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
The balance of forces needed for gradient anticyclonic circulation are pressure gradient
A. Balances against friction and coriolis forces.
B. And friction balanced against centrifugal force.
C. Balances against coriolis and centrifugal forces.
D. And centrifugal balances against coriolis force.
And centrifugal balances against coriolis force.
The balance of forces needed for gradient cyclonic circulation is pressure gradient
A. Balanced against friction and coriolis forces.
B. And friction balanced against centrifugal force.
C. Balanced against coriolis and centrifugal forces.
D. And centrifugal balanced against coriolis force.
Balanced against coriolis and centrifugal forces
The areas of low pressure that correspond to the belt of low pressure at 60°N created by the 3-cell circulation are the
A. Icelandic and Asiatic lows
B. Icelandic and Aleutian lows
C. Aleutian and Asiatic lows
D. The Aleutian lows
Icelandic and Aleutian lows
In relation to the jet core, the greatest vertical wind shear is usually located
A. Above the strongest horizontal shear
B. Below the strongest horizontal shear
C. Above the jet core
D. Below the jet core
Above the jet core
In relation to the jet core, the greatest horizontal wind shear is usually located
A. Above the jet core
B. North of the jet core
C. South of the jet core
D. Below the jet core
North of the jet core
