Cumulonimbus and Towering Cumulus

Question 25

Land breeze

Answer 25

In PM, land cools faster than water, causing land’s air to go out to sea.

Question 26

Sea breeze

Answer 26

During day, land is warmer than water, causing its air to move up and in a circular motion toward the sea and back onto land.

Question 27

Thunderstorm’s cumulus stage:

Answer 27

Warm air rises in the cumulus clouds

Question 28

Thunderstorm’s mature stage:

Answer 28

Precipitation begins, typically last 20-40 minutes

Question 29

Thunderstorm’s dissipating stage:

Answer 29

–Downdrafts of cold air overcome rising warm air, and –the temp in the clouds warms to match that of surrounding environment