Chapter 14 Learnsmart

Atmospheres are ______ in our solar system. a. common b. ubiquitous c. rare

A

Select all that apply Which factors below are directly responsible for the relatively pleasant global surface temperature on Earth? a. The absorption of solar energy at Earth's surface b. The heat generated by friction between the molecules in the upper atmosphere and space as Earth rotates c. The absorption of heat by greenhouses gases in the lower atmosphere d. The output of heat energy at tectonic boundaries

A and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurately describes a water molecule? a. A net partial negative charge develops on the side opposite of the two hydrogen atoms. b. A net partial positive charge develops near one hydrogen atom while a net partial negative charge develops near the other hydrogen atom. c. The two hydrogen atoms cause the water molecule to have a net partial positive charge on one side. d. The two hydrogen atoms cause the water molecule to have an overall negative charge.

A and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurately describes a water molecule? a. The two hydrogen atoms cause the water molecule to have a net partial positive charge on one side. b. A net partial positive charge develops near one hydrogen atom while a net partial negative charge develops near the other hydrogen atom. c. A net partial negative charge develops on the side opposite of the two hydrogen atoms. d. The two hydrogen atoms cause the water molecule to have an overall negative charge.

A and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurate describe the troposphere? a. It contains our weather systems and air pollution. b. It is bounded by the tropopause below and stratosphere above. c. The troposphere is primarily heated from above. d. Temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude.

A and D

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurately describe the mesosphere? a. It is characterized by decreasing air temperatures at higher altitudes. b. It is warmed from above as the abundant ozone molecules in it absorb radiation. c. It is characterized by relatively uniform air temperatures. d. It is located between the thermal layers of the stratosphere and thermosphere.

A and D

Wien's law states that the ______ an object's molecules move, the ______ wavelength of radiation it will emit. a. slower; longer b. slower; shorter c. faster; longer d. faster; shorter

A and D

Select all that apply Select that statements below that accurately describe the composition of Earth's atmosphere about 4 billion years ago. a. Rain was reducing the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. b. Carbon dioxide composed about 25% of the atmosphere. c. Hydrogen and helium combined to form 99% of the atmospheric gases. d. Free oxygen was absent.

A, B, and D

Select all that apply What can happen to the solar EMR that reaches Earth's atmosphere from space? It can be ______. a. scattered b. reflected c. intensified d. absorbed e. transmitted through Earth

A, B, and D

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurately describe the stratosphere? a. It is primarily heated from above. b. Temperatures are higher at higher altitudes. c. The air layers in it are unstable. d. The UV-blocking ozone layer is located in the stratosphere.

A, B, and D

Select all that apply Which of the following are lines of evidence used to suggest that there were high levels of oxygen in the atmosphere during the Permian (~270 Mya)? a. Lots of charcoal in the rocks of the time b. The evolution of giant insects c. High extinction rates among birds d. Isotopic ratios in ice cores e. Extensive oxygen-producing forests existed on land

A, B, and E

___________________ is the measure of the reflectivity of a surface.

Albedo

Select all that apply What was the source of the gases that composed the early atmosphere on Earth? a. Interstellar gases delivered by solar wind b. Comets and meteorites c. Gases expelled during volcanism d. Waste gases from trees

B and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurate describe the troposphere? a. The troposphere is primarily heated from above. b. It contains our weather systems and air pollution. c. Temperature generally decreases with increasing altitude. d. It is bounded by the tropopause below and stratosphere above.

B and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurate describes the spatial relationships of the atmospheric layers? a. The stratosphere is located below the troposphere. b. The thermosphere is located above the mesosphere. c. The troposphere is the layer located closest to Earth's surface. d. The mesosphere is in between the stratosphere and troposphere.

B and C

Select all that apply Which of the following statements accurately describe the thermosphere? a. Temperatures decrease with increasing altitude. b. It absorbs much of the harmful cosmic radiation. c. It is the outermost layer of the atmosphere. d. It is heated primarily from below.

B and C

Select all that apply Why did the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere gradually decrease from earlier high concentrations? a. Volcanoes started to absorb more carbon dioxide than they released as Earth's interior slowly cooled. b. Some organisms were removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere during photosynthetic activity. c. Carbonic acid, formed in rain from the carbon dioxide, was being consumed as it weathered rocks. d. Solar radiation was splitting carbon dioxide into oxygen and carbon, and both were being lost to space.

B and C

Select all that apply What are the two boundaries (upper and lower) of Earth's atmosphere? (Select two). a. The top of Earth's mantle b. Earth's surface c. The stratopause d. The gradational transition into space e. The top of the troposphere

B and D

Select all that apply Identify all the phase changes below that involve the absorption of latent heat. a. Deposition b. Melting c. Evaporation d. Sublimation e. Freezing f. Condensation

B, C, D

Select all that apply Which of the following have wavelengths that are longer than visible light? a. X-rays b. Microwaves c. Radio waves d. Infrared

B, C, D

Select all that apply What can happen to sunlight that is absorbed at Earth's surface? It can be ______. a. converted to ultraviolet radiation b. used to evaporate water c. converted to infrared radiation (heat) d. used to heat objects

B, C, and D

True or false: Earth's first atmosphere was supplied with gases produced by photosynthetic organisms (e.g., plants).

F

What is the gas that is located in the stratosphere, is composed of three oxygen atoms, and absorbs ultraviolet radiation?

O3

The relationship between the heat of an object and wavelength of EMR it emits is ________________ law.

Wiens

In relation to atmospheric science, what is air? a. The specific mix of gases in Earth's atmosphere b. The space between the molecules in the atmosphere c. The free electrons in the atmosphere that are not attached to any atoms d. Any material in the atmosphere with a density less than 1 gm/cm3

a

How would the worldwide injection of light-colored aersols into the atmosphere likely effect global temperatures? 1. It would likely cause Earth to cool as the aerosols cause the reflection of more EMR back to space. 2. They would be no measurable effect because the atmosphere is largely heated from the ground up by outgoing longwave radiation. 3. It would likely cause the atmosphere to heat as the incoming EMR is absorbed by the aerosols.

a.

Photosynthetic activity was producing oxygen as a waste product long before (~ 2 billion years) oxygen started to accumulate in Earth's atmosphere. Why didn't oxygen accumulate in the atmosphere as soon as it was being released? a. Any oxygen being produced was quickly combining with other elements and molecules. b. Animals were using oxygen faster than it was being produced. c. Oxygen has to be subducted at plate boundaries before it can become stable in Earth's atmosphere. d. The oxygen being produced by early organisms was in the form of ozone (O3).

a.

The color of the sky is determined by which wavelengths of light are being ______. a. most strongly scattered b. scattered and absorbed in the atmosphere c. scattered the least

a.

The density of air ______ as you move to higher altitudes in the atmosphere. a. decreases rapidly b. remains largely constant c. increases rapidly

a.

The injection of massive amounts of light-colored aerosols into the atmosphere results in ______. a. global cooling b. global warming

a.

The mesopause, stratopause, and tropopause are located ______ of the layers for which they are named. a. on the top b. in the middle c. on the bottom

a.

The sky often appears to be blue because wavelengths in the blue range are the most strongly ______ in the atmosphere. a. scattered b. absorbed c. reflected

a.

Under which set of conditions below will relative and absolute humidity increase at the same time? a. Additional water vapor is added to the air, and air temperature remains the same. b. Water vapor is removed from the air, but air temperatures drop quickly. c. Additional water vapor is added to the air, and air temperature rapidly increases. d. Air temperature changes in any direction but the amount of water vapor remains constant

a.

Water's unique atomic structure allows it to be the only naturally occurring substance that can ______. a. exist in all three phase states at Earth's surface b. switch between a gas and a liquid without releasing energy c. behave as a gas while maintaining a solid form d. switch between a liquid and a gas without requiring an energy input

a.

Wavelength and frequency are used to describe ______. a. electromagnetic radiation b. adiabatic cooling c. atmospheric pressure d. potential energy

a.

What is albedo? a. A measure of how reflective a surface is b. A measure of the amount of scattering done at the surface of Earth c. The wavelength of EMR that is most strongly reflected by a surface d. The color of a surface if it is receiving the full spectrum of visible wavelengths

a.

What is the difference between relative and absolute humidity? Relative humidity measures the amount of water vapor in the air in comparison to the ______. a. maximum mass of water vapor that it could hold, whereas absolute humidity is the mass of water in a volume of air b, amount of water vapor in an adjacent air mass, whereas absolute humidity is the ratio of water vapor to liquid water in the air c. total amount of water vapor available on Earth, whereas absolute humidity is the total mass of water on Earth

a.

What is the greenhouse effect? a. The absorption of outgoing heat energy in the atmosphere by certain gases b. Any decrease in Earth's average global surface temperature c. The change in air temperature that occurs as the albedo of Earth's surface below an air mass varies d. Any increase in Earth's average global surface temperature

a.

What overall effect does the greenhouse effect have on air temperatures at Earth's surface? a. It increases temperatures by 33 Cο (59 Fο). b. It deceases temperatures by 33 Cο (59 Fο). c. It decreases temperatures by 18 Cο (32 Fο). d. It increases temperatures by 18 Cο (32 Fο).

a.

Which statement below accurately describes how the absorption of EMR varies with wavelength in the atmosphere? a. The shorter the wavelength of EMR, the more likely it is to be absorbed higher in the atmosphere. b. The longer the wavelength of EMR, the more likely it is to be absorbed higher in the atmosphere. c. Shorter wavelengths are more likely to be absorbed higher in the atmosphere at longitudes less than 180°.

a.

Why is the stratosphere relatively stable? a. Warmer air overrides the colder, higher-density air below as the stratosphere is heated from above. b. The overwhelming mass of the air above it prevents instability. c. It is bounded on the top and bottom by transition zones where more uniform temperature profiles exist. d. It is warmed from below by a steady stream of radiation.

a.

Which of the following statements is accurate in regard to the distribution of atmospheres in our solar system? a. Earth is the only solid body in the solar system with an atmosphere. b. They are common around other planets and can be found around some moons. c. They only occur on Earth, Mars, and Venus. d. They fully exist around every solid body in the solar system.

b

Because troposphere is defined by its thermal qualities, it is ______ over equator and ______ over the poles. a. thinner; thicker b. thicker; thinner

b.

How did rising oxygen levels during the Phanerozoic affect life on Earth? a. It allowed evolution to start. b. Colonization of the land became possible. c. The air became toxic to multicellular organisms. d. It caused more mutations.

b.

How is energy transferred via latent heat during phase changes of water? a. Ultraviolet radiation is released or absorbed in order to transfer energy during phase changes of water. b. A specific amount of heat energy per gram of water is released into the environment or absorbed from the environment. c. Atoms with an excess number of electrons carry a charge across the divide between phases of state in order to transfer energy.

b.

In addition to the evolution of photosynthesis, what had to happen before oxygen levels could start to rise in Earth's atmosphere? The point had to be reached where there was ______. a. less solar radiation reaching Earth than there was outgoing longwave radiation b. more oxygen being released than was being absorbed by chemical reactions c. more organic matter decaying than there was organic matter being produced d. enough freshwater on land to slow the uptake of oxygen by Earth's surface

b.

Objects on the ground radiate thermal energy. Where does this thermal energy come from? a. It comes from the latent heat of evaporation caused by sunlight. b. Objects absorb sunlight and other solar radiation, and it is converted to thermal energy (infrared radiation). c. It comes from the magnetic response generated by protons and electrons from the sun that reach Earth's surface.

b.

The rate at which air temperature in the troposphere declines with increasing altitude is known as the ______. a. ambient cooling slope b. normal lapse rate c.. geothermal gradient d. thermocline

b.

The warmer air over colder air in the stratosphere creates ______ conditions. a. turbulent b. stable

b.

What happens at the dew point temperature? a. Condensation slows to a halt as the air can hold no more water vapor. b. The air is saturated with water vapor (100% relative humidity) and condensation occurs. c. The air is at 50% relative humidity and a balance between evaporation and condensation occurs. d. The rate of evaporation reaches a maximum as condensation becomes the dominant process.

b.

What is heat capacity? a. The ability of a substance to absorb (or release) more energy than its atomic structure would otherwise suggest b. The amount of heat a substance must absorb (or release) to produce a corresponding temperature change c. The amount of kinetic energy a substance must absorb (or release) to produce a corresponding change in potential energy d. The relative amount of the total energy emitted by an object that is in the infrared portion of the electromagnetic spectrum

b.

What is latent heat? a. The temperature of a object when it is at its freezing point b. The amount of heat absorbed or released as water changes states c. The amount of potential energy a water molecule has due to its position in the atmosphere d. The amount of heat absorbed or released as water warms or cools

b.

What is the difference between heat and temperature? Heat is the total kinetic energy ______. a. being lost by a substance to its surroundings, whereas temperature is the total kinetic energy that remains in the substance. b. of all the atoms in a substance, whereas temperature is the average kinetic energy of all the atoms c. of all the atoms in a substance, whereas temperature is the total amount of kinetic energy in one of the atoms in a substance

b.

What is the value of the normal lapse rate? a. 25.2 Cο per kilometer b. 6.5 Cο per kilometer c. 12.8 Cο per kilometer d. 2.2 Cο per kilometer

b.

What would Earth's average surface temperature be without the greenhouse effect? a. 0°C (32°F) b. -18°C (0°F) c. 33°C (59°F)

b.

Where does the latent heat come from that is needed to evaporate sweat from the surface of your skin? a. The sun b. Your body c. The wind d. The sweat itself

b.

Why does the thickness of the troposphere vary? a. Wind is deflected in different directions in each hemisphere. b. Air expands towards the equator, where it is warmed, and contracts nearer the poles, where it is colder. c. Regions without a tropopause are thicker because the troposphere expands to fill these voids. d. The force direction of Earth's magnetic field varies with latitude.

b.

______% of the total solar radiation that reaches Earth's atmosphere from space is absorbed at Earth's surface, ______% is absorbed in the atmosphere, and ______% is scattered or reflected either by the clouds, the atmosphere, or at Earth's surface. a. 37; 43; 20 b. 51; 19; 30 c. 32; 61; 7 1d. 2; 5; 83

b.

The general transition to space and the surface of Earth are two boundaries for Earth's ______. a. lithosphere b. molecules c. atmosphere d. biosphere

c

A little more than half (~51%) of the incoming solar radiation from space is ______. a. absorbed by clouds and the atmosphere b. scattered in the thermosphere c. absorbed at the surface of Earth d. reflected in the mesosphere

c.

How does sweating cool your body? a. Kinetic energy is absorbed from the body by the sweat as water condenses on the skin from the atmosphere. b. Latent heat is released to the body as the sweat changes state from liquid to gas during evaporation. c. Latent heat is absorbed from the body as the sweat changes state from liquid to gas during evaporation. d. Sweating changes your surface albedo, causing a decrease in the amount of solar energy absorbed.

c.

Scattering, absorption, or reflecting are the only three possible fates for ____ reaching Earth's atmosphere from space. a. neutrinos b. gravity c. radiation d. sound

c.

The ______ of a substance represents the average kinetic energy of all the atoms in it, whereas ______ is the total kinetic energy of all the atoms in a substance. a. energy; temperature b. heat; temperature c. temperature; heat d. force; heat

c.

The absorption of solar radiation at the surface of Earth and the absorption of heat by greenhouse gases ______. a. prevent Earth's lower atmosphere from heating up more than it already does b. cause the release of photons and the formation of the northern lights c. keep Earth's average global surface temperature relatively pleasant d. provide the needed energy to heat Earth's core

c.

The amount of moisture in the air is called ______; if air can hold no more moisture at a given temperature, it is said to be ______. a. absolute water; engorged b. saturation; wet c. humidity; saturated d. precipitation; relative

c.

The density of air ______ as you move to higher altitudes in the atmosphere. a. increases rapidly b. remains largely constant c. decreases rapidly

c.

What does the acronym EMR stand for in the atmospheric sciences? a. Earth's magnetic ring b. Environmental monitoring recorder c. Electromagnetic radiation d. Energy multiplying reaction

c.

What happened to the number of species in groups that used oxygen inefficiently, such as the phylum arthropoda (invertebrates with exoskeletons), as oxygen levels fell during the Devonian period? a. A radiation event nearly doubled the number of species of arthropods. b. The species diversity with the arthropoda remained the same. c. Extinction reduced the number of arthropod species.

c.

What is the kinetic energy of a substance? a. The amount of energy that can be released by an substance without slowing the molecules in it b. The energy that is stored within the bonds and atomic structures of the molecules composing a substance c. The energy that exists from the motion of the atoms in a substance d. The ability of the substance to absorb or release heat without gaining or losing energy

c.

What is the relationship between the concentration of oxygen in Earth's atmosphere and the evolution of its biosphere? a. The biosphere cannot affect the level of atmospheric oxygen, and life can only try to keep up with changes via evolution. b. The biosphere evolves independently of the concentration of atmospheric oxygen since oxygen can alternatively be removed from silicate minerals. c. The biosphere has modified the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere and has made it suitable for the life that currently exists on Earth.

c.

What was the relative abundance of carbon dioxide and oxygen in Earth's atmosphere 4 billion years ago? a. They existed at the same relative concentration. b. Neither existed as a gas in the atmosphere 4 billion years ago. c.. Carbon dioxide was more abundant than oxygen. d. Oxygen was more abundant than carbon dioxide.

c.

When air is saturated, the humidity of the air is at its ______. a. average b. minimum c. maximum

c.

Which of the following statements accurately describes the correlation between altitude and air density in the atmosphere? a. As altitude increases, density slowly increases. b. There is no correlation between altitude and the density of air. c. As altitude increases, the density of air rapidly decreases. d. As altitude decreases, the density of air slowly decreases.

c.

Algae and other organisms conducting photosynthesis played a role in modifying Earth's atmosphere by removing ______ and adding ______. a. oxygen; carbon dioxide b. ozone; hydrogen c. organic acids; carbon dioxide d. carbon dioxide; oxygen

d.

How are the dew point and condensation related? a. Condensation decreases the dew point by absorbing heat from the atmosphere. b. The dew point is that temperature at which all condensation stops. c. Condensation can only occur when the temperature is above the dew point. d. Condensation can occur when an air mass is at the dew point because the air is saturated.

d.

The process of ______ returns electromagnetic radiation to space at the same wavelength at which it was received. a. albedo b. attenuation c. absorption d. reflection

d.

What happens to incoming solar radiation (EMR) that is reflected by gas molecules and other particles in the atmosphere? a. The energy is absorbed by the reflecting substance. b. it is reflected toward Earth. c. The energy is scattered by the reflecting surface. d. It is returned to space.

d.

What is the average albedo of Earth? a. 53% b. 71% c. 44% d. 31%

d.

What will happen to the relative and absolute humidity if condensation occurs at a constant temperature? a. They will both increase. b. Absolute humidity will increase, but relative humidity will decrease. c. Absolute humidity will decrease,but relative humidity will increase. d. They will both decrease.

d.

When water changes phase (e.g., ice to water), heat is released to or absorbed by ______. a. increasing the kinetic energy of all the molecules involved b. the spontaneous release of small packets of energy in the form of gamma radiation c. the transfer of free-moving electrons between the object gaining energy and the substance losing the energy d. the surrounding environment by a specific amount determined by the mass (in grams) of the water being converted

d.

The ________________________ occurs as certain molecules in the air, such as carbon dioxide, absorb the outgoing heat energy radiated by Earth's surface after it is heated by the Sun.

greenhouse effect

Relative to other substances, water must absorb (or release) a lot of energy in order for there to be a change in its temperature. This is because water has a high _________ capacity.

heat

Sunlight absorbed by Earth's surface is reradiated as longer-wavelength -----________________ radiation.

infrared

The ___________________ is located directly below the mesopause, and air temperatures in it decline at higher altitudes.

mesosphere

The large size of insects and other creatures, and the large amounts of charcoal in the rock record, indicate that ___________ concentrations were high during the Permian period.

oxygen

Primitive organisms consumed carbon dioxide and created oxygen through the process of ____________, which modified Earth's atmosphere.

photosynthesis

What is the name of the thermal layer of Earth's atmosphere that heats to more than 1000ο C as it absorbs the shortwave radiation (e.g., gamma rays) from the sun, thus preventing this harmful radiation from reaching Earth's surface?

thermosphere

The layer of the atmosphere directly above Earth's surface and where our weather occurs is called the ___________________.

troposphere

What is the only natural substance that can exist as a solid, liquid, and gas at Earth's surface?

water