Science Chapter 11 Quiz

what affects only a very thin atmospheric layer near Earth´s surface

Conduction

these are small particles in the atmosphere around which cloud droplets can form

condensation nuclei

Air pressure __________ as you near the bottom of the atmosphere because of the greater mass of atmosphere above you

increases

as temperature decreases, density

increases

as temperature increases, pressure

increases

The temperature of the lower atmosphere decreases with ____________ _______________ from Earthś surface.

increasing distance

If the air does not stay warmer than the surrounding air, the cloud will flatten out and winds will spread

into layered cumulus clouds

The amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere is a significant source of energy because of the _______ it contains.

latent heat

This is stored energy in water vapor that is not released to warm the atmosphere until condensation takes place

latent heat

Middle clouds are usually

layered

stratus is a

low cloud

altocumulus and altostratus are

middle clouds

99% of the atmosphere is composed of

nitrogen and oxygen

Density imbalances can create areas of high and low

pressure

An air mass that does not exchange heat with its surroundings will cool off by about ______ degrees celcius for every _______m decrease in altitude

10; 1000

Middle clouds form between

2000 and 6000 m

Low clouds typically form below

2000m

the rate at which saturated air cools is about _____/_____ in very warm air

4 degrees celcius; 1000m

the rate at which saturated air cools is about ______/______ in very cold air

9 degrees celcius; 1000m

The transfer of energy by the flow of a heated surface

Convection

____________________ currents are among the main mechanisms responsible for the vertical motions of air, which cause different types of weather.

Convection

This layer is composed of light gases such as helium and hydrogen, and it is the outermost layer of the atmosphere

Exosphere

Temperature is measured in ________________, __________________, or _________________.

Fahrenheit, celcius, kelvins

True or false: ozone exists in small quantities mainly in a layer well below Earth's surface.

False; above the surface

True or false: there is a clear boundary between the atmosphere and space.

False; there is no clear boundary.

The transfer of energy that fuels atmospheric processes

Heat

The transfer of energy that occurs because of a difference in temperature between substances

Heat

This layer is made up of electrically charged particles and layers of progressively lighter gases.

Ionosphere

This layer is part of the thermosphere.

Ionosphere

This measures the number of ____________________ above the absolute zero, a point where molecular motion theoretically stops.

Kelvin scale, kelvins

This is the SI unit of temperature

Kelvins

The __________ _______________ ______________ is the height at which condensation occurs.

Lifted condensation level

The top boundary of the mesosphere is called the

Mesopause

This layer is the atmospheric layer above the the stratopause.

Mesosphere

This occurs when wind encounters a mountain and the air has no place to go but up. Then, the air expands and cools which results in ___________ ____________

Orographic lifting; cloud formation

This is a gas formed by the addition of a third oxygen atom to an oxygen molecule(O2). It absorbs ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

Ozone (O3)

This is the transfer of energy through space by visible light, ultraviolet radiation, and other forms of electromagnetic waves.

Radiation

This is the point at which the air holds as much water vapor it possibly can.

Saturation

The air in the stratosphere gradually increases in temperature up to the top of the layer, which is called__________________. It is located _____km above Earth's surface.

Stratopause; 50

This layer is above the tropopause, and it is made up primarily of concentrated ozone

Stratosphere

This layer is heated because ozone absorbs more ultraviolet radiation than does air in the troposphere

Stratosphere

The measurement of how rapidly or slowly molecules move

Temperature

This is used to measure and interpret energy

Temperature

These layers are part of the lower atmospheric layers.

The troposphere, the stratosphere, the mesosphere, the thermosphere, the ionosphere, ans the exosphere

This layer is the atmospheric layer above the mesopause that containse only a minute portion of the atmosphere's mass.

Thermosphere

Most weather takes place, and most air pollution collects in this layer

Troposphere

This layer contains most of the mass of the atmosphere, including water vapor.

Troposphere

This layer is characterized by a general decrease in temperature from bottom to top.

Troposphere

This layer is the layer closest to the Earth's surface.

Troposphere

True or false: heated air is LESS dense than cool air

True

As the warm air cools, the water vapor in it condenses and forms..

a cloud

relative humidity is expressed as

a percentage

This can happen when the lower layers of the atmosphere lose heat to Earth´s surface and become cooler than the air above them

a temperature inversion

this is an increase in temperature with height in an atmospheric layer

a temperature inversion

High clouds composed of ice crystals form

above 6000m

When water changes from one state to another, heat is either _____________ or ______________, which greatly affects _______________ and _____________.

absorbed, released, weather, climate

While Earth is __________ solar radiation, it is also continuously ________________ _________________ back into space

absorbing, sending energy

The most _________ ___________ ________ is the rate at which saturated air cools.

adiabatic lapse rate

The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere can be as little as________ and as much as___________.

almost zero, four percent

these clouds form at heights between 2000 m and 6000 m, and they can be either all liquid or a mixture of liquid and ice crystals.

altocumulus and altostratus

Vertical development clouds spread throughout all altitudes

at the same time

this is the tendancy for air to rise or sink as a result of differences in density

buoyancy

these clouds form as a continuous layer that sometimes covers the sky

cirrostratus

these clouds often have a wispy, indistinct appearance

cirrus

If the density of water vapor water droplets is great enough, they become visible in the form of a

cloud

This occurs with the collision of air masses of different temperatures.

cloud formation

These form when warm, moist air rises, expands, and cools in a convection current

clouds

As these clouds rise, water vapor condenses, and the air recieves additional warmth from the release of latent heat

clouds of vertical development

these clouds can reach up to 18,000m

clouds of vertical development

this occurs when cloud droplets collide and join together to form a larger droplet.

coalescence

________________________ cannot occur until air is saturated

condensation

When a mass of rising air reaches its lifted condensation level, water vapor

condenses

For ________________ to occur, substances must be in contact with one another

conduction

The transfer of energy that occurs when molecules collide is

conduction

Throughout___________________, energy is transferred from the particles of air near the Earth´s surface to the particles of air in the lowest layer of the atmosphere

conduction

The surface absorbs solar radiation and radiates energy with longer wavelengths, which warm the atmosphere through _________ and _____________

conduction, convection

If the air is able to continue rising, eventually it will ________ to its condensation temperature

cool

Air can become unstable if it is _______ than the surface beneath it

cooler

this cloud is capable of producing the torrential rains and strong winds that are characteristic of thunderstorms.

cumulonimbus

Atmospheric pressure ___________ with height because there are feweer and fewer gas particles exerting pressure

decreases

as temperature decreases, pressure

decreases

as temperature increases, density

decreases

if the temperature of an air parcel increases and no additional water vapor is added, its relative humidity

decreases

Air moves in response to ___________ _______________ created by the unequal heating and cooling of Earth´s surface.

density imbalances

This is the temperature to which air must be cooled at constant pressure to reach saturation

dew point

The _____ ______ ______ _____ is the rate at which unsaturated air, to which no heat is added or removed, will cool.

dry adiabatic lapse rate

The gravitational attraction between Earth and atmospheric gases causes particles of _______ to be pulled ______ the center of Earth

gas; towards

If rising air stays warmer than the surrounding air, the cloud will continue to

grow

If the air that makes up a cumulus cloud is unstable enough, the cloud will continue to

grow

As water vapor in the air condenses, _________ is released.

heat

Because they form aboe heights of 6000 m, where temperatures are below freezing, these clouds are made up of ice crystals.

high clouds

cirrus and cirrostratus are

high clouds

this is the amount of water vapor in the air

humidity

The rate of absorbtion for any particular area varies depending on the ______________ _________________ of an area and the amount of __________ ___________________ it recieves

physical characteristics, solar radiation

Temperature is ____________ to pressure

proportional

The density of air is ______________ to the number of particles of air occupying a particular space

proportional

this is the ratio of water vapor in a volume of air compared to how much water vapor that a volume of air is capable of holding.

relative humidity

As warmer air collides with cooler air, the bulk of it will be forced to _______ over more-dense, ______ air.

rise; cold

how rapidly any given mass of air cools determines its

stability

this is the ability of an air mass to resist rising

stability

this is a layered cloud that covers much or all of the sky, and it often forms when fog lifts away from Earth's surface.

stratus

The rate at which an air mass cools depends on the _________ of the surface beneath the air.

temperature

If the temperature conditions are right and the air mass rises repeatedly, it can produce the type of clouds associated with

thunderstorms

The upper limit of the troposphere that varies in height is called the

tropopause

True or false: most of the solar radiation that travels through the atmosphere does so at SHORT WAVELENGHTS, which are not easily absorbed

true

True or false: water is the only substance in that atmosphere that exists in three states?

true

Carbon dioxide makes up ______ of the atmosphere

under one percent

temperature ____________ with changes in both pressure and density

varies

storm clouds are clouds of

vertical development

Air in the lower portion of the atmospgere always contains at least some

water vapor

The energy to change liquid water into a gaseous state is stored in

water vapor

This can be thought of as air moving from one area of high pressure to an area of low pressure

wind

this generally increases with height in the atmosphere because there is less friction

wind speed